Learn how to hang outdoor string lights on a deck, patio, or backyard including a tutorial if you don’t have a structure or house to attach the lights to. A simple tutorial requiring common materials and beginner DIY skills. Light up your deck or patio with glowing ambience for outdoor entertaining.
Outdoor entertaining and summertime go hand in hand. ‘Tis the season for backyard BBQs, seafood boils, birthday parties, and backyard summer games. The ingredients for summertime fun are pretty simple- good food, good company, and some ambience.
I’m always a sucker for good mood lighting, and the backyard is no exception. We’ve created an enchanting glow on our back deck to welcome guests and cozy up evening dinners al fresco with some simple string lights.
What’s the Best Way to Hang Outdoor String Lights?
The answer, of course, is, “It depends.” But don’t worry, I have many different ideas that fit a variety of spaces and situations. I am showing several solutions to transform your outdoor space into a magical haven of twinkling lights in 30 minutes. You’ll be enjoying your balmy evenings under the stars faster than it takes to warm up the grill.
The best option for you will come down to what’s around your outdoor space to secure the lights to, whether you need to install your own posts, and whether you want a permanent setup or a temporary setup that you can easily break down.
Recommended Supplies
For Hanging Lights on a Deck or Railing:
- 8′ metal conduit rods or 2″ wide PVC – The photos show wood rails, but if I had to do this project again, I would use metal or PVC rods. A few of the wood boards warped strangely.
- ½″ Galvanized Pipe Straps – From the hardware store plumbing section.
- Screws and Screw Eyes
- String Lights
If You Do Not Have a Structure or Trees:
- 8′ Metal Rods or 2″ wide PVC – This pipe sits at ground level. You will need 10 feet if you want to put it into the ground.
- A Wider Pipe – This is to insert the longer 8 ft pipe.
- Planter Pots – The key here is using one large enough to be stable, but not too heavy that you can’t move it. Another option is to create your own concrete pots with this tutorial and drill a hole in the bottom for the pole to stand in. A large concrete pot is going to be VERY heavy.
- Drainage Rock or Quick Concrete.
- Braces – I will show you how we built ours.
- Level
- Squeeze Connectors – 1 for each pole
- String Lights
- Extension Cord – To plug in lights.
***I have even more ideas at the bottom of this post if these tutorials don’t fit your situation. I even have ideas perfect for rentals!
Reader’s Tip: These are temporary setups that we can break down and move any time we like. I do not recommend leaving these up during storms or wind. According to The National Weather Service, it is not the metal that attacks lightning. Height, pointy shape, and isolation are the dominant factors controlling where a lightning bolt will strike. However, materials such as aluminum and copper are conductive so keep that in mind.
How To Hang String Lights on A Deck
This is an above ground method that works in a variety of situations where you have a supporting structure but not an overhead structure like a gazebo or pergola.
We started by attaching pipe straps to the railing. We attached one at the top and one at the bottom. The poles will be inserted through the pipe straps to hold up the lights. This makes it easy to remove and store the poles.
To attach the lights to the poles in a way that makes them easy to take down, we used plastic cable staples. Another really good option to use is open-ended screw eyes.
Voila! Instant party atmosphere.
It takes only a few minutes to setup and breakdown which I love!
How To Add String Lights to Your Backyard
If you have a patio or deck area that doesn’t have anything to attach to, you can still have beautiful patio strand lights!
The step-by-step directions for hanging string lights on a patio or backyard are in the tutorial card at the bottom of this post. For this, we use planter pots that anchor the poles.
We attached the lights to the poles with a cap and squeeze connector. To attach to the deck, we used a few rocks to keep the strands in place. However, if you cannot find these parts, your best bet is to peruse the plumbing and conduit sections for something that will work. I have used parts from these sections in some very creative ways!
More Ways to Hang String Lights without Nails
- Weave them through fence panels and droop the lines.
- Hang vertically down a wall.
- Sling them around sturdy tree branches in an organic way.
- Create permanent light posts in the backyard by concreting in 4×4 posts and adding screw-eye hooks for the lights.
- In Ground Installation. Dig a post hole and concrete in a PVC pipe at least 12-18 inches below grade -make sure to get caps for the PVC pipe so that debris don’t get inside. Then you can put a snug fitting 8ft pole in whenever you like.
- Use a sturdy Outdoor umbrella stand. Great for rental properties!
- Vinyl Siding Clamps are good for hanging on your house without making holes. Do make sure to pay attention to the maximum weight. Brick Hook Clips also work.
More DIY Outdoor Project Ideas
- Painting Outdoor Furniture to Last
- Make any Container a Self-Watering Planter
- How to Waterproof Wood and Outdoor Furniture
- Resurface a Deck on a Budget
- Outdoor Games for Kids and Adults
- How To Paint Outdoor Concrete
FAQs
Vinyl Siding Clamps are good for hanging on your house without making holes. You can also use brick hanging hooks. Do make sure to pay attention to the maximum weight. Do not leave lights hanging during wind or storms.
The simplest idea is to use Christmas lighting hooks made for gutters like these. Sometimes, you can also use zip ties.
For wood posts, use a heavy-duty hook or screw eye anchor through the post. For metal posts, cap off the post and use an appropriately sized squeeze connector to thread the wire through. You can also try drilling a hole through the pipe for a hook eye.
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More Outdoor Deck Ideas
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How To Hang Patio Lights
Supplies
- 8 ft Galvanized Metal Conduit
- 2 ft Wider Pipe (PVC or Metal) You will insert the 8ft conduit into this, so it should be somewhat snug.
- 1 Planter Pot Fairly large in size.
- 25 lbs Drainage Rock
- 5 ft 1×2 wood or composite boards
- 1 Squeeze Connectors Appropriate size for your conduit.
- 1 Metal Cap For pole to screw in the squeeze connector.
- String Lights
Instructions
- You will need two braces for the center of each pot to stabilize the pole. They can be made of wood or composite (won't rot). We cut some scrap wood and screwed it together so that the pole went through the center of the pot. The smaller brace is in the bottom and the larger is a few inches below the top of the pot.
- Cut the wider pole so that it is several inches higher than the top of the pot. Push the pole through the center of the braces and make sure that it is plumb (straight up and down) with a level. We use a shorter pole so that this setup can easily be broken down for storage.
- Fill the pot with gravel or drainage rock. If you want to add plants to the pot, you could add drainage rock to the bottom of the pot for stability and dirt on top.
- Insert the longer pole into the shorter pole.
- Hang the string lights at the top of the pole using squeeze connectors.
Notes
- Weave them through fence panels and droop the lines.
- Hang vertically down a wall.
- Sling them around sturdy tree branches in an organic way.
- Create permanent light posts in the backyard by concreting in 4×4 posts and adding screw-eye hooks for the lights.
- In Ground Installation. Dig a post hole and concrete in a PVC pipe at least 12-18 inches below grade -make sure to get caps for the pvc pipe so that debris don’t get inside. Then you can put a snug fitting 8ft pole in whenever you like.
- Use a sturdy Outdoor umbrella stand. Great for rental properties!
- Vinyl Siding Clamps are good for hanging on your house without making holes. Do make sure to pay attention to the maximum weight. Brick Hook Clips also work.
Elaine Luddy says
Can you string lights on a deck with cup hooks
Rachel says
Certainly. I use them. I just know them open screw hooks, but it’s the same thing.
Tee says
Great idea for a project. I love string lights!