Learn how to hang string lights on a deck by attaching string light poles to the railing with this quick & easy tutorial.
Summer is coming, and that means it’s time to put string lights up over the deck or patio! There are many different methods for hanging string lights, and the one/s you choose will depend a lot on what you have to hang them from. Below is my comprehensive guide, whether you want to hang cafe lights from trees, a house, a fence, in-ground poles, etc.
How to Hang Outdoor String Lights: The Ultimate Guide
We’ve made a couple different kinds of DIY string light poles over the years, and this year I wanted to buy and test several different store-bought poles. You can read my full reviews here: The Best String Light Poles- Tested and Reviewed.
In this tutorial we’ll be installing ready-made poles on the deck railing at my parents’ new house. This is a very quick and easy DIY, and you should be able to install each pole in 10 minutes or less. It’s also a renter-friendly option.
string light poles & mounting hardware (this is the kit we’re using in this tutorial and we’re very happy with it! We also tested this kit, which is very similar in quality and ease of installation, and the poles are a few inches taller)
string lights (these are the best heavy duty lights I’ve found and they’ll hold up for many years.
Directions
String light poles need to be attached to the deck railing in at least two different places in order to stay upright and level. Ideally you’ll want to place one bracket toward the bottom of the post or baluster, and another as close as possible to the top.
1. Assemble the poles.
Most of the poles I’ve tested come in two pieces, which easily screw or twist together.
2. Secure pole to post (optional).
Use a long zip-tie to attach the string light pole to the deck railing post. If your zip ties aren’t long enough, you can connect two together. This will be temporary, so don’t worry if it looks ugly!
This step is optional, but it’s very helpful if you’re doing this project alone. If you have a helper to hold the pole in place while you attach the brackets, it may not be necessary.
Once you have both brackets attached, you can cut the zip tie off with a knife or scissors.
Hold a level up next to the string light pole to be sure it’s going straight up and down before attaching the first bracket. This handy level is magnetic so it was perfect for this project.
4. Attach the first bracket.
Use an impact driver (electric drill) to drill one screw into either side of the bracket, attaching it to the deck railing post.
5. Level again.
6. Attach the second bracket.
7. Hang string light cord.
It’s generally best to hang your light cord before screwing in the bulbs, and almost all string lights come packaged with the bulbs separate anyway. The bulbs are easy to break- especially the cheaper non-industrial ones.
8. Screw bulbs into sockets.
And that’s it!
As you can see, these poles can easily handle the weight of the lights without leaning or bowing. So far we’re really happy with them. I’ll update this post next year to let you know how they hold up over time.
Troubleshooting
Since no project is ever quite as simple in real life as it is in my head before I get started, we ran into a couple of hitches along the way. If your deck is built on 90 degree angles and has actual railing posts, the instructions above should work great.
We main issue we had with my parents’ deck was that the railing doesn’t have actual posts, and the rail along the top stuck out about an inch further than the balusters.
Alternate Methods
It turns out that not all deck railings have posts in the corners. This was the case with my parents’ deck, which meant that we only had one point of contact to attach the string light poles to the railing, instead of two.
We came up with two different ways to solve this problem and tried them both.
In one spot we cut a piece of wood to beef up the post in the corner and give us a nice solid surface to screw the brackets into.
In other spots, we used a paddle drill bit to drill a shallow hole in the deck boards, creating a niche for the pole to sit in. All of the poles we tested had rubber/plastic caps on the bottoms, and we removed these to help the pole fit into the hole.
More Outdoor Lighting Ideas…
The Easiest DIY Outdoor String Light Poles Tutorial
Backyard Lighting Ideas: A Simple Guide for Outdoor Living Spaces
Cup hooks are small, curved hooks with a screw on one end that can be used to hang your lights from your posts. It's easier to attach them to your posts before you install them on your deck. Screw a cup hook onto the end that the lights will hang from.
Cup hooks are small, curved hooks with a screw on one end that can be used to hang your lights from your posts. It's easier to attach them to your posts before you install them on your deck. Screw a cup hook onto the end that the lights will hang from.
Place a heavy-duty plastic planter and string light pole in each spot where you intend the pole to be set up. Alternatively, you can use 10-foot lengths of 1 1/2-inch PVC pipe, or 10-foot 4×4 wooden posts, as long as they're pressure treated to prevent rot. Keep in mind that metal poles may be a lightning risk.
Stainless steel screw hooks (or cup hooks, which are nearly the same) are his go-to for a litany of reasons. “They're easy to install; if you have enough hand strength, you don't even need to pre-drill the holes,” he explained. “They really cradle the wire and hold it off the house a little.
Transparent tape can create the illusion of your string lights magically sticking to the walls with nothing holding them up. Use the strongest type of regular or double-sided transparent adhesive tape to support your lights fully. Some tapes can hold up to 15 pounds and withstand all kinds of weather.
Shorter runs won't need a support wire.But if you're going 100 feet or more, extra support is a must. The point of a guide is to remove tension. It can prolong the life of your string lights and ensure that the original cord doesn't tear.
We'd suggest going relatively high with your string lights—think 8+ feet. After all, you don't want the heat from the lights to beat down on your or your guests. Next question: what outdoor string lights are best for my backyard?
An outdoor deck is a great place to catch some fresh air, admire the sunrise or just enjoy a cool beverage with your family. If you have enough space, your deck can serve as your main hosting area for dinner parties and barbecues. However, no nighttime gathering is complete without ample outdoor deck lighting.
The best way to know how long lights will last is to look at the hour rating. For example, if the LED rope lights or bulbs you're considering have a rating of 50,000 hours, that means they'll last for about five and half years. And that's if you plan to leave them on 24 hours a day.
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Introduction: My name is Jerrold Considine, I am a combative, cheerful, encouraging, happy, enthusiastic, funny, kind person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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