Undoubtedly, Christmas lighting makes the festivities even merrier. But the real question is: how to properly hang Christmas lights? Well, the best approach is to leave it to professionals. However, if you’ve decided to make it your DIY project, you need a proper game plan. So, here we are, with a step-by-step guide on hanging your Christmas lights while keeping your home, surroundings and yourself safe. Keep reading!
How to properly hang Christmas lights? Your Ultimate Guide!
Hanging Christmas lights properly requires you to follow a streamlined process, have all the relevant tools, and take necessary safety measures. Anyhow, what’s a Christmas celebration without a lit-up home? Dull and boring, obviously. You can surely hire professionals like LightDMV to install an enchanting Christmas light setup And if you are doing the installation job yourself, you should know how to properly hang Christmas lights. The following is an expert-approved step-by-step process of installing holiday lights smoothly and safely. Follow these and you’ll no longer be stressed about how to properly hang Christmas lights.
Step 1: Chalk Out a Plan
Ready to hang your Christmas like a pro? Well, you are not if you don’t start out with creating a proper installation plan. Yes, that’s right! Chalking out everything is the first step of your – how do you hang Christmas lights? – quest. Moreover, this is a great move if you want the whole process to be safe, hassle-free and time-efficient. Besides, planning helps you determine the exact quantity and types of lights needed. The best part – it streamlines everything and there are higher chances of achieving the perfect lighting setup this way!
Step 2: Plan Your Design
Next, you need to have a vision on how your lighting setup should look like. You should also know that this is one of the most important steps of the planning phase. Decide early on whether you need a minimal display or something edgy and festive. If it’s your first time installing lights yourself, you should not go with a complex design. Instead, choose something simple yet elegant. Moreover, you can find some great design inspos on the internet (try Pinterest).
Lighting Tip!
Choose an element of your property exterior as a focal point and plan your lighting design around it. This will make the setup look more cohesive, impressive, and elegant.
Step 3: Have Proper Tools
Most people overlook this step. However, you can’t ensure a smooth installation without proper tools and materials. And no, it doesn’t just include the lights and wiring. In fact, you need to have a proper installation kit and safety gear. Here is a basic set of stuff without which you can’t install Christmas lights properly:
| ✓ measuring tape | ✓ a reliable ladder | ✓ light-hanging pole |
| ✓ outdoor lights | ✓ non-damaging light clips | ✓ duct tape |
| ✓ exterior-rated extension cord | ✓ electrical tape | ✓ lighting timer |
Step 4: Make Thorough Measurements
This step of your – how to properly hang Christmas lights – process is even recommended by professionals (including all other steps in this guide). Furthermore, you can’t make your overall setup look the way you want if you haven’t made the right measurements. Moreover, this step helps you determine the number of lights needed as well as the length of wiring or string lights to be used. And hey, make sure you measure all the elements, including the door frames, windows, trees or any other exterior element you plan to light up.
Step 5: Assess the Hanging Surfaces
For a hassle-free installation, you have to evaluate all the property elements you want to light up. This will help you determine whether or not your vision for that particular area is practical. In fact, this step will help you get answers for how to hang Christmas lights on windows or how to safely hang Christmas lights on the roof. After all, both are the main elements of your home or business. Apart from these, assess gutters and shingles too. Anyhow, you also need to assess the distance of the power source from these elements.
Step 6: Choose the Lights
And here comes the main thing: choosing the lights for your Christmas setup. But hey, there are so many options out there; which one to pick for your setup? Before you go shopping, it is better that you do some research. Check which lights will go with the aesthetics of your setup. For instance, if you are going for an intricate setup, it is better that you go for strings with small lights. You can even select colorful lights. Also, go for permanent lighting if you don’t want the hassle of installing and removing lights every year. Anyway, here is the options you can explore:
- Incandescent Lights
- LED String Lights
- Mini Lights
- C7 Bulbs
- C9 Bulbs
You should always consider your budget, design, and aesthetic preferences before buying any lights for your Christmas setup.
Lighting Tip!
It is better to calculate the power wattage before installation to keep electrical hazards at bay. – Professionals recommend so!
💡 Almost all circuits in houses are 15 or 20 amps
Step 7: Choose the Right Clips
This step is also important for several reasons. Number one, appropriate clips ensure that lights are securely attached. As a result, your setup will be safe from falling or becoming damaged during windy or inclement weather. Number two, it helps you prevent a lot of safety hazards. And most importantly, using the right clips helps maintain the aesthetic appeal of your display. After all, they give a cleaner and more organized look. So, yes, choose the right, high-quality clips for hanging your lights.
Did You Know?
There are specific types of light clips for each element of your home. Choosing the right one for each area ensures compatibility and ease of installation.
Step 8: Light It Up!
And finally, you’ve reached the final step: lighting it all up! Once you have installed the lights, its time to turn them on and admire your work of art. Besides, it is also important to check that you have screwed and hung everything properly. Also, you can use an outdoor timer and set to turn the lights on every day after the sun sets. And once you are done double-checking every element, you are ready for the HO HO HOLIDAY SEASON. Now, invite your loved ones and see how impressed they get every time they look at the masterpiece you’ve created.
Conclusion
Let’s circle back to the main question: how to properly hang Christmas lights? Well, now you have a clear, well-structured answer to this question: our guide above. If you have read it all, you now have a thorough idea of what steps you need to take to ensure your installation is a successful one. Although you should hire professionals for this job, you can use this step-by-step guide as your manual to create and hanging the lighting setup of your dreams.
