How To Hang String Lights On Pool Cage In 5 Easy Steps

There is nothing more enjoyable than chilling in a pool that is in your own backyard. Washing away all the stress of your daily life with an hour or two of splashing inside your pool. It is true that maintaining a pool is very difficult and can even be costly. You have to control algae spread, maintain oxygenation and chlorine levels, keep the pool clean, etc. For these, the best idea is to install a pool cage.

However, to fully set the tone for an evening swim, it is a great idea to decorate your backyard or your pool. Your pool cage itself can look very bland. Nobody wants to stare at a blank canvas when they are relaxing. A very simple and easy way to beautify your pool is to add different elements. Among these, string lights are very useful and cheap as well.

It brings out the mood. But setting up these lights is a bit tricky. The objects themselves are very fragile so you have to know the ins and outs of setting them up. In this article, you will be able to learn how to hang string lights on pool cage.

Can You Hang String Lights Over a Pool?

Before you learn how to hang string lights on pool cage, you need to know the rules for your area. The regulations for hanging or setting up string lights may differ from state to state. Some laws may require line voltage devices (120V) to be a certain height (usually 12 feet) above the surface.

Usually, you should aim to use low voltage (12V) lights (LED lights are a really good choice) and hang them around the pool cage to create your desired atmosphere. String lights can be either for practical uses like visibility or aesthetics. Depending on your preferred use, select your lights.

Of course, you can still use higher voltage string lights. In that case, be careful in hanging those lights. They need to be sufficiently high up as well as being reinforced. Hanging lights can fall if they are not secured properly. Make sure that the power lines are secure as well. Electrocuting yourself in your own pool is not a fun experience! Contact your local electrician to know whether you are following the regulation correctly.

How to Attach String Lights to Pool Cage?

So, the question arises, how to hang string lights on pool cage? Attaching string lights to your backyard and pool area will immensely improve the environment and beautify it as well. There are many ways you can hang string lights on a pool cage.

Things You’ll Need

Depending on what kind of materials you will use, you may need the following items

Learn How To Hang String Lights on Pool Cage in 5 Easy Steps

After deciding what kind of lights you want to hang and what to use to hang them, you can follow this step-by-step guide to know how to hang string lights on pool cage.

Step 1: Determine the Layout of Your Light

The first step is to decide where you want to hang your string lights. This part is very obvious as you want to hang string lights on your pool cage. This main decides what kind of support you are using to hang these lights

Depending on the structure of your pool cage, you may want to use existing beams, or you might add external support arches to hang your lights on. Whichever is suitable for you, work with that for the next steps.

Step 2: Measure the Distance Between Anchor Points

The next step is measuring the ground you want to cover with your lights. Use a measuring tape to determine the area of the surface you will cover with your string lights. Calculate the total distance for the wire lights and buy a few feet extra.

If you have trouble lining up your structure or desired design, use strings to imitate where you want to put the lights, and keep in mind that the lights will have a certain weight to them. So, they will sag down a bit. Therefore, you have to consider the extra length of that sag as well.

Step 3: Install Screw Eyes at the Anchor Points

This step is very important for you to know how to hang string lights on pool cage. This is the step where you install your desired object to hang the lights. If you are hanging your string light on a hard surface like concrete, brick, etc.

you will first need to use a drill to create a hole. After that, you have to insert a lag shield in the hole before you bolt your anchor points in. This will make sure the anchors will not fall off and ensure structural integrity.

Step 4: Attach the String Lights to The Guidewire

Now you are going to attach the guide wires or string lights along the path you previously measured and added anchors to. Make sure that you accounted for the extra sag the lights will cause when they are hanging down. You will need to loop the wire to attach them to the anchors at each end. Use a clamp to create a loop to complete the circuit of your string light.

Step 5: Plug in Your String Lights and Enjoy

After setting up the wires and completing the loops, your structure should be complete! Use an extension cord if you have to in order to power the entire project. Plug it into the power outlet and enjoy your beautiful string lights.

If you reached this part of the article, you have successfully learned how to hang string lights on pool cage

5 Ways to Hang String Lights without Nails

Maybe you prefer to hang string lights on pool cage without using any drilling. That means without installing anchor points. This may be a bit more tricky as using solid drilled anchor points will help retain the structural integrity of the whole operation.

However, if you do not want to damage your walls, you can use the following items as mentioned before instead of nails & substitutes.

1. Use Gutter Hooks

You can use gutter hooks to hang one side of the wire and use the other side to hang it to the wall. They are a cheap alternative to nails and will not damage the texture of your walls. The tricky part is that it may not apply to all surfaces.

2. Use Adhesive-Backed Hooks

These kinds of hooks use a strong gum or adhesive to stick to the surface of where you want to put it. It is more practical than gutter hooks but eventually, the adhesive may dry up or wear off.

How To Hang String Lights On Pool Cage: 5 Easy Steps — image credit: canva

3. Wrap The String Lights Around Trees

You can use the natural surroundings to hang your string lights. This is a very cheap and useful alternative. However, it requires that your environment has appropriately sized trees in suitable locations. On the other hand, an asymmetric design may add to the aesthetic.

4. Use A Glue Gun

Another quite economical alternative is using glue guns to attach your string light. When asking yourself how to hang string lights on pool cage, a glue gun is a great answer.

You should have one lying around and attaching wires is very easy, especially if you are using LED lights. Keep in mind that you must hold the wire or bulb until the glue completely dries. This may be a pain for some people.

5. String The Lights Along Your Fence

Finally, another easy solution is to use your fencing in your backyard. The fences are strong and upright. Therefore, they will be great as the backbone for your string lights.

Tip And Warnings

The overall work regarding how to hang string lights on pool cage is relatively simple. The hardest task is the amount of time it will take to measure the length of the required wire. One thing you can do to ease the work is the consider the geometry of the structure on which you are calculating the length.

A square pool cage will require a similar length on each side, so your workload will not be as much as initially concerned. One more thing you should be doing is taking around a few feet extra for each bulb due to the sagging it will cause.

Frequently Asked Question

u003cstrongu003eHow Do You Keep String Lights from Sagging?u003c/strongu003e

Outright fixing this issue can take away from the aesthetics of having string lights. Mainly, you might want the lights to hang from the walls but remain strong as well. Make sure the wires are completely stretched on the walls and fixate them with adhesives or tie them with zip ties. The string lights will therefore hang on the wires and not sag.

u003cstrongu003eWhat Kind of Wire Do You Use to Hang String Lights?u003c/strongu003e

A special type of wire is used along the lines of a string light. This is called the guidewire. These wires aren’t needed but it helps to relieve the stress from the electrical wire. Use guide wires to keep string lights hanging tight and in the direction you need.

u003cstrongu003eHow Do You Hang Outdoor Lights Without Nails?u003c/strongu003e

You can hang outdoor lights without nails by using alternatives that will not damage the surfaces of your walls. Examples are Gutter hooks or adhesive hooks. You can use these to anchor lights without having to drill into your walls or damage them either.

Conclusion

Asking yourself how to hang string lights on pool cage is not something you will come across every day. Owning and maintaining a pool is both difficult and costly. On top of that, if you decide to decorate the pool with string lights, it adds a lot of hard work as well. But the result is worthwhile.

Adding string lights to your backyard is a great aesthetic decision and doing it yourself will be even more rewarding when you take a swim in your backlit pool!

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Trevor Peterson

My strong expertise is illuminating spaces. With a keen eye for detail and a passion for transforming environments through lighting, my dream is to leave indelible mark on the world of light design. Below are few facts of my biography, highlighting career and hobbies. Click here to contact me.

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