I had no idea what forum to put this in , but I figured this was the best place to try.

Im looking to put christmas lights on my house - the small ones that are in a string like what you put on a xmas tree. I just resided with vinyl.

I have a cape with a gable end on each side, going up to about 23 feet. I also have two reverse gables in the front, so I have two peaks there up to about 12 feet or so.

Id like to line the roof line - up and down the peaks - with lights.

But what is the best way to hang them? Since it is vinyl siding there is j-channel below the aluminum trim, which is below the roof.

I was thinking to drill tiny holes (1/32) in the bottom of the j-channel every 4 feet or so and hang them with thin wire. Maybe some kind of plastic clips could be used. But then I thought, maybe I can just shove the lights into the jchannel every few feet and it would stay.

Obviously, Im looking for the least amount of effort as possible. And, I hate drilling and nailing - into nice new work.

I saw hangers at Home Depot but they go under the roof which Id rather not do - its a new roof too.

Any thoughts?

 

You can purchase self adhesive plastic tabs designed for a cable ties/wraps and hang your lights from those.

 

What I have now, are flat C clips about 3/8" wide x 1" long with a nail set in it, that Ive nailed to the underside of the fascia boards...and leave the clips in year round. They're whiteish plastic so they kinda blend in with the white paint of the under portion of the board...tho the face of the board is painted black.
Im planning to cover the fascia with aluminum trim one of these days...so I was thinking of using the same system and renail new ones thru the aluminum trim. I wish I could get the fascia cover in vinyl instead of aluminum..but I havent found anyone around here that does that...
But there's an idea for you...

 

I'm using small (7/8 inch) white cup hooks that I'm screwing into the soffit. There's an inch or so of facia between the bottom of the facia board and the soffit board on my house, and I'm screwing the cup hooks into the soffit right behind it. I found that it's quicker to screw in the cup hooks if I drill a small hole first. Then they're easy to screw right in. I plan to leave them there all year since my home is white, and the cup hooks won't be noticable.

Last year I used my hand stapler, and it did a good job; but, I like the cup hooks better because it should be easier to take the lights down this year, and easier to put them up in future years.

 

Im looking for the least amount of effort as possible. And, I hate drilling and nailing - into nice new work.*

Any thing worth doing...... Is worth doing well.

The easiest way have someone else do it.

(no satisfaction with that).

Go to the box store and get those little hooks, screw them in and your done. You only need a ladder and some beer.

 

Be Smart...be safe....
Have the beer After you've put up the lights...lol.

 

I agree - that means getting the lights up before 8:59a.m.

 

C'mon... Live on the edge!!! What fun are Christmas lights with out A few miscues ?

 

Use the small cup hooks. Also have you seen the new LED lights real good. Better color than the other lights AND use 85% less electric

 

Are you able to get the line taught, using the cup hooks? I found the new LED lights dont give off enought light...imo. With the 'C' clips you can keep your line taught against the trim.
Im still using the old 7watt type...but have clear minilights all year round on our patio around bushes and shrubs...

 

jatco: Yes, I kept the wire tight by pulling it taut and hooking a bulb on the other side of a cup hook. Placing bulbs like this prevents them from moving back past the cup hook, so the wire is kept tight. Not every bulb had to be done this way because I could pull the wire tight for 10 feet or so. I put the cup hooks about every three feet, and added others as needed. I hung the icicle lights. They are 2.5 volts.

 

Yep..that'll work.. obviously.
Good goin!

 

Any ideas on how to hang Christmas lights on stucco? Two story house with rain gutter too high for clips. We have stucco covered foam molding around the garage and around the windows that would work, but I don't want to put holes in the foam covered stucco. Don't think my wife would like duct tape to hold the lights.

 

You may be able to buy one of those poles to hang lights. They are made to place the hooks, then to raise the lights on to the hooks.