How to Hang Outdoor String Lights Without Trees

Discover how to string lights in your garden with action by stage tutorial to hanging outdoor string lights from fences, poles, and roofs.

One of my most well-known posts is my tutorial on how to hang outdoor string lights from our oak grove at the ranch. But our yard at our household appears to be incredibly different… and yours may possibly, much too! 

How do you string globe lights in a yard without having trees? Right now, I’m going to show you.

Issues for Hanging Outdoor String Lights

In advance of I present you exactly how we hung our lights earlier mentioned our pool, I want to assist you think through the outside lights strategies and possibilities for property and patio lights.

Overhead vs On the Side

I’m a sucker for twinkle lights, like Xmas lights, and the ambiance they present when strung across a fence or via the trees is these a fun factor in backyard lighting. Having said that, if you want the lights to present functional lighting, like for eating, then you will want larger sized lights strung overhead.

To string lights overhead, you need a mounted stage at the very least 8 toes off the ground that can keep the tension of a wire or light strand. This can be a tree, the eaves of your residence or gazebo or included patio, a pergola, a fence, a picket article, a second tale deck railing, a steel pole, or any durable assistance.

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Photo voltaic String Lights vs Plug In

Speaking of purposeful overhead light-weight, I attempted several unique solar mild strands, and I could not uncover 1 that in fact offered sufficient light for our functions. We needed the area to be entirely lit to enjoy dining, swimming, warm tubbing, and even an outdoor recreation night we hosted. The solar light strands appear fun for ambiance, but not sufficient for process lights.

So if you are searching for process lighting, then you will need to look at your ability resource. Your style and design for stringing your lights will have to have to commence at a plug and/or include an extension wire that can blend into your house.

Wire vs No wire

At the ranch in the oak grove, I utilized this kit and strung a tutorial wire for the lights (which proved to be practical since squirrels like to take in the light cords – ugh – and that makes it possible for me to exchange sections without the need of shedding the stress of the entire house). In our yard, while, since I was not absolutely sure I required the lights there forever, I selected to hold the lights without having a wire package.

Long-lasting vs Removable

Technically all of these string lights are rather detachable, but there are absolutely methods to make them simpler to put up and take down if you want that overall flexibility. Primarily if you have to insert posts to hold the lights, you’ll want to take into consideration how straightforward it will be to take away the posts if you ever decide on to. 

Glass Bulbs vs Plastic

We chose to use these industrial strands with glass bulbs at the ranch. They are attractive, and given that there is mulch beneath, we haven’t broken many… But if I experienced it to do in excess of once more, but I would almost certainly pick out plastic just to get rid of any issues.

In our outside area at dwelling, on the other hand, we have a enormous concrete patio and pool underneath the lights, so plastic bulbs have been a must. We also chose a strand with out the excess dangling wire for each and every light given that we needed to obtain as a lot headroom clearance as achievable. 

How to Dangle Outside String Lights Without the need of Trees

With all these concerns in thoughts, we selected overhead plug-in lights with plastic bulbs, and I received resourceful to set up them in a way that seemed elegant and constructed-in but could very easily be removed if we selected to. Let me demonstrate you how!

Supplies we applied to hold our outside string lights:

1. Evaluate your house

Use a tape evaluate to prepare the house and establish the range of light-weight strands you will need and the most effective configuration for them. You will also want to think about where by you can attach the lights (see #2 below). Fortunately, you can see the length of each individual strand of lights prior to ordering, so you can make your possibilities accordingly.

We made the decision that a VVV formation which started out at the outlet previously mentioned our grill would be ideal. If you can, it assists to attract out the house from an aerial perspective.

2. Strategy your supports

We realized we needed the strands to arrive off the framing of the porch, so that gave us two of our factors. We have a mountain laurel tree that is generally in line with the porch, so that offered point #3 on the dwelling facet of the yard.

For those factors, we utilised large-responsibility screw hooks. The hook screws into the wooden and retains the gentle strand.

On the other dimension, we experienced the gentle pole for the grill, but we however needed 3 a lot more supports to total our VVV formation. Did you know you can develop your own supports?

We have a pretty wrought iron fence, but it is only about 4 toes tall, not just about tall more than enough to help overhead lights. I considered buckets or planters with cement or gravel, but I didn’t want to vacation above them or have to lug them in or out if we at any time made a decision to just take the lights down. 

Rather, I purchased 8-foot prolonged 1″ aluminum square tubing and painted it black to match our fence employing the merchandise detailed earlier mentioned and this process for painting outside home furniture. I attached the poles with hefty-duty black zip ties (which you actually do not detect unless of course you are staring at it up near): 3 at the top for security and one particular at the bottom for greatest steadiness.

Notice: aluminum is quite somewhat adaptable. You may well see a very little bend in the pole if the rigidity is high, but you should not have any challenges with durabilty.

3. String your lights

It was so quick to dangle the lights! We employed zip ties around the sides of the posts and light pole to secure the light strands. The cup hooks did not need to have any securing considering the fact that they keep the cord securely.

It has been nearly 10 months due to the fact we mounted these lights, and they nonetheless seem fantastic as new! I  installed them for a celebration, but I was unsure if I would want to retain them up all yr since our porch is elevated and they are in your line of sight when standing on the porch… but I basically love them!

Diy Yard and Patio Lights

In short, you may possibly have to get inventive, but hanging your string lights can be carried out. I do consider it is doable to cling wonderful, specialist wanting string lights even without trees or long term poles. 

Think about attaching to roofs and porch beams with significant responsibility screw in hooks. Attempt extending steel fences with aluminum poles painted to match or accomplishing the identical with a wood pole in opposition to a wood fence. Use zip ties to maintain it all jointly and delight in your new space!