Outdoor hanging lanterns can create an aesthetically appealing glow in anyone’s yard. With a hanging light or outdoor pendant, some great outdoor lighting can create an ambiance in your outdoor area all year round. The warm glow of an outdoor lantern or lighting fixture can help warm up people’s moods during even the coldest winter days – and it makes for great outdoor decor and curb appeal.
Outdoor hanging lanterns can be used in many different ways to create many different atmospheres and feelings. If you’re wanting to turn your backyard into a party spot where your friends can gather after a long week at work, the warm glow of an outdoor light really brightens up your outdoor space.
There are plenty of outdoor hanging light options available, and depending on how creative you are, you can effectively use them in a number of different ways. Some people that don’t have many trees in their yard think that a hanging lantern won’t work with their outdoor space or patio. It doesn’t take much to install and organize your hanging lanterns, except for maybe a little bit of creativity.
Before you begin installing your outdoor hanging lanterns, there are a couple of tools you’ll need:
- Outdoor hanging lantern
- Extension cord
- Pen or pencil
- Tape measure
- Hooks
- Drill
- Ladder
If you’re going to be installing your outdoor lighting across a big area, you’ll need:
- A suspension kit that includes snap hooks, clamps, wire, and turnbuckles
- Cutters
If you’re wanting to install your lighting in an outdoor area that doesn’t have any trees, you’ll need:
- Long posts or poles
- Hammer
- Screws
- Nails
- Planters
- Rebar
- Wire tires
Location
Before you get started, you’ll have to decide what area you’ll be installing the outdoor hanging lanterns in. This is probably the most important step. Take a good walk around your yard and carefully decide where you want the ambient light to gather. You’ll have to keep in mind that you’ll need a power source nearby where the lanterns will plug into.
Measurements
Depending on what type of lighting setup you’re thinking about doing, you’ll want to take some measurements. If you’re running them from one tree to the next, you’ll want to get your tape measure to measure that distance between the two trees. You’ll then use that measurement when you’re ready to pick up your lanterns. You don’t have to be completely exact with your measurements, but it will help to give you a better idea of what length you’re working with.
Get Your Lights
After you’ve taken some measurements, bring the measurements with you when you’re in the store picking up your materials. While there are some pretty cheap outdoor hanging lanterns on the market, you’ll want to spend a little more money. The more expensive lanterns are waterproof and more resistant to the elements throughout the year.
If you’re wanting to purchase high-quality string lights, the bulbs and the cord will typically be separate. There are many different lengths of cord available, and some lengths range to over 300 feet long. Refer to the measurements that you took in the previous step to figure out how long of a cord to go with.
You’ll also want to think about the type of bulbs to go with. LED bulbs last longer, but incandescent bulbs have a bit of a softer glow to them. Always make sure to purchase a couple of extra bulbs in case any of them decide to break down on you.
Installation
After you’ve picked up your outdoor hanging lanterns, you can move on to the installation process. The first step involved in installation is figuring out what area that they need to be supported in. If you don’t have a family member or friend to help you, place your lights on the ground in the area that you think they will be hung up at. Get your pencil or other object and put it on the ground where the lights will be hung.
There are a variety of things in a yard that can make for a great support system for your lights:
- Porch
- Roof
- Fence
- Trees
If you don’t have any of the above supports, you can also get a string light suspension kit. You can also use a wire to hang them upon, but it’s not absolutely mandatory. Using a wire is useful in cases where there is a wide expanse of space.
If you’re not using a wire, you’ll want to screw a cup hook to a wall or a tree so that it can be used as a mounting device. Doing so might require you to make a small hole with your drill before you put the screw in.
Throwing Up The Lights
Once the support system is in place, you can start putting up your lanterns. Ensure that you safely plug them into the outlet or extension cord. Also, make sure that all of your lanterns are nicely spaced apart. Move along your yard and hang lanterns near each mount. The majority of commercial-level lanterns have clips that are attached to the socket of the bulb, and that makes things a little easier.
For yards that don’t have trees, supporting your outdoor hanging lanterns is a little more difficult. A fence can be effectively used as a support system, but if the fence isn’t high enough, then you might have to consider using wooden posts. People like to get very creative with their support systems for their lanterns.
Consider using a few planters to hang your lights around. The only downside to this method is that they can sometimes become a little flimsy if the wind or rain knocks them back and forth.
Outdoor hanging lanterns are a great way to spruce up any yard. Installing and organizing them might require a bit of trial and error at first, but once you start the process, you’ll quickly see how easy it is to draw a little more ambient light into your yard through the use of your lanterns.
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