How to Hang Outdoor String Lights Without Trees

Master how to string lights in your garden with move by step guide to hanging out of doors string lights from fences, poles, and roofs.

1 of my most preferred posts is my tutorial on how to cling outdoor string lights from our oak grove at the ranch. But our yard at our household looks pretty different… and yours might, way too! 

outdoor string lights hung over pool from porch

How do you string world lights in a backyard with no trees? Currently, I’m heading to exhibit you.

Issues for Hanging Outside String Lights

Right before I display you accurately how we hung our lights previously mentioned our pool, I want to assist you imagine through the outside lighting concepts and solutions for garden and patio lights.

Initially, though, let me remind you to use warning if you have a pool. This tutorial is intended to exhibit you how to cling lights across a yard devoid of easy trees to keep your lights it is not a detailed tutorial on electricity and drinking water security. Please verify your nearby code and/or consult an electrician when doing work around drinking water.

Overhead vs On the Facet

I’m a sucker for twinkle lights, like Christmas lights, and the ambiance they offer when strung across a fence or by the trees is these types of a enjoyment ingredient in backyard lights. On the other hand, if you want the lights to offer practical lighting, like for eating, then you will want larger sized lights strung overhead.

friendsgiving outdoor table | Maison de Pax
friendsgiving celebration by way of string lights (see entire venture)

To string lights overhead, you require a fixed place at minimum 8-10 ft off the ground that can keep the stress of a wire or light-weight strand. This can be a tree, the eaves of your household or gazebo or covered patio, a pergola, a fence, a picket write-up, a second tale deck railing, a metal pole, or any other strong guidance.

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Solar String Lights vs Plug In

Speaking of practical overhead light-weight, I tried several distinct solar gentle strands, and I could not come across one particular that essentially offered more than enough gentle for our functions. We desired the house to be totally lit to take pleasure in dining, swimming, incredibly hot tubbing, and even an out of doors activity evening we hosted. The photo voltaic light strands appear exciting for ambiance, but not ample for activity lights.

So if you are looking for activity lighting, then you will need to have to look at your energy supply. Your layout for stringing your lights will will need to get started at a plug and/or consist of an extension wire that can mix into your space.

Wire vs No wire

At the ranch in the oak grove, I utilised this kit and strung a tutorial wire for the lights (which proved to be handy due to the fact squirrels like to take in the mild cords – ugh – and that lets me to replace sections devoid of shedding the pressure of the full house). In our yard, however, considering the fact that I wasn’t certain I required the lights there permanently, I selected to dangle the lights with no a wire kit.

Long term vs Detachable

Technically all of these string lights are very detachable, but there are certainly techniques to make them easier to put up and acquire down if you want that adaptability. Especially if you have to include posts to keep the lights, you will want to look at how simple it will be to get rid of the posts if you at any time pick out to. 

Glass Bulbs vs Plastic

We chose to use these professional strands with glass bulbs at the ranch. They are gorgeous, and considering that there is mulch beneath, we have not damaged many… But if I had it to do in excess of all over again, but I would most likely pick out plastic just to take out any fears.

In our outdoor place at house, on the other hand, we have a big concrete patio beneath the lights, so plastic bulbs have been a will have to. We also selected a strand without having the extra dangling wire for each individual light since we needed to achieve as a lot headroom clearance as feasible. 

edison bulb outdoor string lights over pool

How to Cling Out of doors String Lights Devoid of Trees

With all all those considerations in mind, we chose overhead plug-in lights with plastic bulbs, and I obtained innovative to put in them in a way that looked stylish and created-in but could conveniently be eliminated if we selected to. Permit me display you how!

Materials we utilised to dangle our out of doors string lights:

1. Measure your area

Use a tape evaluate to strategy the area and determine the range of light-weight strands you want and the finest configuration for them. You will also require to contemplate where you can connect the lights (see #2 beneath). Fortunately, you can see the duration of every single strand of lights right before ordering, so you can make your selections accordingly.

We determined that a VVV formation which begun at the outlet above our grill would be perfect. This indicates that the lights are completely unplugged most of the time. If you can, it can help to draw out the house from an aerial perspective.

2. System your supports

We understood we desired the strands to occur off the framing of the porch, so that gave us two of our factors. We have a mountain laurel tree that is in essence in line with the porch, so that furnished place #3 on the house facet of the property.

outdoor string lights from a tree

For those people factors, we made use of weighty-duty screw hooks. The hook screws into the wood and retains the mild strand.

On the other size, we experienced the mild pole for the grill, but we however wanted 3 much more supports to full our VVV development. Did you know you can build your personal supports?

We have a pretty wrought iron fence, but it is only about 4 toes tall, not virtually tall more than enough to guidance overhead lights. I considered buckets or planters with cement or gravel, but I did not want to excursion about them or have to lug them in or out if we at any time made the decision to consider the lights down. 

In its place, I purchased 8-foot very long 1″ aluminum sq. tubing and painted it black to match our fence utilizing the products mentioned higher than and this system for painting out of doors furnishings. I connected the poles with significant-obligation black zip ties (which you truthfully do not recognize until you’re staring at it up shut): a few at the best for protection and 1 at the bottom for maximum security.

attach outdoor string lights to aluminum pole using zip ties

Take note: aluminum is pretty somewhat versatile. You may well see a minor bend in the pole if the rigidity is significant, but you should not have any difficulties with durabilty.

aluminum poles used to hang outdoor string lights on a black iron fence

3. String your lights

It was so quick to cling the lights! We made use of zip ties all-around the sides of the posts and light-weight pole to safe the light-weight strands. The cup hooks didn’t will need any securing considering that they maintain the cord securely.

It has been pretty much 10 months since we set up these lights, and they however glimpse excellent as new! I  installed them for a occasion, but I was unsure if I would want to maintain them up all 12 months since our porch is elevated and they are in your line of sight when standing on the porch… but I simply enjoy them!

outdoor string lights over patio and pool
the check out from the porch

Do it yourself Yard and Patio Lights

In small, you could have to get artistic, but hanging your string lights can be carried out. I do imagine it is possible to hang attractive, specialist on the lookout string lights even with out trees or long lasting poles. 

One much more pleasant reminder: If you have a pool or other h2o functions in your garden, make sure you keep in mind to use caution when making use of 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.

DIY string lights across concrete patio and pool

Look at attaching to roofs and porch beams with weighty obligation screw in hooks. Consider extending metallic fences with aluminum poles painted to match or doing the similar with a wood pole versus a picket fence. Use zip ties to maintain it all together and delight in your new house!

how to hang outdoor string lights (without trees)