Customer review of the All Application Clips used in this project: Hands down the most durable and multipurpose clip in the industry. We are professional holiday lighting installers and exclusively use this clip. Made in USA! Never have to worry about on the clip or off the clip when hanging. Just slide it over and…
Category: First Time Users
Get This Look: Wrapping Trees with Lights
We love this customer project. Using a 100-foot C9 cord and 100 traditional incandescent (glass) bulbs. The 12-inch spacing makes this combination a good fit for larger trees. Since the lights look equally well installed along a roofline, the dual-use makes planning the entire display simple and cohesive. Not just for Christmas, this project is…
Repurposing Christmas lights after the Season!
Before uninstalling, organizing, and storing your Christmas lights, consider giving them a second look. You might find the perfect string of lights to brighten a patio or fenceline to add cheer to what’s left of winter. It’s all about the bulbs. Traditional white incandescent or LED bulbs and cords work equally well along a roofline…
Get This Look: Classic Round Satin Finish Bulbs for Christmas
Thanks so much, Michael, for sending us these photos of your beautiful home and lights celebrating the Holidays. I’m glad you were pleased and they worked out so well. This project uses the largest round glass bulb that we have available. It’s the “G50” size. See the quick video below discussing their relative sizes. Be…
Get This Look: Lighting a 20-foot tree
How do you light a 20-foot tree? How many lights do I use for a 20-foot tree? You’d be surprised how often we hear this question and it’s not always from Mall Managers and Park and Recreations folks. People across the US have REALLY BIG trees that they want to light up. We heard this…
5 Easy Steps to Personalized String Lights
We all love strings of twinkle lights brightening the yard during the Christmas Season but have you asked yourself. . . . What about Spring? The good news for Spring is there are a ton of options to light your outdoor entertainment areas. Personalized commercial-grade light strings are a magical way to accent pergolas, porches, open spaces, and more. If you plan…
Retro Christmas Bulbs Bring Back Memories
Here is a note we received today from Lisa, one of our customers: I love Christmas lights but there is a special place in my heart for those old fashioned lights of my childhood. This year we decided to do the commercial grade vintage looking C9s on white wire. We bought the spool of wire,…
Can you shorten a string of Christmas lights?
Short answer No. Slightly longer short answer Standard string lights cannot be shortened safely and effectively. Hey, I think you are saying “No” but can’t the wires be cut and re-soldered? Good question and your quote fingers just randomly reminded me of this…. So, yes you could cut and solder your lights, BUT, a string…
How do you make Christmas lights twinkle?
How can I make my lights twinkle? What is this red tipped bulb? I really need twinkling lights…. can you help me? Short answer Yes, just replace one of the bulbs in your Christmas light string with a red-tipped bulb and that section of circuit will flash on and off! Long answer with photos Good…
LED Bulbs: Their shapes, sizes, and bases
Today’s Question: What cord do I need for an LED G40 bulb? C7? E17? What?? I got this desperate question from a friend with a stage lighting crisis. I talked him down off the ledge and connected him with the lights he needed for his band’s upcoming performance. (He was looking for a G40 cord…
How many Christmas lights can I string together?
This is a pretty popular question when it comes to Christmas lights. The answer is simple but simultaneously complicated. Here are a few guidelines but for all things electrical, consult with a master electrician when making decisions about your project. How many bulbs or strings you can run in series depends on: 1. Answer based…
What is the difference between SPT-1 and SPT-2 Christmas light cords?
When you are looking online at Christmas light strings you might have noticed SPT-1 and SPT-2 specifications. You’ll see that specification when you are shopping for C7 and C9 Christmas bulbs and cords. This spec is simply an indicator of the thickness and durability of the insulation. Most of the time, Christmas light cords don’t…
Hanging Christmas Lights: Plan for Success
Here is a photo we just received from Nate, one of our customers, installing C9 incandescent bulbs along his roofline. He’s installing 200 feet of lights on his 3-bedroom two-baths 1750 square foot home. When folks ask: How many lights do I need to outline my roof? The long and most accurate answer is measure…
Dorm lights – 5 ways to brighten the first day of school!
Unless it’s cash, lights are my favorite gift for new grads who are headed to the dorms. Most universities prohibit burning candles on campus (that makes perfect sense!) so Christmas string lights to the rescue to light up a dorm room. Traditional incandescent lights will warm up under operation so make sure you unplug them…
Get This Look: Installing Lights on Tile Rooflines
A few times every Season, we hear the question, “How do I install Christmas lights on tile roofs?” Here is a customer project that answers that question! Happy New Year! Here are some photos of our application. We have clay shingles with no gutters. The clips worked pretty well. We will order some more lights for…
3 Types of Christmas Lights for Last-Minute Lighting
Did you miss the Christmas light memo and get caught in the dark? Did you finish outlining your roof and just wish your house had a little more oomph? Here are 3 Christmas light product groups that make last minute decorating quick and easy. Net lights are made in a 4×6-foot grid and are a…