When you first think about attaching Christmas lights to vinyl siding it may seem that the only way to do it is to make holes in your siding. Sure, you can use hangers that put holes in your siding, but there are other types of clips that don’t need to be plunged through your siding.
In this article I’m going to show you a bunch of different methods for hanging your Christmas lights on vinyl siding. Some will require you to drill or puncture your siding, while others will not do any damage. My hope is you will find the right solution for your needs.
Why use permanent clips that require holes in your siding
The only reason you should use clips that require putting holes in your siding to hang your Christmas lights is if you want them to stay there permanently. If you intend to put your lights up and leave them year round, then permanent clips may be the right solution.
Permanent clips for hanging Christmas lights are basically cable hanging clips. These are the same clips that cable and phone companies use. You can get them in metal or plastic. They are called cable staples.
How do you hang Christmas lights without damaging siding or drilling holes?
Many of the things you hang on your vinyl siding are only meant to be there temporarily. Siding clips are a perfect solution for these temporary cases.
Vinyl clips will allow you to hang your Christmas lights without damaging your siding. You won’t have to drill any holes or nail anything into your vinyl.
In reality, siding clips are good for many permanent applications. Even if you intend on leaving your Christmas lights up permanently, vinyl clips can be a good choice. Eventually you will need to repair your Christmas lights or take them done. Vinyl clips that come off easily and don’t leave any damage will be much better than pulling out permanent clips.
Vinyl siding clips are available in metal or plastic. There are option for hanging on an open hook. There are also options for vinyl siding clips that have a screw to secure your lights from coming off.
Can you use Command hooks on vinyl siding to hang Christmas lights?
The Command hooks packaging and website say their outdoor product will stick to vinyl siding. From reading many reviews, it seems that the Command hooks will stick to vinyl siding, but don’t stay on very long. I wouldn’t use Command hooks to hang Christmas light on vinyl siding. There are much better solutions available.
Do suction cups work on vinyl siding for hanging Christmas lights?
Suction cups will work on vinyl siding. It works best on smooth vinyl siding. You can hang your Christmas lights on your vinyl siding with suction cups.
To hang your Christmas lights with suction cups on your vinyl siding, make sure the surface is smooth. Then clean the surface so it is free of dirt. You can stick the suction cups up dry, but they usually stick better when they are moist. Because you will be using the suction cups outside, the moisture under the suction cups could cause mold to form.
Do you leave Christmas light clips up?
The great thing about using vinyl siding clips for Christmas lights is you can leave them up all year around. Even if you take your lights down after Christmas, the clips can stay up. This will make it much easier to hang your lights back up next year. You won’t have to figure out how you want to space your clips because you have already done it.
What is the easiest way to hang Christmas lights on vinyl siding?
The easiest way to hang Christmas lights on vinyl siding is to use removable clips. The clips easily slide between two pieces of siding. They provide a secure hold. Most vinyl siding clips are rated for at least 10 lbs. and many can hold much more than that.
How do you hang Christmas lights on steel siding?
With steel siding you can use the same siding clips you use on vinyl siding to hang your Christmas lights. There is also another option available that will only work with steel siding. You can get magnetic hangers. Magnetic hangers will stick to any part of steel siding. This means you can make any light configuration without worrying about where your hangers are going to go.
Most of the magnetic hangers I have seen can hold at least 30 lbs. each.
How do you hang Christmas lights on windows?
When hanging lights on vinyl siding you can use removal clips. To hang Christmas lights on windows you should use suction cups. Suction cups will stay on windows well and are a good choice for your Christmas lights.
Some people will staple Christmas lights to the edge of the window. This in not a very good way to hang your lights. Its better to hang Christmas lights on windows without stapling into the edge. Stapling into the edge of your window will cause damage. It could cause water leaks around your window. If not done right, you could break your windows with the staples.
How to repair damaged vinyl siding?
Inevitably you will have some damage to your vinyl siding. If you have already stapled or punctured your siding with other hangers or have damage from some other activity, you can fix the issue. If you have a extra piece of the original siding, you can replace it.
Don’t worry if you don’t have an extra piece of siding. There are vinyl siding patches you can get that will mend your siding. You probably won’t be able to match the siding with the patch. In this case, you can take a piece of your siding to your local hardware store and have them match it with a custom outdoor paint.
How to power my Christmas lights safely?
To power your Christmas lights safely, you need to use and outdoor extension cord with a GFCI outlet. These will help prevent electric shock if a short were to occur.
Hanging it up
As you can see, there are many ways to hang your Christmas lights on vinyl siding. The best way is to use non-invasive vinyl clips that can easily be installed, moved, and removed without damaging your siding. And if you like, you can leave the clips and the lights up all year around.
