Many of us love to get into the festive spirit by decorating the exterior of our homes with lights. Some of us are happy to place a few lights in windows or add a wreath to the door, while others like to go all out – which means even decorating the roof.
The most popular way to decorate a roof is to use lighting. In order to keep your lighting in place, you’ll need to work out the best way of attaching your lighting to your roof. This depends a lot on the type of roof you have.
Hanging lighting on a metal roof is typically quite different to hanging lighting on a stone tile roof. Ideally you want to find a simple way of securing the lighting that doesn’t involve having to drill holes (which won’t just take ages, but could also damage your roof). This post explores just how to best hang Christmas lights on a metal roof.
Is hanging Christmas lights on a metal roof difficult?
Metal roofs can be more slippery than many other types of roofing. As a result, you should make sure to wear boots with a good grip when walking on a metal roof. It is best to avoid walking on a steeply pitched roof unless you’ve got a harness (better still hire a professional for these roofs!).
While metal roofs can be more slippery, in some regards they are more easy to decorate with lighting than many other roofs. This is because metal is magnetic – which gives you the option of exploring magnetic lights and magnetic clips. There are also other options that you can explore with a metal roof. Most of these options aren’t too fiddly, so you don’t have to spend all day up on your roof.
What are some of the different ways to hang Christmas lights on a metal roof?
There are four main ways to hang Christmas lights on a metal roof. They are all pretty budget friendly and simple.
Use magnetic lights
These are by far the simplest option. Magnetic lights have a magnetic back, which allows you to easily attach them to a metal surface. They are ideal for metal roofing, metal siding, metal fencing, guttering or metal window frames.
You may not be able to find magnetic lights in a regular store, so your best option is to shop online. There are lots of different options out there including different shaped bulbs and lights that change color.
You could even consider looking into custom magnetic lights. These allow you to choose the exact look that is right for your home. Most magnetic lighting is built for outdoor usage, but there may be some magnetic lights that aren’t, so check beforehand.
Use magnetic clips
If you’ve already got Christmas lights that you want to hang on your roof, another simple option is to opt for magnetic clips. You can place these freely around your roof and string your lights through them to create the pattern you desire.
It’s worth investing in good quality magnetic clips that you can be certain will hold. Some magnetic hooks are strictly made for indoor use and may not be able to withstand heavy rain or high winds, so look for ones that are suitable for outdoor use.
Use command strips
Command strips are strips with a strong adhesive back that are ideal for attaching things like picture frames to walls – or indeed Christmas lights to a metal roof.
An advantage of command strips is that you can strategically place them so that they’re practically invisible. This allows you to decorate your roof using any pattern that you desire. You can also use them to add lighting to rest of your exterior including fences, siding and window frames of all materials.
It’s worth looking for command strips that are purpose-built for outdoor usage. You can be more certain that these strips will stay in place than regular ones.
Use plastics clips
Plastic clips are another option. These can take a few different forms – some are designed to clip like clothes pegs, some are designed to hook around objects and others have a secure cable tie mechanism.
You can attach plastic clips to guttering or clip them around a drip edge. You may find these clips more difficult to attach to the roof itself unless you have metal tiles or shingles – there needs to be some kind of edge to clip onto or hook around. Bear this in mind when looking into these clips.