String lights are a stellar choice to decorate your backyard. There’s something about sitting under twinkling lights during the evening- it feels magical!
Apart from aesthetically uplifting your space, they’re also a cheaper alternative for adding light to your backyard. Trees usually create the main structural support to hang string lights in your backyard.
The problem is not every backyard has trees. In this blog, we are covering ways to hang string lights without trees. But before we proceed, there are a few things to be taken into consideration:
- The size and layout of your backyard
- The type of string light to be used (plastic or glass)
- The location of existing support (such as poles)
- The presence of fencing
- The time you are willing to invest in this project
After you examine all these factors, it will be easier for you to map your approach.
5 Ways To Hang String Lights Without Trees
We have curated five different ways to hang string lights in your backyard:
- Hang along the border of your backyard
- Use posts
- Use a patio or deck
- Use planters
- Embellish your umbrellas
Hang Along The Border of Your Backyard
One of the most straightforward ways to hang a string light is around the border of your backyard, ideally on the fencing.
The most practical way to start is to choose the portion of the fence you want the string lights to begin according to your backyard layout and work backward from there. There’s no right way to hang string lighting along a fence, and it entirely depends on your personal preference and style.
Once you are sure about the direction of the string light layout, start unwinding them along the fence and secure them with the help of nails or hooks.
Ensure the fence is well in the vicinity of a power outlet, or you will need an extension cord that can unnecessarily complicate your pre-planned lighting arrangement.
Use Posts
Posts are a great way to secure string lights across your yard in the direction of your liking. Using existing posts for support is advisable, or you can design a layout and add new posts wherever necessary.
In an average backyard size, three to four posts might be sufficient. Ensure the posts are well distanced where the starting support is near the power source.
The post can be of any material depending upon your backyard aesthetic ranging from 4×4 wooden posts, or a circular metal pillar or a PVC pipe.
Stabilize these posts by implanting them deep into the ground.
Ideally, hang the string lights about 4 inches from the post. Anything lower than that can be a hindrance.
Use A Patio Or Deck
If you are looking at selectively adorning your patio or gazebo space, hang lights using your current patio or deck. String lights can be hung on your roof, patio cover, or pergola. Another splendid way can be to use the deck railing to hang lights.
The first step is identifying the ideal power source and finding the supports. In case of hanging lights on the patio ceiling, reapers can provide enough support to hang lights. Secure the lights with the help of clippers or nails.
It is also imperative to ensure the lights do not hang too low from the ceiling.
Use Planters
Planters and other forms of shrubbery can be used to adorn your garden with string lights beautifully. Hanging lights on planters requires minimal to no support depending upon the type of planter used. Similarly, if you have hanging plants on your patio, they can pose as an ideal sport for hanging string lights.
Using shrubbery in the absence of trees is also an excellent way to hang string lights. They are also aesthetic and give a rustic feel to your garden space. Ensure the shrubbery is located well within the layout you had in mind to make it work well with other elements in the garden space.
You don’t want one area to be well-lit and another dark, so plan the lighting layout according to the shrubbery located in your garden.
Embellish Your Umbrellas
If your backyard has umbrellas, this is your chance to adorn them with string lights. Umbrellas, apart from being a protective feature, also add great aesthetic value to your backyard.
What better way to elevate this element than adding string lights?
You can install string lights on the outline of the umbrella and secure them with cable ties. This way, the string lights can be a complimentary factor that will make the umbrella and the space underneath welcoming and open.
It’s important to note that your umbrella probably needs to be closed occasionally, so ensure the string lights do not interfere in this manner.
We have covered all the ways to hang string lights without trees. The most fitting method is the one that compliments your backyard and thus elevates your outdoor experience and the overall aesthetic.
The simplest way to hang string lights is to use the resources already present in your backyard (such as existing poles, fences, etc.) and optimally use them to your advantage.
We hope this guide provides a solution to your light-hanging problem.
Let us know which method inspired you the most and helped in uplifting your backyard.
Other Posts You May Like: