How to Hang Christmas Lights Outside Without Nails

Hanging Christmas lights outside is no easy task. You want to fill your home with decorative elements without the pockmarked plaster.

So how do you hang Christmas lights outside without nails?

We share with you the best Christmas lights to hang outside and how to hang them without using nails.

Types of Christmas Lights

Christmas lights are usually incandescent or LED (light-emitting diode). Both have their pros and cons.

Incandescent Christmas Lights

Incandescent Christmas lights are brighter and more affordable. They also have more bulbs per strand for a more intense glow.

Under this variant, we have C7 and C9 lights. These are the cone-shaped lights often found in home improvement and convenience stores.

C9 has a bigger wattage but both come in clear frosted or clear color bulbs.

However, incandescent lights can grow warm and heat up. You’ll need to replace the bulbs more often to avoid threats of fire.

LED Christmas Lights

LED Christmas lights may be pricier, but they use up to 75% less energy. Unlike incandescent lights, LED bulbs don’t emit heat, so they are a safer option.

They make great choices for wreaths, garlands, trees, and more.

The only downside to LED bulbs is they produce less glow compared to incandescent bulbs.

Battery-Operated LED Lights

Battery-operated Christmas lights are portable and can be used anywhere. You can set them up on fences, front yard trees, your roof line, and other parts of the house.

These lights are also suitable for use inside as mantel decorations, centerpieces, on staircases, and windows.

Solar Christmas Lights

For outdoor lighting, solar-powered lights are one of the best options. Especially if you don’t have access to power outlets in and around your gardens and lawn.

Provided they get enough sunlight during the day, you will have plenty of festive lighting through the night.

The only downside to using solar lights is they are often not as bright as powered ones.

Best Christmas Lights to Hang Outside

First, make sure that the Christmas lights you’re buying are for outdoor use. This kind can withstand all types of elements like rain and heat.

Always look for waterproof variants with a tag marked underwriters lab (UL). This label means it fits the standards of the American National Standards Institute.

You also want to consider how many strands of light it will take to cover the area. Factors to consider here are bulb spacing and string length.

Start with something like the MYGOTO LED string lights with 8 different modes and 12 colors to choose from.

The lights are waterproof, durable, and easy to hang! These string lights are long, at 165ft and with 500 led lights, making them suitable for your garden, roof, walkway, or driveway.

How to Hang Christmas Lights Outside without Nails

Decking the halls is fun, but we don’t want to damage walls and gutters by using nails.

Here are three ways to hang Christmas lights without using nails.

Hooks or Clips

This is the most common way to hang Christmas lights outside.

Gutter hooks only require you to press them onto the wall because they have double-sided tapes.

Some are S-shaped, others are rectangular with a simple hook.

Tatuo has a pack of 60 mini hook clips made for string lights. It also includes 100 pieces of double-sided tape for your use.

You can also use these hooks to hang photos, triangle flags, and wires.

For S-shaped gutter hooks, try Meetory’s Gutter Hooks. It’s a pack of 100 hooks you can hang around your home for Christmas decorations like string lights.

They are made of durable and waterproof plastic, so they do not break easily despite the elements.

Using Hot Glue

A hot glue gun can be helpful when hanging lights. Just load it, plug it in, and apply the glue where you need it.

However, this method isn’t safe for stucco applied over Styrofoam.

It’s also not recommended to glue them with the bulbs screwed.

Use the glue gun for a pool of bulb-less lights for Christmas decorations.

Apply a pea-sized amount of glue and apply it to the side of every socket opposite the clip.

Press onto the surface and hold it for a while until it is firm.

Then screw each bulb back to the socket.

This video demonstrates how you can hang your Christmas lights without using nails.

More Tips for Hanging Christmas Lights Outside

Here are other tips to consider when decorating your Christmas lights outside:

• Design your lighting plan and measure your house before hanging up your lights.
• Check the weather before starting the installation.
• Test your lights by plugging them in to make sure all bulbs are working.
• Use a ladder when installing your lights and start from top to bottom.
• A ground fault circuit outlet or GFCI should be your source of power for your Christmas light.

Deck the Halls!

Don’t get so busy trying to make your house look festive and beautiful on Christmas that you end up causing damage.

Instead of poking holes and using nails to hang your lights outside, use plastic hooks instead.

These tools don’t rust, and they also don’t damage your house.

Test your lights before hanging them and make sure you have a ladder to set them up easily from top to bottom.

Find out more on how to hang Christmas lights outside.