Are you looking to add a bit of life to your home around the holiday season? Are you competing with neighbors for the best Christmas light display? Wondering how to hang your Christmas lights on your garage door? Well, this article is just for you. We've researched how to hang Christmas lights on your garage door and any safety precautions that you should follow for this post.
Here are the steps to hang Christmas lights around the garage door:
- Prepare to install Christmas lights
- Measure the door perimeter
- Hang the lights
- Test the lights
The process of hanging Christmas lights around your garage door is fairly simple, and it can be a fun DIY project for you and the family. The most important thing to remember is to follow the safety precautions listed by the manufacturer of your Christmas lights. Continue reading to learn more about how to set up your Christmas lights.
Steps To Hang Christmas Lights Around Garage Door
We sometimes add affiliate links and content that was curated and created by our team with the help of advanced ai tools to help showcase the best design styles.
Things you'll need:
- A ladder
- 2-3 packs of Christmas lights
- Tape measure
- 1-2 extension chords
- Hooks (or hot glue, or nails)
- Staple gun
1. Prepare to Install Christmas Lights
Before hanging your lights, it's best to create a plan for how you will hang the light to ensure that your DIY project flows smoothly. To do this, map out a good plan for your Christmas lights. Think about the focal point or an area that you want to highlight with the light. This could be the top of the garage door or the entire door itself. What you're going to do is place your brightest Christmas lights on the focal point so that it stands out the most.
Think about whether or not you want your driveway to have lights and how they will be positioned. As you think about the light placement, take a look at your current light stock and make sure that you have enough for all of the areas you plan to decorate. Also, are you considering decorating the trees or any patches in your yard? If so, you'll want to make sure that you have enough lights for the garage door and these areas as well.
2. Measure The Door Perimeter
Once you have decided where you want to place the lights around the garage door and other outdoor areas, it is now time to take out your tape measure. Start with the garage door to measure the height and width. Be sure to measure the distance from the door to the nearest electrical outlet as well. When measuring your garage door, take a look at the sides and the door's top to determine where you will place the lights on the door. Will you place the lights on the trim or above the trim on the brick or panel?
After you have measured the door, measure the areas around any trees or bushes that you want to place the lights as well.
3. Hang the lights
After you have measured your door and determined the best power source for your lights, grab your ladder and place it outside near the garage door. Next, untangle all of your lights and place them on the side of the garage door as well. This is the time to gather all of your materials and tools, and it also helps to have a fire extinguisher handy just to be on the safe side.
Start by placing the light string's plug in the power source to make sure that lights are functional. If the lights are functional, unplug the light from the electrical outlet but leave it nearby. Next, grab the light string and leave enough slack for the electrical outlet, place the string on the garage door, and start at the bottom closest to the outlet.
Hot Glue
If you are using hot glue, be sure to apply the glue every 10 to 12 inches along the strand. Be sure to hold the strand in place for about 15 seconds so that the glue has time to set before releasing it. More to come on hot glue application as it is the best method for handing lights on concrete surfaces.
Be careful when deciding on which adhesive to use to hang your Christmas light, as strong adhesives can make it very difficult to remove the lights after the holiday season. Also, be sure not to hang any lights on your gutters or eaves, be it via glue or nails, as they could cause permanent damage.
Hooks/Clips
If you are using hooks or clips, be sure to place them about every six to seven inches from one another. Also, be sure that the strand of lights lies inside the hook's neck and not on the edge. This will prevent it from blowing off of the hook from heavy winds-so it's important to position two hooks facing up.
Nails
And if you are using nails, be sure to place them about every 8 to 10 inches from each other. Continue placing the lights along the garage door's perimeter until you reach the bottom of the opposite side.
4. Test the lights
Step back and take a look at your lights to ensure they are positioned the way you want them. Next, go back to your electrical outlet and plug in the lights. Take a look at the lights again, and make sure that they are still functional. If any bulbs have blown out, replace them if possible. If you have a smart plug to control your lights' timing, now is the time to set it so that the lights will turn off and on automatically.
Quick Tips For Hanging Christmas Lights:
Mind the Trim
Be careful when attaching lights to the trim. It's best to use hooks or clips when attaching Christmas lights to the trim. Using nails or staples can damage the trim, causing it to be susceptible to leaks and cold drafts.
Clips for vertical lights
Make sure that your clips are placed close enough so that the lights have sufficient anchorage. This is especially important for the clips that will hang horizontally.
Detangle the lights beforehand
To prevent lights from breaking while you are untangling them, consider performing this task either inside or have an extra pair of hands to assist you with it. Detangling light bulbs is probably the biggest cause of broken or malfunctioning light bulbs.
How do you hang Christmas lights on concrete?
The best way to hang Christmas lights on concrete is to use a hot glue gun. To do this, start by measuring the area where the lights will be placed to ensure that you have enough lights to cover it. Next, apply a line of hot glue along the concrete and position the strand over it, working with no more than a foot of area at a time.
Be sure to hold the strand in place over hot glue for several seconds so that it has time to cool and set. Continue this until the entire length of the light strand is hung. Also, you may need an extension cord for your hot glue gun if it's electric. Once you have positioned the entire length of the strand, test the lights to make sure they are functional.
How do you hang Christmas lights on brick?
You can use a hot glue gun or brick clips to hang Christmas lights on brick surfaces. Some homeowners also use Gorilla Glue, but you may want to be careful when using this specific glue, as the adhesive can be difficult to remove. The great thing about brick clips is that you can apply them fairly quickly, and they can also be removed very easily, while hot glue may take a bit of prying.
Is it ok to put tape on Christmas lights?
Using tape to hang your Christmas lights is not the best option. Tape is not reliable, as it can easily peel off of the surface of your home during the colder months of the year. It's also likely to peel off if there is heavy humidity or precipitation. It's better to use hooks, clips, nails, or hot glue to attach Christmas lights to the areas around your home.
Safety tips for exterior Christmas lights
Below, we discuss a few safety tips to know when hanging your Christmas lights.
Buy Christmas Lights With UL Safety Certification
More and more, Christmas lights come with a UL safety certification, which means that the lights meet the industry specifications for product safety and design. Lights that do not have the certification may be less expensive, but it can also mean that they are more hazardous. Don't buy cheap lights; it's worth the money to ensure you are using the safest Christmas lights during the holidays.
Use The Rule Of Three
Following the rule of three means that you plug no more than three sets of lights into a single outlet or extension cord, as doing so can cause issues with overheating and circuit breakers. Always look at the wattage listed on the light, and be sure to note the maximum capacity for each outlet.
Don’t Run Lights Through Doors and Windows
Sometimes it can be challenging to find the perfect power source for your outdoor lights. However, it's best to avoid running lights through doors and windows, as this not only poses a safety hazard but can also damage the lights, making them susceptible to electrical fires. Consider using extension cords instead.
Wrapping Things Up
We hope that this post has provided you with the information that you were looking for to hang Christmas lights on your garage door and around other areas of your home. Remember to follow allow safety precautions listed on the lights to ensure a safe holiday season.
Before you go, be sure to check out our other posts: