what kind of paint to use on string lights

Today I'm sharing how to hang string lights video and tutorial.  It covers only about everything you want to know before starting on your outdoor cord light project.  Plan alee and save fourth dimension past choosing the right method and hardware to hang cord lights and pick the best lights for your backyard lighting project.

I used lightweight in-footing removable posts for my new outdoor cafe lights project merely cover other means to hang lights below too.

Pin this at present and share on Facebook!

Lighting options have also changed in the last few years and solar LED cafe lights for outdoor utilize are a expert option.  I used the old fashioned need electrical plug and screw in glass light bulbs, incandescent cord lights for my first DIY Outdoor String Lights on Poles project I made a few years ago.  This fourth dimension effectually I used LED solar cord lights.

Since I've worked with both types, I share photos and the pros and cons of LED solar string lights vs incandescent string lights below as well.

How to Plan an Outdoor String Calorie-free Project

Step 1. Planning your outdoor cafe low-cal projection.

Things you'll want to think about when planing to add together outdoor cord lights.

• How big of an area do I need to cover? The larger the bridge in between the light posts or connections, the stronger the hanging method needs to exist.  Also, the larger the surface area the further apart your low-cal bulbs can be, 4 ft vs. 2 ft.
• How durable exercise they need to be, will your string lights stay up year round or will they only be used for an event?
• Practice you need one strand of lights or more?  Volition they need to connect end to end?
• How bright do y'all want your outdoor string lights?
• What will yous hang your lights on?  Will you use a construction, trees, poles or a combination of methods?

Step 2.  How do you hang outdoor lights on walls or other surfaces?

It's easy to hang string lights from tree branches or attach to tree trunks.  Of form, nearly people don't accept trees perfectly lined up to hang string lights and need to use a combination of methods to hang their outdoor lights.   You can attach string lights on poles, or posts like I did for this project and I'll share how to make lightweight only strong DIY removable posts for lights below.

Other ways to hang string lights when you don't take trees:

• Attach string lights on a stucco wall or brick with a masonry screw ballast like a Tapcon bolt. Use wire to concur the cord light to the bolt in the wall.
• Hang cord lights on a pergola or other structure with cup hooks or decorative metal planter brackets. This would look pretty on a house or fence too.
• If your space is longer than 10 feet between posts or connections, they lights will sag in the middle.  You may need to hang your lights higher to avert tall people walking into them.  Some other option to keep the cord lights from sagging between posts is top thread a wire rope through the acme loop above each light and secure information technology with a hook and eye metal turnbuckle  to take up the slack.  This hanging method works best when you lot can add a lot of tension to the wire from both sides like hanging in trees or a tree and a house.
• If you lot are using a deck or woods fence to hang string lights,  attaching a pole to the fence or deck with a hook at the top to suspend the lights works well.
• Freestanding posts can piece of work great if you don't take a lot of wind and the bases are weighted down well.  One-half-barrels work great since they have a wide lesser and you tin can also make them decorative planters.  My DIY String Lights on Poles  project is perfect if y'all want moveable poles.  If you lot become loftier winds they volition autumn over though.  We get 40-60 mph winds at times which meant I couldn't leave my lights upward all of the time.

Incandescent vs. solar LED string lights

In that location are lots of options when information technology comes to string lights.  I used the plug-in type with drinking glass screw in bulbs for my first patio lighting project and this time I opted for plastic solar LED string lights.  Hither are the pros and cons that I run across between the two.

• Solar lights are not ever every bit bright every bit incandescent lights.
• Solar LED string lights are usually plastic which is great for exterior.  Incandescent lightbulbs are usually glass which tin be a mess to clean up if one breaks, just it'due south prissy that private bulbs can exist replaced.
• Incandescent cord lights are normally heavier.
• Incandescent lights can be connected end to end for a longer string run.
• Both are similarly priced.

When you're shopping for outdoor string lights, pay attention to the number of bulbs each string has and the distance between the lights!  If you have a small-scale area similar around a dining tabular array, you'll desire the lights to be spaced closer like a 2 human foot span betwixt lights.

Decorative styles of cord lights bachelor

I found a few cute string light options also plain bulbs on a wire.  I think these are fun if you'd like a fun twist on plain lights.

• Metal stars
• Flamingos
• Metallic wire diamonds
• Mini-lanterns
• Outdoor rope calorie-free

How to Hang Outdoor Cord Lights

You'll meet in my video how I used LED lights and a combination of DIY poles and our palm tree to hold my string lights.  They've already held up well through a pretty large storm with high winds and none fell off the hooks. The lights are plastic so I'one thousand not worried about them breaking if they should come up off the posts.

I compare and show close-upwards pictures of the incandescent drinking glass bulb and my new LED string lights at the terminate of the video and then you can see how they look.

Click here to follow me on YouTube!

Supplies I used to brand removable string light poles.

Save time getting these supplies!  I'll note and link which items came from Home Depot.  You can click the link and order the supplies/quantity yous demand and they can have the lodge ready for pick-up at volition call.  I had Home Depot cut my 1 1/ii″ PVC  (sleeve for the basis) in half and then it would fit in my machine.

• LED articulate string lights – I used these

Dwelling house Depot Items:

• • 10 foot pvc poles 1 1/2″
  • four foot pvc poles 1 ane/four″
  • i ane/4″ cup hooks
  • quick setting physical, ane bag per 2 holes
  • spray paint, outdoor rated for plastic

• Tools Used
  • Post hole digger
  • ii ft level
  • measuring tape

Stride 1. Dig post holes

Dig post holes roughly in a iii:1 ratio.  For my 10 human foot poles, I dug my holes 3 anxiety deep, 7 ft of the posts are above ground.  If y'all program on mounting your outdoor string lights on woods posts in the ground, or are using metal mail sleeves instead of pvc, stick to the 3:1 ration and utilise and full pocketbook of quick setting physical per hole.

You can see how I anchored 4 x 4″ posts in my How to Build a DIY Hammock project.

Step 2. Measure out and cutting the PVC sleeve

Cutting the 1 one/two″ PVC pole to 5 feet, this will be the sleeve.

Footstep three. Gear up the light post

We used a two quart pitcher of h2o and a half of a bag of quick setting concrete per hole.  You'll see in the video how we poured and mixed the concrete together.  Use a level to accommodate the PVC sleeve or post so it's straight.

Step iv. Paint post and add hooks

Pigment the string light post and sleeve with the brown spray paint.  Use a drill and make a pilot pigsty, screw the hooks onto the end of the PVC mail service.

Step 5. Hang lights

Hook the string lights onto the postal service and slide the calorie-free post into identify in the sleeve.

Footstep half-dozen. Accommodate the solar panel and turn switch to on

Attach the ground stake or the clip onto the solar panel.  Clip or set in basis and switch the on button to "on".

You can see more than pictures of my how my removable string light poles look in my Coastal Backyard Makeover Reveal for the Ryobi Outdoor Overhaul ii.0 I just finished.  If you'd like to run into more pictures of what the incandescent drinking glass cord lights look like on my Outdoor String Lights on Poles

Desire more outdoor lighting ideas?  Y'all may relish these projects.

• DIY Wooden Lantern
• DIY Solar Hanging Lanterns
• How to Make a DIY Tiki Torch from a Drinking glass Jar

So which blazon of string lights do you like best?  Plain white, colors or cute little shapes?

matlockthoulace.blogspot.com

Source: https://h2obungalow.com/how-to-hang-string-lights-and-pick-the-right-ones-for-your-needs/

Share this post