There are 3 standard spacings for mini lights. Choosing the best spacing is essential for a polished project and can be tricky. We hope a quick visual will help you decide.
Here are those three spacings:
A word about lengths of Christmas light strings: Christmas lights will vary in how tightly they are twisted during manufacture. Light sets can also become “untwisted” during unpacking and installation. As a result, total length and total lit length measurements can vary plus or minus a couple of inches.
2.5″ spacing
Most “concentrated” highest ratio of lights to wiring.
Lit Lengths
- 50 lights: 10′ 2.5″
- 100 lights: 20′ 7.5″
Suggested Applications
- Small Christmas trees, wreaths, and garlands
- Intense wrapping of larger trees
- Replacing or installing lights on wireframes (yard art)
- Trees and columns with diameters less than 6 inches around
4″ spacing
Most commonly used spacing of Christmas lights. When in doubt, reach for this set.
Lit Lengths
- 50 lights: 16.3′
- 100 lights: 33′
Suggested Applications
- Our go-to spacing for most interior decor projects
- A great choice for a 7-9 foot Christmas trees
- Most tree trunks and columns are wrapped well
- Most city and commercial projects
- Lighting ceilings
- Creating backdrops
6″ Spacing
Our choice for larger projects. Longer light strings per number of bulbs translate to more installation length per dollar.
Lit Lengths
- 50 lights: 25′
- 100 lights: 50′
Suggested Applications
- Commercial installations where the distance covered is more important than the concentration of bulbs
- Long banisters
- Outlining rooflines
- Wrapping magnificent older tree trunks
- Lighting fencelines
Additional tips
Keep an eye on the maximum number of light sets that can be run in series. Glass strings can be run with a maximum of 500 bulbs per circuit run end to end. For example, no more than 10 strings of 50’s in a row.
Order 10-15% more than a project’s measured length to account for variations in length, swag (how much the lights hang between installation points), and wrap (how many times and how closely a branch or trunk is wrapped).
Check out these posts for more instructions.
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