How to Hang String Lights (Tutorial) - So Easy!
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2018
- Take your deck to the next level by installing string lights on your deck. In this video from the DIY Dad you'll learn everything you need to upgrade your deck or patio. All you need are a few supplies and a little bit of time and you'll be on your way to enjoying your favorite evening beverage on your deck with a great ambience.
These LED string lights will turn your deck into an outdoor living space that you won't want to leave. Plus, installing string lights on your deck has never been simpler. It's the perfect DIY project.
DIY String Lights
Supplies
LED Deck Lights: amzn.to/2LMAefj
Cup Hooks: amzn.to/2NFPQBS
Spray Paint: amzn.to/2mFE66X
Extension Cord: amzn.to/2JOX2JG
Zip Ties: amzn.to/2A85tjL
Galvanized Pipe: www.lowes.com/pd/Southland-Pi...
Pipe Strap: amzn.to/2LwUGUC
Screws: amzn.to/2Oe1ncI
Tools
Ridgid Drill: amzn.to/2LJd8pU
Drill Bit Set: amzn.to/2NFfg2I
HackSaw: amzn.to/2uOGRHH
Audio Track
Track: Jim Yosef & Alex Skrindo - Ruby [NCS Release]
Music provided by NoCopyrightSounds.
Watch: • Jim Yosef & Alex Skrin...
Free Download / Stream: ncs.io/RubyYO
Thanks for this great video!! Still relevant in 2024 and I just hung these lights with zero issues ! Thanks again!
Thanks so much for taking the time to demo this. Excellent video that is straight to the point. Your lights look great and now it time for me to head to Lowes.
Great video! Appreciate you taking the time to make this. This gives us lots of ideas we can modify to set our own lights. Cheers!
Thanks to your video, I was able to successfully complete my deck string lights project. My setup is kinda similar to yours so this was very helpful. Thanks again!!
Great! Glad to hear it!
Excellent tutorial. So pleased I ran into this. It's given me so many ideas. Thanks!
Very good tutorial so helpful. Thxs
I absolutely LOVED your vid. So simple and very thorough- only thing is my deck has this other kinda of material (white) IDk
Needed this thank you
2023, still an awesome video. :D about to go do this on my deck. flimsy pole lights are $$$. figured *someone* had DIY'd it!
Good luck!
This is a great family project ! God Bless you
Thank you for the video! Very helpful.
Umair Idrees glad you liked it. Hope your project goes well.
great video! adorable kiddos!
Thanks Buddy. You made it all simple for me.
Awesome. Glad to hear it.
Loved the video you saved me so much from having to hire someone to instal it or buying their string lights pole! The galvanized+sprayed black is the best hack!
Thanks, Bryan. Glad the video helped out!
Literally what I needed!!! Thank you so much for this video.... I wanted a tutorial on doing poles the way you did.... Without the flower pots and cement... Thanks again!
Glad the video was helpful. Enjoy your new lights!
Thank you, this was just what I was looking for my problem has been solved.
thanks for the link for the extension cord and zip ties I had no idea where to find them.. LOL
That Looks Great & You Have A Beautiful Family!!...
Studio C Biz thanks so much! We love our kiddos! They enjoyed getting to help too!
This video is really helpful thanks :)
Thanks for the comment, Surbhi. I hope you enjoy your string lights as much as we do ours.
Great video
Nice job
Thanks 😊
Love those chickens!
Ha, yes, we let them free range a bit.
Cool video. I'm trying to figure out how to get a pole like yours attached to a wired fence.
Can’t wait to try this in the spring. My backyard is beautiful, but way too dark.
Good luck!
What do you suggest if there is only siding in the back where the patio door is? As far as hanging lights above it
Hey Adam! How do the lights look like ? I have heard that it was good to put some strings to make it sturdier. Did your install last well? Thanks!
Thanks for the video! Do you have any recommendations on how to anchor the galvanized pipes to the ground if we don't have a deck?
Without a deck you would need to anchor the pipe in concrete. There are a couple of options. Treat the pipe like a fence post (put the pipe in the hole with the concrete). Or pour a small slab big enough for the pipe and space to use a bracket of some sort. The second option is more in-depth and requires more work/materials. I’d go with the first option.
I will be doing this on my patio for sure. If I didn't want the galvanized steel pole to reach the ground, do you think I would need major support at the bottom where I would cut it? I was thinking that drilling a wooden stop at the bottom would do the trick
A wooden stop would do the trick. I would add the pole straps to help though. Good luck!
This is a great video! My deck railings are not wood, they are vinyl, any suggestions on what can I use to secure the poles in this case? thanks!
Without seeing it for myself it is hard to say. I’m sorry! Wish I could help.
LOVE this video. I think I can do this?!?! LOL. Question: what do you recommend using to cap the top of the steel pole? I need to attach mine flush to the support actually on my porch (because other side lands in and interferes with my garden below = nope) and I dont want water collecting inside the pole onto the deck=gross.
All suggestions=appreciated.
Thanks for the comment. Your big box stores or wherever you get your pipe will sell a threaded cap that you can screw onto your pipe. It will work great for your needs.
Good video, got some good ideas from you!
Just a note, before you paint galvanized metal, you should paint it with vinegar(and let it dry). It allows the paint to bond to the galvanization. Otherwise the paint flakes off.
Thanks for the comment @Brian MacShara. Glad the video was helpful. I've had the lights up for almost 3 years now and haven't had any paint issues from the poles.
They actually sell Black Galvanized pipe in any Lowes or Home Depot which is what I bought.
Where did you get the pole from? I'm trying to add lights to my patio. Great vid :)
Thanks! I bought mine at Lowe’s, but Home Depot will sell them too.
Thank you for the video... what is exact length of your pole after cutting
104 inches
Used your method and they turned out great! Question: what do you do with the excess lights? Mine completed with half the span leftover and I just have them dangling and bundled up on the side.
That is exactly how mine are as well. I have them bundled and hanging from the right side of the house. Because I have an eave on each side of the deck the lights are hanging out of sight. You may consider running them down your house and under your deck if you ran your extension cord under the deck. You can take the extra lights out of the sockets so they aren't illuminated.
Nice tutorial. I realized you have a patio umbrella, which is kind of my issue right now. Have you had any problems opening the umbrella in regards to the height of the string lights? Thanks!
Good question! I had concerns about that as well, but you’ll notice the lights aren’t pulled tight which allows the umbrella to open with the lights. The umbrella does touch the lights when opened, but it doesn’t harm the lights at all.
What type of drill bit did you use to create the hole in the deck for the pole? How would you recommend securing the poleif you don't want to drill into the deck?
I used a forstner bit. I drilled a hole because of the gap between the rail and the 4x4 support (see 1:30 as a reference). Alternatively, you could put a piece of wood on the face of the 4x4 support to close that gap and securely strap the pipe to that piece of wood.
Great video! I’ve a question: how far is each span of the cable? I noted you didn’t use a steel cable to tie the lights on to, but I guess there’s a limit to how far you can stretch the lights before you need a support in the middle. Any ideas?
Stu M thanks for the feedback. Our deck spans 14’ from the house to the steel poles without issue on the lights. If you’re going much further than that you may want to consider a steel wire or other type of support.
@@whitlocklife Smashing - thanks for replying. I'm looking at 4.5 metres which is about the same, maybe a tad longer. But that's great info - cheers.
That looks fantastic, how have they held up since you made this?
They've held up really well. The poles are still standing straight and the lights are still hanging. I've had to replace bulbs just due to use, but I haven't had any unexpected issues. We still love to hang out on the deck at night!
Nice! My only concern would be lighting
I love the DIY videos on using galvanize pipes to string outdoor patio lights, but there is never a description on the length of these poles or how far from the top of the poles the hole should be drilled. Can anyone answer these questions. Thank you.
My poles are 104” but yours may need to be a different height. It all depends on the height of the structure you are attaching the lights to (in my case, my house). Go to 3:55 for an explanation. Good luck!
Great video! Super helpful. I just put up a post on my deck like this... hanging the lights on the house next. 🤙🏼 Did you use a special drill bit to drill into pole? And where did you run your extension cord to plug them in? I didn’t want mine to show along the house.
Early Dawn Travels no special drill bit. Just a standard drill bit. You may have to use a smaller drill bit at first and work your way to the desired size bit. I ran the extension cord under the deck and came back up where the outlet is.
Early Dawn Travels go to 6:10 in the video and you’ll see me pulling the cord up from under the deck.
Whitlock Life So did you run the cord down the pole and under the deck? Where does the opposite end of the extension cord (not the plug side) attach to the lights? That’s the tricky part for me!
Early Dawn Travels got it. At 0:35 you can see a white extension cord running down the side of the house. That is the side that connected to the lights. I had more lights than I had room so I coiled them up and hung them out of view. Then I ran that white extension cord down from there, under the deck, and then up to the outlet.
Whitlock Life oooh! Very stealthy!
Hi! What material did you drill into to attach the cup hook to your home? We have similar hang over in our home but I was afraid to attach anything to it.
It’s a siding type of material. It has held well over the last 4 years.
Did you have any issue with the paint chipping off the pipe since it's galvanized? Also have your poles so any signs of bending due to pull of the lights? Thanks
No issues at all and I’m 3 years into it. The paint looks great; no chips, peeling, or anything like that. The poles are also straight as they were when I installed them. There isn’t much weight or pull on them. Thanks for the comment and good luck.
How'd you conceal the connection between the lights and the extension cord? Wondering how you avoid a black wire running down the side of the house
Great question...a visible extension cord running down the side of the house was something I wanted to avoid too. So, I ran the extension cord under the deck and pulled it up through a hole in the deck by the outlet. At 6:10 in the video you can see me and Eli plugging it in. The cord comes up from under the deck right there.
Thanks!
How have the steel poles held up? Any bending or still standing up straight?
Ryan Mulligan still standing strong and tall. No bending/drooping. The steel poles are a good solution.
Great! Thanks!
Just curious why you used galvanized pipe instead of wood. Saw another DIY that used furring strips 1in x 2in x 8ft. Trying to decide on which one to use.
Josephine Alapati while the furring strips will be a cheaper solution, they will not stand the test of time. I used galvanized pipe because I wouldn’t have to worry about the structural integrity ever (the pipe will be strong and secure virtually forever). With furring strips, they can easily break with enough pressure and then add the weather to it and it just isn’t a good solution. If you wanted to use wood instead of pipe, I would use treated 4x4s if you plan on keeping the lights for many years.
Question-- let’s say I can’t drill into my decking since I rent, what would you suggest I use to strap it to the decking/rails?
If you can’t screw into the deck posts the only thing I can think of are heavy duty zip ties, but I don’t recommend that option. Your rental company may be able to provide some guidance.
I am figuring out how to replace some that were lost to a storm - stronger metal poles like yours however - is there a chance we are creating a problem for lightening being attracted to to say 14 metal posts in cement?
I can’t say it won’t happen, but lightning hasn’t struck my poles yet.
@@whitlocklife this comment made me laugh thats like saying your chain link fence poles attract lightening or maybe the metal fans on the roof 🤯🤣🤣
What size drill bit did you use for the wood railing?
Stephen Dryanski the pipe I used was 1/2 inch, so I used a 1/2 inch drill bit. You’ll want to buy your pipe, then make sure you have a drill bit that is the same size.
Thank you!
Question for you. What drill bit did you use to drill the hole for the pipe in the top of the wood? Thanks!
I do t recall the exact size but it was the same size as the pipe I used. 1” I believe. I used a forstner bit.
@@whitlocklife great video. did you use a 1" forstner bit for a .5" pipe? Want to make sure i don't drill holes in my deck that are too wide
@@adamspunt5105 use the same size bit as the pipe you have. 1” pipe needs a 1” bit. I wouldn’t make it bigger than that. You want a snug fit.
Great video! What length pipes did you start off with?
I started with an 8 foot pipe and cut to the height that I wanted.
@@whitlocklife Perfect! Thanks man!
What was the length of the galvanized pipes that you purchased.
I cut them down to about 8 feet. Scroll to 3:55 to see how I determined the right height for my deck.
The galvanized pipes you linked are 5ft. But the ones you used appear to be longer. What length pipes did you use?
I used 8ft and cut to my desired height (around 7ft). If I remember correctly I had trouble locating the 8ft on their website for the link.
@@whitlocklife thank you!
Just the video I was looking for! I really appreciate the great detailed instructions!! Definitely going to try this spring.
Maybe measure and cut before paining? Jigsaw would have been cleaner and avoid the chip out on the bottom of the rail
How did you find the studs/wood under your soffit?
I didn't. The hooks are screwed into a couple of layers of vinyl siding.
How many boxes of lights did you use?
I bought 2 boxes of lights, but did not use all of the 2nd box based on the size of my deck. I wrapped up the rest of the lights (like you would an extension cord), unscrewed the bulbs, and hung the lights out of sight.
Can this go directly to the ground ? I don’t have a deck
monica phav as long as you have a way to anchor your poles so they don’t fall over, yes, you can use deck lights without a deck.
I need to know how you hid your cord? Why isn't it running up the wall? I don't see it attached to the lights.
This is what I'm trying to avoid doing myself & I need help or advice please.
Great question...a visible extension cord running down the side of the house was something I wanted to avoid too. So, I ran the extension cord under the deck and pulled it up through a hole in the deck by the outlet. At 6:10 in the video you can see me and Eli plugging it in. The cord comes up from under the deck right there.
How many sets of lights did you use???
We used 2 boxes for our deck.
What size pipe did you get?
Half inch
@@whitlocklife Thank youuu!
I would recommended running a 1/16 SS cable and connecting the at every light. Also that's a lot of stress on simple tea hooks to pull out with time with wind beating on the cabling, use 2 wood screw brackets yes cost more but doing it right.
Thanks Mike. Running the cable through and using a bracket would make the connection points stronger. We've had several storms blow through but haven't had any issues yet. I'll keep these ideas in mind should that change.
@@whitlocklife How have the loops on your lights held up to the zip ties after wind and sun have had their way with them? I worry mine will stretch and break at some point.
Trevor Hohmann I have full sun exposure on the poles for most of the day. The zip ties have not failed. Instead of zip ties, you could use rope or even a clip/carabiner if you’re worried about the durability of the zip ties.
Plastic LED lights is the way to go. They won't break either
Are they safe in the rain?
The lights I used are rated for outdoor use. There is a link in the description.
Thanks for the tutorial and the links to all the needed components! I noticed that pipes themselves seem quite long in length in the video but the link provided is for a 60-in pipe (5 feet). Can you please elaborate on that? The pipes in the video look to be easily 8-10 feet in length, specifically at ua-cam.com/video/eiKhG-FAgHA/v-deo.html. Thanks!
Peter Abadear everyone’s needs on pipe length may be different. The link to the pipe is the type of pipe I bought, but I believe I bought an 8 foot pipe which I cannot locate on Lowe’s website to link to. My suggestion would be to buy a pipe that is bigger than the length you need and then cut to size.
@@whitlocklife Thanks! I ended up using 10 feet pipes which worked quite well with all of your instructions. I mimicked your process with some minor variations. One issue I ran into was using the small white hooks you recommended and drilled into your sofit. When I tried this, I found that there was too much tension on the string lights, even with slack, which resulted in having some of the sofit framing to shift out. Not sure if the sofits were not properly installed or perhaps my set of lights were just heavier than the one you used in this video but luckily I found pre-installed heavier hooks which I was able to use instead. One improvement I also did was instead of using zip-ties to secure the lights onto the top of the pipe, I drilled a small hole where I was then able to snug-fit the white hooks you recommended. This allowed me to also cap the pipes to prevent bugs from entering and nesting. Time will only tell how weather-resistant these hooks will be but I'll keep an eye on them and they're quite easily replaceable although I did give them a coat of rust-oleum spray. Thanks again!
@@pabadear great! Glad you got the job done and tailored it to your needs. Now it’s time to enjoy your new lighting!
How you gonna open that umbrella now?
Ha. It opens just fine. There is enough slack in the lights to allow the umbrella to open.
Dude. Why did you cut a notch out of your deck rail? Screw a piece of wood there to mount the pipe flush.
Ha...yeah that is a good solution and I believe I mentioned that as an option in the video. However, I didn’t have any wood at the right thickness and didn’t want to mess with planing and staining. We plan to keep the lights up for years to come so it isn’t a big deal over here at our house. Thanks for the comment.
Where is your extension cord? Does it hang down the side of your house?
Phyllis Emery it does hang down the side of my house, but it’s not visible on my deck based on the way the house was built. At 6:09 you can see that we have an outlet in the middle of the deck. So, I ran the extension cord from the end of the lights, under the deck, and brought the extension cord up at the location of the outlet.
Also, at 7:10 you can catch a glimpse of the white cord hanging down the side of the house.
@@whitlocklife Oh, thank you. We used to have a deck, but we renovated, and now have a patio. I'll need to figure something out. Loved your video!
You might want to read the fine print on that spray can. Most everything I looked at said for all metal but in the fine print instructions they all said not for galvanized metal. Some kind of latex primer would be needed.
Lord Garth thanks for the comment. The spray paint I linked on Amazon is a paint + primer all in one, so you’re good to go. Good luck on your project.
@@whitlocklife I just did this myself and the primer + paint said to still use primer on metal for best results. That kind of annoyed me because why bother putting them both in one lol. It also said not to paint galvanized metal. So I googled it and it can be done with sanding and degreasing because there is a layer of oil on the metal that keeps it from rusting. Just my two cents, this project is a lot more work than one thinks.
Trevor Hohmann thanks for the comment. I haven’t had any issues with the paint and I didn’t have to degrease mine either. It is a big project but definitely doable in 1 day.
@@whitlocklife good to hear. I was a bit concerned about mine.
Why did you need the zip ties?
I used them to connect the string lights to the polls. After about 2 years the zip ties have out, but I replaced them with some more. A carabiner clip would be a better, permanent solution.
I mean cutting a hole was kinda dumb but not bad. Just could of used a wood block to bring it flush with rail.
I thought about that but didn't have any stain to match the deck, so I went with what I had.
Decent install; until he realizes he can't open his sunbrella anymore without hitting the light strings.
Kingofthedingalings correct. The umbrella lifts the string a couple of inches. You got to work with what you got.
Great video but the music is just way too loud
Lose the music.