Thinking about adding a festive ambience outdoors, but you don’t know how to put fairy lights on a tree? Worry no more because we’ve made this article just for you! We’ve gone through the nooks and crannies to make your days a little brighter so you can easily set up your fairy lights.
How To Put Fairy Lights On A Tree? | Simple Ways To Hang Fairy Lights
There are several ways to hang fairy lights on a tree. However, it can be time-consuming to browse through all of them. So here are a few ways to get you started.
1. Wrapping String Away
Wrapping trees with fairy lights are a fantastic way to decorate your home exterior. It’s magical in its own way, especially during the holiday season.
What You Need:
• Fairy lights
• Lighting extension lead
• Plant tape or twine
• Scrap cardboard or chipboard
• Ladder with extension
Step 1. Wrap your fairy lights on folded cardboard. This will make your task of wrapping around the tree much more manageable.
Step 2. Set up and secure your ladder. If it’s unstable, you might end up falling off the stairs. You wouldn’t want that.
Things to Consider:
• Low-lying limbs or branches – Use free-standing ladders
• For high hard to reach areas – Use extension ladders
• Ladders should have a 75° angle and, if vertical, should be around 15 degrees.
• A helping hand is recommended if you need to climb more than six feet high. Have them hold the ladder in place for more stable ladder placement.
Step 3. Lay the waterproof extension cord from the electrical source to the tree’s base. Secure the part where the extension cords and fairy lights connect at the tree’s base and not on the ground.
Step 4. Starting with the power plug end of the fairy light. Wrap it around the base of the tree trunk. You can use clear twine or plant tape to secure your fairy light.
• Determine the base where the fairy lights will start by walking to the sidewalk and making a mental note of it. The factors are tall grass, landscape features or rocks, etc.
• Or you can start at the base still. Your choice.
Step 5. Wrap the fairy lights around the trunk, moving upward in a winding motion.
• Use your hand by placing 4 fingers in between for uniform spacing between lights.
• Use smaller stringed fairy lights for smaller trees with small branches. This will make it easier for your to navigate through each branch as you wrap your fairy lights.
• Keep it tight enough so the strings wouldn’t slip off the trunk.
Step 6. When you get to the level of the first limb, connect the fairy light with a light splitter. This is to make the array of fairy lights look more fluid in the transition to the branches.
• Secure each splitter tip on the base of each branch with twine or plant tape.
• Do the same as you move up to the next level of limbs.
• If you reach the end of the branch, you can wind back down. But before doing so, the winding upwards should have a gap of one string. This is where the winding back down of fairy lights will be placed.
Step 7. Secure the fairy lights depending on where the need arises. A plant tape or twine is a plant-friendly way to secure your lights and at the same time not harm your trees.
Important Note:
• Metal wires can cut through the insulation and cause shocks or be a potential fire hazard
• It will also cut through the barks if you fail to remove or loosen them.
Step 8. Stop at each branch at a uniform distance from the trunk to the crown of the tree. If you can work on higher, do so with care. If you think it’s more of a risk, make the lights adjacent for a uniform look.
RELATED 30 String Lights Outdoor Ideas for a Breathtaking Backyard
2. Hanging Tree Lights
Another option is letting the fairy lights draped on the branches. The hanging tree lights design is very easy. Start nearest the trunk and keep draping lights under the tree’s crown for a curtain effect.
Some Tips to Consider:
• You can use connectors in between
• Have extension cords made specifically for fairy lights
3. Using Netted Outdoor Fairy Lights
Using netted fairy lights may be the easiest way to highlight your tree. However, netted lights are suitable for small to medium-sized trees or shrubs. Ideally, you can wrap netted fairy lights on trees with a crown width of about 2 feet or less and trunks with a diameter of over 14 inches.
This is the easiest way to place lights on your trees because of the stretchable cords used for these netted lights.
TIP: Equipped with loop clasps on each end, one can wrap and latch the loops together for easy and hassle-free wrapping.
Some FAQs on How To Put Fairy Lights On Trees
How to Choose the Trees?
You can choose any tree in your yard but wouldn’t you want to highlight the one that would bring the most visual impact? Here are tips you can follow to eliminate the ones you don’t need and have the perfect outdoor tree lights.
Tip #1. Choose the right tree in your yard that will be the focus of attention. Preferably the ones with odd branches.
Tip #2. The tree size will depend on how many outdoor string lights you need or are willing to buy so you can wrap them entirely. A tree with gaping spaces is something you wouldn’t want to end up with.
• Will you want to wrap the tree all the way to the top or just part of it?
Tip #3. Choose a mature tree if you wish to have it all year round.
Tip #4. Consider the tree type. Deciduous or evergreens? The former sheds its leaves seasonally, especially during the autumn.
Keep in mind that the trees with leaves would look different than those without any leaves.
RELATED: How to Hang Fairy Lights On Ceiling
How to Choose the Right Outdoor Fairy Light?
There are a ton of fairy lights made available in the market today. Choosing the right one will save you a lot of headaches and frustrations.
Tip #1. Select the ones built to be used outdoors with an IP67 rating or higher. It would be best if you had lights that can withstand the elements and even the harshest of Australian weather.
Tip #2. Choose smart outdoor lights with waterproof built-in connectors. This will save you the time and effort of connecting each string by cutting wires and all unnecessary stress. Also, less worry about shorting them out when it rains or snows.
Tip #3. Other available features like the following:
- Compatible waterproof fitting extension cord – so your lights start where you want them, not on the ground.
- Low Voltage LED Dimmer – Remote – you can turn on/off your fairy string lights using a remote control up to a distance of 15m. Plus, 10 brightness levels & 8 levels of dynamic effects
- Light Splitters – Split one fairy light into five. Making it faster and easier to layer your lights. Spread your fairy lights from one branch to another without having to circle back.
- Low Voltage LED Driver Power Supply – a steady electrical supply for your fairy lights.
Tip #4. Consider Solar-powered Fairy lights. Outdoor solar lights are great energy-saving tools. It automatically turns on when the sun sets and off when it rises. No more worrying about changing batteries or leaving it on the whole night.
Do I need to Test the Fairy Light?
Test every light strand to make sure each is working perfectly. Imagine setting it up until the top, only to find out that there are busted strands.
Tip #1. Plug each strand in to test each one.
Tip #2. Check the built-in connectors to see if they’re fully functional.
Tip #3. Check for tears, cuts or open wires.
Which Is Better, LED Lights or Fairy Lights?
It is no secret that LED fairy lights are more energy efficient than the standard Christmas incandescent lights. But there are a handful of other reasons why many consumers prefer outdoor LED lights. We’ve compiled each one for you to see why.
Reason #1. It doesn’t emit heat. You can touch it anytime without having to worry about getting burned. Safe for your kids and pets.
Reason #2. LED fairy lights have twice the connection options compared to traditional Christmas lights. More lights mean more fun!
Reason #3. These types of lights provide vividly brighter illumination. When placed side-by-side, LED lights are brighter and more vivid than traditional Christmas lights.
Reason #4. They are also dimmable and have more colour combinations. It can be installed with a low-voltage power supply to give you different light intensities. Some even have remote controls for easier changing of lights. Colourway options for LEDs? Just limitless. Take RGB lights as an example.
How Long Can Fairy Lights Last?
Compared to traditional incandescent bulbs, LED fairy sting lights substantially have longer lifespans. LED lights can last as much as 40,000 hours, while the standard incandescent bulb is just about 2,000 hours. That alone is already a definite game-changer.
How Many Fairy Lights for a 6Ft Tree?
If you have a 6ft tree, how many fairy lights do you need? To determine the total length of fairy string lights to wrap a tree, begin by getting the circumference of the trunk and the branches you plan to wrap with fairy lights. Decide the spacing between strings.
Once you have those details, you’ll have to divide the tree’s height by the spacing between strings and multiply the total amount by the circumference.
Sample Computation:
If you have a 6′ H trunk that measures 3′ in circumference, and you plan on wrapping four of the branches measuring 5’L and 10″ in circumference. You wish to have a spacing of 4 inches between strings.
Now, to get the total number of feet of fairy lights, you will have to divide the tree height by the desired spacing between strings (in this case, let’s use 4″) and multiply the total by the circumference.
Let’s get down to the dirty work:
• 6’H trunk/4″ spacing = 18 x 3′ circumference = 54 feet of fairy lights
• 5’L branch / 4″ spacing = 15 x 10″ circumference = 150” / 12”(1 foot) = 12.5 feet of strings per branch
The total number of feet to light up the tree from trunk to branches would be roughly 104 feet.
How Many Fairy Lights for a 7 Foot Tree?
For a 7-foot tree or any large outdoor tree, the same calculation can be done with the abovementioned calculation. You will have to determine the circumference, spacing, and the number of branches. As long as you have all this data, you’ll be able to get a close estimate of the total number of feet of fairy lights you will need for your trees.
Here at Festoon House, we want to make your life as easy and stress-free as possible when it comes to decorating for the holidays or any events – that’s why we’ve come up with outdoor fairy lights for trees! You can choose from small, medium, large, or extra-large tree packages, so no matter the size of your tree, we have the perfect set of lights for you.
There you have it! Take your pick. There are different colour and lighting options for outdoor fairy lights today that you can work with. Use your imagination and test the visual possibilities. You might just come up with wonderful lighting designs to bring a perfect ambience to your home.
Lastly, if you’re in the middle of your own DIY lighting project and loved any of the inspiration ideas above, get in touch using our contact page! We’d love to collaborate with you.
