How to Hang Outdoor String Lights Without Trees

Find out how to string lights in your property with action by step guideline to hanging out of doors string lights from fences, poles, and roofs.

1 of my most common posts is my tutorial on how to hold out of doors string lights from our oak grove at the ranch. But our backyard at our house appears to be very different… and yours may well, way too! 

How do you string globe lights in a yard with out trees? Nowadays, I’m going to display you.

Factors for Hanging Outside String Lights

Prior to I present you specifically how we hung our lights above our pool, I want to aid you consider by means of the out of doors lights suggestions and selections for property and patio lights.

Initially, although, allow me remind you to use caution if you have a pool. This tutorial is intended to clearly show you how to dangle lights across a lawn with no practical trees to keep your lights it is not a extensive tutorial on electricity and h2o protection. You should look at your nearby code and/or talk to an electrician when doing the job near water.

Overhead vs On the Facet

I’m a sucker for twinkle lights, like Christmas lights, and the ambiance they provide when strung across a fence or via the trees is this kind of a enjoyment factor in yard lights. Having said that, if you want the lights to offer functional lighting, like for dining, then you will want much larger lights strung overhead.

To string lights overhead, you require a preset level at least 8-10 toes off the ground that can hold the rigidity of a wire or gentle strand. This can be a tree, the eaves of your property or gazebo or protected patio, a pergola, a fence, a picket write-up, a second tale deck railing, a metallic pole, or any other sturdy guidance.

This article consists of affiliate one-way links. Simply click listed here to study my whole disclosure.

Solar String Lights vs Plug In

Speaking of purposeful overhead gentle, I attempted a number of different photo voltaic light strands, and I could not discover one that actually furnished enough gentle for our functions. We wished the house to be thoroughly lit to enjoy eating, swimming, incredibly hot tubbing, and even an out of doors match night we hosted. The solar light-weight strands seem to be enjoyment for ambiance, but not ample for job lighting.

So if you are wanting for endeavor lights, then you will need to take into account your ability supply. Your structure for stringing your lights will will need to begin at a plug and/or include an extension twine that can mix into your room.

Wire vs No wire

At the ranch in the oak grove, I applied this kit and strung a guidebook wire for the lights (which proved to be useful given that squirrels like to take in the mild cords – ugh – and that enables me to switch sections devoid of getting rid of the pressure of the overall area). In our backyard, however, considering the fact that I was not absolutely sure I needed the lights there completely, I chose to hold the lights without having a wire package.

Permanent vs Removable

Technically all of these string lights are rather detachable, but there are undoubtedly approaches to make them less complicated to place up and just take down if you want that versatility. Particularly if you have to insert posts to maintain the lights, you’ll want to think about how straightforward it will be to take out the posts if you at any time decide on to. 

Glass Bulbs vs Plastic

We selected to use these commercial strands with glass bulbs at the ranch. They are gorgeous, and due to the fact there is mulch beneath, we have not broken many… But if I had it to do above yet again, but I would likely pick out plastic just to eliminate any concerns.

In our outdoor area at house, on the other hand, we have a huge concrete patio underneath the lights, so plastic bulbs were a ought to. We also selected a strand without having the extra dangling cord for every single light considering the fact that we desired to acquire as considerably headroom clearance as achievable. 

How to Dangle Outdoor String Lights With out Trees

With all people issues in mind, we selected overhead plug-in lights with plastic bulbs, and I received resourceful to install them in a way that looked classy and crafted-in but could simply be taken off if we selected to. Let me show you how!

Products we used to cling our outside string lights:

1. Evaluate your house

Use a tape evaluate to program the place and figure out the number of gentle strands you will need and the greatest configuration for them. You will also have to have to take into account the place you can attach the lights (see #2 down below). Fortunately, you can see the size of every single strand of lights ahead of purchasing, so you can make your choices accordingly.

We made the decision that a VVV development which started off at the outlet earlier mentioned our grill would be suitable. This implies that the lights are totally unplugged most of the time. If you can, it will help to attract out the area from an aerial viewpoint.

2. System your supports

We realized we desired the strands to arrive off the framing of the porch, so that gave us two of our points. We have a mountain laurel tree that is in essence in line with the porch, so that presented position #3 on the home aspect of the yard.

For people factors, we used weighty-responsibility screw hooks. The hook screws into the wood and retains the mild strand.

On the other dimensions, we had the light-weight pole for the grill, but we however required a few additional supports to comprehensive our VVV development. Did you know you can develop your have supports?

We have a attractive wrought iron fence, but it is only about 4 feet tall, not almost tall sufficient to help overhead lights. I thought of buckets or planters with cement or gravel, but I didn’t want to journey over them or have to lug them in or out if we ever made the decision to just take the lights down. 

As an alternative, I acquired 8-foot prolonged 1″ aluminum square tubing and painted it black to match our fence employing the solutions shown over and this approach for portray out of doors home furniture. I hooked up the poles with hefty-obligation black zip ties (which you honestly really do not discover unless you are staring at it up shut): 3 at the major for stability and a single at the base for highest steadiness.

Observe: aluminum is extremely marginally flexible. You may possibly see a small bend in the pole if the stress is high, but you should not have any problems with durabilty.

3. String your lights

It was so simple to dangle the lights! We made use of zip ties all over the sides of the posts and gentle pole to secure the light strands. The cup hooks did not need any securing considering the fact that they hold the wire securely.

It has been nearly 10 months since we installed these lights, and they still seem very good as new! I  installed them for a social gathering, but I was uncertain if I would want to preserve them up all calendar year considering the fact that our porch is raised and they are in your line of sight when standing on the porch… but I merely really like them!

Do it yourself Backyard and Patio Lighting

In limited, you may have to get resourceful, but hanging your string lights can be finished. I do assume it is doable to dangle lovely, experienced on the lookout string lights even devoid of trees or long-lasting poles. 

One particular a lot more welcoming reminder: If you have a pool or other drinking water characteristics in your garden, be sure to recall to use caution when using something electrical close to h2o! Our lights are wholly unplugged when not in use, and we double look at their security right before plugging them in.

Look at attaching to roofs and porch beams with heavy duty screw in hooks. Consider extending metal fences with aluminum poles painted to match or performing the identical with a wood pole in opposition to a wood fence. Use zip ties to hold it all jointly and delight in your new space!