Tis’ the season to hang up twinkly lights
If you’re wondering how to hang Christmas lights on stucco, you’re in the right place. You can hang lights with ease by using hooks and clips specifically designed for stucco, ensuring your stucco is clean and dry before application, and waiting for adhesives to cure before hanging your lights. Plus, you can hire a professional holiday decorator to make your exterior light design come to life. Here are the methods we’ve found that work best and tips about hanging light strings properly on stucco.
Attempting tasks that require ladders in snowy conditions poses a significant safety risk due to slippery surfaces and reduced visibility. It's safer and wiser to hire a snow removal professional who is equipped to handle these challeneges safely and effectively.
You should not drill holes in stucco for temporary hooks because water can get into the holes and create water damage in your house. Stucco is made of cement and sand, which creates a hard, durable surface that is waterproof. Once a hole is created, rainwater that sheds off your roof can find its way into the hole.
Even if you patch the holes, the seal will not be as effective as the original stucco at stopping water intrusion; you'll need to reseal it often. For this reason, it is not a good idea to drill holes in stucco to hang Christmas lights—there are plenty of other ways to do so.
No Christmas decoration, no matter how beautiful, is worth permanent damage to your home’s exterior. Use these methods to attach Christmas lights to stucco.
Double-sided tape is an easy solution for hanging outdoor lights on stucco, especially if you don’t get much precipitation.
Purchase several rolls of durable double-sided tape. Look for versions that are recommended for outside use.
Wash off your stucco, paying special attention to the area where you plan on hanging the lights. In addition to water, you can use cleaning agents like trisodium phosphate and rubbing alcohol. Let it dry completely before you begin. Avoid hanging lights after recent rain.
Remove a small slice from the double-sided tape. Remove one side of the adhesive back and press it firmly to the back of a light, aiming primarily for the socket base, not the bulb.
Remove the other side of the tape backing and press it firmly against the stucco for several seconds.
Continue on to other lights in the string. You’ll want to connect most lights because a little extra weight on one strip of tape can cause a chain reaction.
After the holidays, peel away the tape from the stucco, then from the light, and discard.
If you can’t hang lights on gutters or traditional roof lines, try using roof clips for stucco.
Purchase a set of clips based on your stucco design. You can also find permanent screw-in options that are stucco-friendly, although these come with an extra risk of damage. You’ll want at least a few dozen to decorate the front of a house.
Attach clips first, spacing them out every few feet, depending on the type of lights. For example, icicle lights need tighter spacing. Make sure hooks are facing upward to hole the light strings and are protected from the wind.
If you are installing screw-in hooks, choose their locations carefully: These are often designed to be permanent, since the holes could cause future damage if the hooks or their anchors are removed. Drill holes gently to avoid exterior damage, and always use screw anchors to prevent stucco damage.
Hang the lights by placing the wires into the hooks as you go. Don’t let the string hang too slack.
After the season is over, reverse the process and unhook the light strings to store them away. If you are using removable gutter hooks, take them down now. If your drilled hooks had anchors, you can try carefully unscrewing them, but we advise leaving them up if possible.
Adhesive light clips a no-hole option for quick Christmas light decoration. When placed on clean stucco, adhesive light hooks should last for weeks or months without a problem.
Purchase enough adhesive light clips or hooks for your light plans. Always purchase adhesive clips that are specifically designed to go outside, from reliable brands that offer water and temperature resistance.
Clean your stucco, focusing on the spots where you plan to hang lights, and let it fully dry.
Remove the backing from the adhesive hooks and press them firmly against the stucco for several seconds, with the hook facing up to hold the lights. Space them every two to three feet. Let the hooks set for one to two hours before stringing lights
String your lights across hooks, leaving little slack.
When the season is over, remove the lights first. Then carefully peel off the adhesive hooks.
You also have the option to use permanent construction adhesive to attach lightweight clips to your stucco. Like screwing into hooks with anchors, these hooks and clips aren’t designed to come down, so consider their appearance and position carefully before you begin.
Purchase durable clips or hooks designed for exterior use. Purchase construction adhesive from a reliable brand. You’ll also need a caulk gun.
Load your caulk gun with adhesive and climb up to the stucco where you want the clips to go. The stucco should be completely dry. Place a dab of construction adhesive onto the back of the clip, and press it firmly onto the stucco.
Repeat with your clips, spacing them a few feet apart, depending on your decoration design.
Give construction adhesive plenty of time to cure, at least 24 to 48 hours.
When fully set, string your lights carefully along the clips.
Remove your lights after the season ends. Do not try to take the hooks down. The construction adhesive is likely to rip off part of the stucco.
Hot glue adheres well to stucco, so it's a great method for attaching decorations, and a potential option for stringing lightweight lights.
Take your glue gun and a few sticks of glue outside. Connect it to an extension cord and make sure it can reach the top of your stucco.
If possible, remove the light bulbs from their sockets before hanging the lights. This works best with lights that have larger bulbs. You can also use LED lights, which have a lower risk of breaking. Test your light strings before you start removing bulbs.
Apply a dab of hot glue on the back of the first light socket, careful not to block the socket opening.
Place the glued side onto the stucco and press firmly for at least several seconds until it holds. Do not apply glue to the wires, which may cause wire damage.
Repeat the process to string lights along the stucco. You don’t have to stick every socket with glue, but you should attach many of them to prevent the lights from falling.
Screw bulbs back into the sockets and light.
Once the season is over, take down the glued bulbs using a quick application of a heat gun to melt the glue.
Note: Do not use this method if your stucco is painted. Hot glue can cause the paint to peel.
Hanging Christmas lights can be a tricky task, especially when hanging the lights on stucco. Read up on holiday lighting do’s and don’ts and use these tips to make the process a little easier.
Each breaker has a limit on the total amps it can handle. Consider the amperage of your Christmas lights and don’t overdo it. If you’re unsure of the electrical capacity of your circuit, consult a local electrician.
Hanging lights on your roof can be an extremely dangerous task for inexperienced homeowners. Only use a ladder to hang your Christmas lights if you are experienced doing so and never work alone.
Using nails to hang your Christmas lights on stucco requires creating a hole in the stucco surface. These holes can allow water to get inside your home and cause damage. Always use hooks, clips, or adhesive to hang lights on stucco.
High winds can loosen roof clips and put lights in a tangled disarray. Avoid putting lights in windy areas or avoid using lights that can easily fall or tangle, like icicle lights. Some hooks come with safety buckles specifically designed to keep light strings in place if there’s a risk that wind might blow them off the hooks.
Never pull or yank light strings down from stucco hooks. This motion can damage the lights and rip some hooks off the stucco. Climb up and carefully lift the light strings away, rolling them back up as you go.
If you’d like to avoid hanging Christmas lights on your stucco altogether, there are plenty of alternative ways to show your holly-jolly spirit. Consider hanging Christmas lights from the following spots:
Gutters: Hang lights on your gutters with light clips and electrical tape for a low-maintenance alternative to stucco.
Roof: Hire a professional light installer to hang Christmas lights on your roof, taking caution when applying them.
Trees: Consider decking out the trees in your yard with Christmas lights to avoid damage to the exterior of your house.
You may feel confident enough to install Christmas lights yourself, but not every homeowner is up to it. The biggest hurdle with the project is climbing on ladders to reach the eaves of your roof, which can be a dangerous task if you are not experienced with using a ladder. In this case, the job is best left to a professional Christmas light installer near you.
While the service will cost anywhere from $220 to $650, or $415 on average, the benefits of hiring a pro to hang your Christmas lights tend to justify the cost. First and foremost, the pro will have experience using ladders and climbing on roofs to hang the lights. The expert will have all the right equipment, including sturdy ladders, harnesses, and other safety equipment. Additionally, you can count on the installer to do a professional job and make your Christmas light showcase look spectacular.
The length of time shouldn’t matter much if you stick with lightweight Christmas lights and similar decorations. Those shouldn’t pose risks to your stucco. You should avoid attaching anything to your stucco that could fall because it’s too heavy, which may take part of the stucco with it. Some methods, like using double-sided tape or adhesive hooks, will naturally wear out over time and lead to falling lights, so don’t expect to leave these lights up year-round.
Solid, unpainted stucco shouldn’t suffer damage from dots of glue used for this task. If the stucco is dirty, you may notice slight marks when you heat and peel the glue away, but these aren’t permanent.
However, not all stucco walls are solid stucco. Some are “faux” stucco with a foam backing. This kind of stucco veneer is more susceptible to damage, including damage from hot glue. We don’t suggest attaching anything to these kinds of stucco walls, so make sure you check the stucco type before starting this project.
The best tape that works on stucco is the kind made explicitly for stucco surfaces. Look for tape that specifies stucco, masonry, or cement installations. The adhesive usually needs to be thicker and more durable to remain stuck to these rough surfaces.
The best adhesive that works on stucco is usually a product specified for use on stucco or concrete surfaces. The adhesive will need to be strong to grip the stucco, but should also wipe away clean when used in a temporary application. You can also consider using super glue or hot glue on stucco.
Yes, you can screw directly into stucco. Only do so if the item you are installing is a permanent fixture. Drill a pilot hole into the stucco using a masonry or concrete bit, then drive in the screw with a power drill or screwdriver.
