Hang string lights in backyard without trees using some pretty clever methods such as poles or a fence given in this comprehensive guide. Whether you are a bonafide DIY person or not, all of these methods are super easy and must be tried out.
Your yard will look so much more cozy and beautiful with these lights hanging about.
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How To Hang String Lights in Backyard Without Trees
Using metal poles, hanging the lights along a fence, or even utilizing shrubbery are easy and creative methods to hang string lights in a backyard without trees. There are still lots of ways you can hang string lights in your backyard even if you don’t have trees in it.
Continue reading to find out more.
– Metal Poles
Metal poles are great for hanging lights in backyard without trees. These are very cheap to buy and also look great. There are two ways to use metal poles for this purpose; either you can plant them in your lawn temporarily or dig them in permanently. It all depends on your personal choice.
Read all about these two options in detail below.
– Putting Poles Temporarily
Hanging string lights across the backyard on metal poles set up temporarily is a pretty neat option. You can put these poles up in your backyard for an impromptu weekend party or any other event, hang string lights from them and then pack up and store them for future use. After your party, your yard goes back to being how it was before.
Their main advantage is that these temporary poles can be placed anywhere on the lawn according to your own liking and convenience. They also take a very short time to place and pack away.
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How to Temporarily Put Poles Up
Learn how to put metal poles in your lawn for a short while using these tips:
- You can buy metal poles with hooks installed on top of them for hanging string lights. Push these poles down several inches into the ground whenever you want to use them.
- Another clever hack is to place a metal pole vertically in a bucket using cement. You can then move these buckets containing these poles into the lawn whenever needed and hang lights from them.
- In order to ensure that the bucket does not tip over, you should use a two-gallon bucket for poles shorter than 4 feet and a five-gallon bucket for larger poles.
– Putting Poles Permanently
If you want, you can also dig holes and place metal poles permanently in your backyard for hanging outdoor string lights. This method needs more effort as you will need to dig deeper and also choose a location that you really deem suitable.
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How to Permanently Put Poles Up
Follow these tips to put up permanent poles in your yard:
- Choose where you want these poles to be dug in. We suggest spacing them at least 8 feet apart so that the strings hang properly from them.
- Start digging in places where your pole will go, making sure there are no electric or water supply lines going underneath it. Dig 2 feet deep if you live in a warmer region and 4 feet deep if your area is a cold one.
- Center the pole into the hole and pour cement all around it. You will have to hold the pole erect with some sort of support until the cement hardens.
- Attach hooks at the top of the pole for hanging string lights.
– Along a Fence
If you have a fence around your backyard, it can also be used as a support to hang string lights without trees. These lights will add great depth to your yard.
This method is pretty cheap and easy. Most importantly, your string lights will be safe from interference by kids and other people. The only downside is that only the outline of your yard will be illuminated by the lights.
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How To Hang String Lights on Fence
Follow these steps to hang string lights along your fence:
- You can use clip hooks to fasten the string lights into place on a fence.
- For thin fences, an S-shaped clip that slips over the fence also comes in handy.
- You can also hammer nails into your fence for hanging string lights. Some people are reluctant to put nails in their fences; the two options above will work best for them.
– Deck or Patio Railing
If you have a deck or patio in your backyard, then it is also a great place to put the string lights in. The railings of the deck should definitely be utilized for the lights.
Now, you can either use nails or metal hooks in the railing for attaching the string. Even if you don’t want to put nails in your railing, you can simply hang the lights on it and it will look just as amazing.
– Shrubbery
So what if your backyard lacks a few trees to hang string lights on?
Shrubs and bushes work just as well, if not better. You will only need very minimum supplies to hang lights on them.
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How To Hang String Lights on Shrubs
Here is how you can do it:
- Choose a strong branch on each shrub to hang your lights from.
- You can use twist or zip ties for securing them, or you can simply tie the lights on the branch itself.
- If the shrubs in your backyard are tall enough and have a distance of fewer than 6 feet between them, then you can even get the draping effect that lights strung from trees often provide.
- The only con to using shrubs is that over time your lights might become damaged due to attacks by raccoons, birds and other animals.
– Wooden Posts
Just like metal ones, you can also dig holes a few inches deep and insert wooden posts into them. Then you can insert hooks at their top and hang string lights from them.
There is no doubt that wooden posts look much better than metal poles and lend a very rustic ambiance to your yard. Place these posts 6 or 7 feet apart and hang both ends of a string light at the same height to give your lights that classic, draping look that everyone is after these days.
– House
Yes, you can also hang string lights without trees by putting them along the sides of your house. Not only will they give your house a great ambiance and feel, but they can also be left up there all year round without any worries.
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How To Hang String Lights Along the House
Here is how you can achieve this:
- First of all you will need a wooden ladder to install and hang the lights.
- You can nail hooks into the wood on the side of your house for supporting the strings. There should be a distance of 4 to 6 feet between consecutive nails if you want your string lights to look like they are draping.
- If your house has another structure situated close to it, you can also hang lights from the eaves of both structures in a criss-cross arrangement. This way, not only the side of your house but the area under the lights will also become illuminated.
- Since hanging lights on the side of the house require you to use a ladder and climb it, don’t forget to be very careful and follow all the required safety precautions.
– Umbrellas
Don’t lose hope if you can’t find anything to hang your string lights from. A large-sized garden umbrella is another clever way to hang string lights without trees. You can buy just one or multiple such umbrellas and place them in your yard as you like.
There are many different ways to hang string lights from these umbrellas. Trust us, your backyard will look very chic and cool using this method.
Choosing the Best One
All sorts of string lights seem to be on the market these days, making it difficult to choose just one to decorate your backyard with. But you do need to make a decision, and you should choose one that suits you and your lawn the best.
– Length
A variety of string light lengths are available for you to choose from, depending on where and how you want to drape them from. If you have to join multiple strings together, then make sure that each one has opposite male and female parts so that they can be connected together.
– Size and Shape
String lights come in all shapes and sizes. Some of the shapes that are in vogue these days are the globe bulbs, the Edison bulbs, bulbs like fairy lights as well as lantern-style bulbs. Choose a shape that is to your liking and goes with the overall theme of your yard.
– Types
It is equally important to decide what type of power source your lights should have. If you have enough power outlets in your yard then you can easily go for incandescent bulbs or LED ones. You can also use lights that are powered by solar power.
Power Source for String Lights in the Yard
Want to find out what your options are when it comes to powering the string lights in your yard?
Continue reading to find out.
– Power Outlets
It would, of course, work the best if you have a few power outlets installed in your garden near where you plan to hang the string lights.
You can also make do with extension cords to supply electricity to the lights. Take care when using these cords as they often come between feet and cause a lot of tripping and falling, especially when children and pets are involved.
– Solar Power
These days, we are totally in support of using solar string lights. These come with a panel that can be placed someplace high enough where they receive adequate sunlight throughout the day. You will also save electricity and get rid of the hassle that comes with using extension cords.
Keep in mind that these solar-powered string lights will be more costly than regular ones.