Hanging holiday lights on an outdoor tree can transform your lawn for the holidays, but where do you begin?
Initially, the process may seem complicated. However, there are a few tips and tricks you can utilize to make wrapping a tree in lights easier with better results. First, you’ll want to gather supplies, and consider the type of tree, its size, and the effect you’re trying to create.
Then, it’s a matter of wrapping or hanging a light strand in the tree. Check out some quick-start tips for installing holiday lights on an outdoor tree below.
Hanging Holiday Lights in Trees: What You’ll Need
Fortunately, you don’t need much to get started to hang lights in your yard.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- String lights
- Extension cords
- On / off timer
- Multi-position ladder
- Extension Pole
Pro Tip: LED holiday light strands tend to be the easiest and most efficient to work with. One benefit is that they can be cut to size, helping you to truly customize the look of your tree.
Which Trees Are Best for Holiday Lighting?
A common mistake people make is to leap into decorating a tree without a plan or design concept. As a result, they’re likely to run into inconvenient problems like: not having enough lights for coverage, having trouble powering the lights, or struggling to get the lights to hang properly on the tree.
The first step is to scout your yard for the perfect tree. You’ll want to look for:
- Trees that can be reached by an extension cord
- Trees with rough bark, which will hold the lights better
- Trees that can be reached by a ladder
- Trees with good visibility
Taking Measurements
Next you’ll want to measure the tree you’ll be installing the lights on. This is an important step, because if you don’t have full coverage, the display will look incomplete.
Measure the height of the trunk, as well as any branches that will be covered. Also, you’ll want to measure the circumference of the trunk, as well as the branches. With these measurements, you can calculate how much lighting you will need with this formula:
Length needed = (Height of Tree / Light Spacing) * Circumference
For example, let’s say you want to cover 5 feet of trunk and 5 feet of branches, space the lights 6 inches apart, for a tree with an average circumference of 2 feet. You would need (10 * 6) / 2 = 30 feet of lighting.
Note: These measurements are needed if you plan to wrap a tree with holiday lights.
Tips for Installing Exterior Holiday Lights on Trees
Once you’ve selected a tree and taken measurements, you’re ready to hang the lights. Fortunately, there are tricks you can use to streamline the process.
- Test your lights! You don’t want to hang lights that are faulty.
- Horizontal wrapping is the easiest solution. Simply make a ball with the light strand and wrap the tree in horizontal rows going around the tree.
- Leave the plugs at the bottom of the tree. You don’t want to string an extension cord up into the tree.
- As you begin, wrap the base of the tree 3 to 4 times. You’ll connect the strand to the power source, and then, you can tie a knot to keep the strand in place.
- Keep the light strand taut as you wrap. You want the wrap to be firm, but not too tight. A firm wrap will hold better against the bark throughout the season.
- Once you reach the top of the trunk, you can tie another simple knot to keep the strand secured to the tree.
- With branches, you can use the same strand for multiple branches. However, double your spacing as you move up the branch. As you wrap back down the branch, you can wrap in the middle of the spacing, which will result in a uniform wrap.
Get help installing exterior holiday lights. Clean and Clear Lighting offers professional holiday lighting installation in the Minneapolis – St. Paul area. Learn more about our services!
