Our backyard is an ongoing project. But at least we have string lights! Check out how we created a canopy of string lights in our backyard.
If you have ever seen the show Parenthood (I am obsessed) you may remember the part in the opening sequence or in the show itself where the family is gathered around the table eating dinner outside with these gorgeous string lights hanging above them. When I saw that scene I fell in love with those string lights.
I kept dropping subtle or maybe not so subtle hints to Brent about wanting lights strung up across our backyard. I wished for a canopy of lights. I believe my description to him was I want our backyard to be “dreamy”.
I have been talking about these lights for awhile now but was still completely caught off guard when Brent surprised me and for Christmas gave me this HUGE box filled with 200 feet of string lights and 200 round light bulbs.
He said he promised to make our backyard dreamy. He knows the way to my heart, I tell you.
This weekend was the first weekend in Houston since Christmas that it hasn’t rained. Since it was in the high 60’s and sunny we decided it would be a great day to create the canopy of string lights in our backyard.
It was a full day of work believe it or not to hang all those lights and Brent got them all wired up just minutes before dusk. It was down to the wire. There were a few mishaps throughout the day but as Brent always says “It’s not a Gray House Studio project if you don’t end up at some point frustrated and bleeding”. (More on that later in the post).
We obviously still have a ways to go to get out backyard completed, but for now I am one happy girl snuggling in my hammock under my canopy of lights.
How to Hang a Canopy of String Lights
SUPPLIES
- (2) 100 foot black wire G40 globe patio string lights with clear bulbs
- Stainless steel eye hooks
- Zip Ties
- Galvanized Steel Rope
- Stainless Steel Thimbles
- Ferrule & stop set
- Drill
- Stud finder
- Wire Rope Cutter
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We used lots of light bulbs. We had eight boxes just like this one. And we didn’t even break one.
STEP BY STEP GUIDE
1. We utilized the large pine tree that sits right along our fence line as the support for one side of the lights. Brent used our drill to make a small hole in the tree and screwed a stainless steel eye hook into the tree.
2. Even though Brent was sure there would be a wood header above the windows along the back of the house he double checked with a stud finder on the inside.
When drilling for the eye hook on the house you can see wood shavings came out indicating he was indeed drilling into wood.
3. Brent measured how much of the galvanized steel rope we needed and then we cut off the excess with a wire rope cutter.
We chose to use galvanized steel rope to bare the load of the string lights.
This should extend the life of the string lights drastically because the cable won’t stretch or break.
4. It is also easier to attach the steel cable to an eye hook than attaching the string lights to an anchor would be.
To attach the cable to the eye hook we threaded the galvanized steel rope through a ferrule.
5. Once the wire was in place we took a wire rope cutter and crimped the ferrule to make the wire secure.
6. Next, we attached the string lights to the cable. Brent uses zip ties to tie the cable and string lights together and I followed behind him and screwed in the light bulbs.
7. After we got all the lights zip tied and bulbs screwed in, Brent attached the other side of the cable to the eye hook suspending the string lights at the correct height.
8. We initially planned to have five runs of string lights from the house to the tree but realized after completing two entire runs that the odd number of runs would leave one of the two plugs at the tree instead of the house.
That was a “Doh!” moment for us. Both strings needed to plug in at the house and we recognized that wasn’t going to happen the way we were doing it so panic set in until we calmed down and had to rethink our game plan.
The solution turned out not to be too difficult. We removed one of the eye hooks and relocated the two inner eye hooks so they were spaced evenly, giving us four runs instead of five.
The one challenging part was after cutting down the second cable we had no slack cable left making it really hard to handle getting it back wrapped around the eye hook through the ferrule.
The cut wire kept poking Brent in the hands and his arms got really tired as he tried to work with the cable above his head. But he was a trooper and made it happen.
9. Because we ended up only making four runs instead of five, we had excess string light.
Brent was able to take the light on the end of the string, which caps the wires, and move it to the spot where we needed and then cut off the left over string lights.
There you have it, our canopy of string lights in our backyard!
Our backyard still has a ways to go until it is up to the Parenthood backyard standards but this is a great start and we are excited to tackle more projects for this space.
PIN IT FOR LATER
Wow! What an impressive way, you shared your deeply researched thoughts regarding this topic, I am going to share it with my friends.
I want to make sure that I get the right patio lights for my back yard. It makes sense that string lights could be nice! I can see how a whole canopy of them could be really magical to see.
I have read your post, it’s very informative and helpful too for readers. Thanks for sharing your knowledgeable content with us. I experienced Outdoor light fixtures with low voltage that improved the design, security, and safety of my property. If you are interested in the same, I recommend it.
Hi. Just saw your post! Looks amazing. Do you know about how high you hung the lights on the tree?
My wife and I are moving into our new house next week and we love this look and this idea!! My only question is how did you get the tree in the yard? We want to hang up lights, but the DIY steps start with attaching the lights to the side of the house and a tree. This does not help us as we don’t have a tree! Would love it if you showed those steps as well. Thx
what do they cost
Hi Mary, the string lights we used cost around $60 a set. We used two sets.
You guys. Thank you SO MUCH. This is literally exactly what we’re trying to do (making midnight plans and Lowe’s shopping lists as I type) and you two made it so easy.
Big high fives!
Thanks Kara + Michael! Yay, so glad our tutorial was a help. We would love to see a photo of how it turns out. 🙂
Hi, I know you started this post long ago but I just found it on Pinterest. Your lights look great! Do they provide enough light on their own to have a dinner party beneath them? Or would you need more overhead lighting? Thank you!
Hi Yvette! Thanks so much. So glad you found us. I think they would provide plenty of light for dinner and give a nice ambiance.
This post is wonderful! We just finished building our deck with the same galvanized cable instead of pickets and we have extra! We are ready to go now! Thanks for an incredible post!
Thanks Victoria! – That’s great! Hope our post comes in handy while you are working on your canopy of string lights!
I loved your article and “illuminating “ pictures. That’s what we amateurs need to show how to do and to provide confidence.
Hey there – can you describe in a bit more detail the splicing at the end (I.e shortening the string?) how did you do that and cap it? Step by step would be helpful!! Thanks!
Thank you for this post! Your lights look amazing 🙂 I am hoping to do a similar project for my backyard. Do you have an estimate cost?
Great job! Thank you so much for this. I want to do the same but have three trees I have to use. Then to the house. Should I ground all three trees or just one?
It would probably be worth grounding all three trees. If you are already on a ladder to install the lights it wouldn’t take too much extra work to ground the tree. Our luck the one tree we didn’t ground would be the one that got struck my lightening.
Do you have an issue with the strands swaying in heavy wind and breaking? They don’t look like they’re taut, which is what I like about it but I’m worried heavy wind, rain, snow will damage all the bulbs.
Hi Cristina! Believe it or not, the string lights do really well in the wind. They sway an inch or two left to right with about a 20 mph wind but nothing to worry about. Since we anchored the lights to a tall pine tree we left a little slack in the line to allow the tree to sway without pulling the string lights too tight. The light have been outside in rain, ice, and heavy winds without any issues thus far.
Inyour article supply list, it shows outlet boxes and covers, yet i dont see this tsalked about anywhere in yoir article. I am doing a similar overhead light project, but connecting the house end to three poles. My issue is how to get power to them without using extension cords. Love the article and your pictures really help.
At the time when we installed the string lights we felt like the electrical wiring might be overly complex and confusing to add to the post. We have since documented the process of adding electrical outlets here: https://grayhousestudio.com/electrical-outlet-install-tool-charging-drawer/ . Your application is different but maybe this process will translate.
Those definitely look dreamy! Do you have to do any sort of maintenance on the lines?
Thanks! So far, we haven’t had to do much of any maintenance. There have been about 3 bulbs burn out and we just replaced them all by getting on a ladder.
Thinking of doing the same project at our home. Question: does the cabling post any danger to lighting? For example, acting as a lightning rod?
Thanks!
Hi Mike, The galvanized cable we used has a rubber coating around it which should help but as an extra precaution you can run a cable from the eye bolts in the tree to the ground. This will ground the string light support wires just in case they ever do get struck.
You have no idea how much time you have saved me by putting this great DIY project out there for non-electrical types like me. I am still going to use a handy man but I KNOW he will be so glad you have already worked out the kinks of this project. Keep up the good work!
Thanks Cindy! We are glad the string light tutorial is helpful. Once you get your lights hung send us a photo or tag us on social media. We would love to see how they turn out.
This looks amazing! I’m so glad I found this post because I really wanted to make something like this. 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
I love your lights! I am trying to figure out how to do this in my yard. Are all four wires connected to just one eye hook in the tree? And can you show a pic of where they all connect to the house and the electrical outlet? the 4 wires fan out from the tree, so at the house do you have 4 separate hooks they attach to? I bought the heavy duty Feit lights from Costco and having trouble figuring out how to plug in and hang. Thanks!
Hi Robyn, Thank you! Yes, all the lights are connected to the tree using a single large eye hook. We ran romex wire from a light switch inside the house to two new plugs in the underside of the eave above where the lights connect to the house.
We ran the light as two long stands. Each stand connects to the house near the plug then “V”s at the tree and extends all the way to the house.
Very pretty! What kind of light did you choose ?
Thanks Joelle! We chose the G40 Light Bulbs and the Black 100 Foot C7 Base light string from Hometown Evolution. We love them! -Courtney
Thank you for your reply! :))
Do you guys have problems with animals chewing on the lights?
After about six month of no problems we did have one hungry squirrel chew through one of the wires. After repairing the wire we placed a piece of aluminum over the wires near the tree to prevent animals from being able to reach the wires from the tree.
-Brent
Wow love your string lights in backyard
Love love love what you guys did! If you ever need anything else from Hometown Evolution, please reach out to us!
Thanks so much Ariel! We sure will. We are so glad we ordered our lights from Hometown Evolution. They are great!
I love the way you hung these up and they look so dreamy! Pinning for later!
Thanks so much Katie! (: