Outdoor String Lights 101
Turn your great outdoors into a magical, glowing space you can’t wait to spend time in when you add outdoor string lights! These minimal yet powerful lights plug in to a standard wall outlet, so you don’t need to worry about hiring an electrician or hard-wiring a new fixture.
Outdoor string light ideas
Here are just a few ideas for using outdoor string lights!
- In a gazebo or pergola
- In a balcony, porch or patio
- In uncovered outdoor areas like decks
- In an outdoor bar or kitchen
- Wrapped around balcony or deck railings
- Wrapped around tree trunks or tree branches
- On a trellis
- In a patio umbrella
- For illuminating an outdoor party or wedding
Note: Please do not hang string lights directly over a pool. This could potentially lead to electrocution!
Whether your space is big or small, you can use outdoor string lights in it. When you're deciding how much outdoor string lighting to buy, it's better to buy a little more length than you think you may need. You can always shorten the length by doubling up at the ends of the strands, but if you don't buy enough string lights, the only thing you can do to fix that is to buy more.
Are you using outdoor string lights in an uncovered area? You might need to use wood posts or steel poles to hang and drape the lights correctly. Some people mount posts or poles directly to the structure of their deck or patio. Others bury the posts or poles in the ground. Decide what will work best for your needs before buying outdoor string lights.
You may also want to support your outdoor string lights with tension wire or guy wire to help keep them stable and hold them in the hanging pattern you choose. Some string lights even have loops above each light socket that are designed for threading the supporting wire. The wire helps to shift tension away from the string itself and can keep the lights sturdy, even through gusts of wind.
Outdoor string light hanging pattern ideas
- X shape: two strands of lights are hung diagonally over a space, intersecting in the middle
- Zigzag: strands of lights are hung diagonally, creating a back-and-forth pattern
- Border: light strands are hung in a way that outlines the space
- Freestyle: hang light strands in any order you want!
Use outdoor string lights to create a lighting look that will make your outdoor living spaces into your favorite spaces!
Do you need help or advice? Feel free to live chat with us, call us at 1-866-688-3562 or reach us on social media. Sign up for our email newsletter today and score an additional discount!
Emma Harger-Young - Lights Online