How to Hang Christmas Lights on Stucco: 6 Expert Tips

Stucco is essentially made of concrete and water. It has a rough surface and a hard texture, and one of its purposes is to provide a waterproof exterior to a home. Many homeowners love their stucco finish, but there are times when it throws up some unique challenges and obstacles.

If you like to hang Christmas lights on the exterior of your home to get into the festive spirit, doing so can be more challenging if you have stucco. Fortunately, there are a few options that will still enable you to hang twinkly lights without damaging the basic structure of the stucco exterior.

The Perils of Drilling Stucco

Stucco is a hard material that creates a waterproof shell around a home. It is made of concrete, and it relies on its solid surface to offer this water protection. Drilling a hole in the surface opens up the stucco and allows water to get in. Not only does this mean that it has the potential to allow water in, but a seemingly innocuous drill hole can quickly grow and spread, leading to further damage to the material.

The 6 Tips on How to Hang Christmas Lights on Stucco The Right Way

So, if you can’t drill into stucco, does that mean that you can’t have Christmas lights outside your home? Below are six ways that you can still show your festive spirit without risking damage to the exterior of a property.

1. Use Hot Glue

Hot glue can be used to stick lights to the stucco directly. Remove the bulbs, place a dab of hot glue on the rear of a bulb holder, and hold it in place on the stucco wall until it sticks. Do the same with the next bulb holder and continue until you’ve finished.

If your stucco has been painted, you should not use the hot glue method because the glue might pull the paint off or cause it to peel and detach.

2. Stick With Double-Sided Tape

Double-sided tape is another option, although its performance will depend on the quality of the tape and the topography of the stucco finish. Cut small pieces of double-sided tape, remove one side of the backing, and stick this to the rear of the bulb holder before repeating with every holder.

Then, remove the other side of the backing and push the taped holders onto your freshly cleaned stucco wall. You do need to wash the wall first because double-sided tape does not stick well to dirt and dust.

3. Apply Adhesive Clips

Self-adhesive clips can be placed on the stucco, but once installed, these clips are typically left in place, so make sure that you put them in an inconspicuous spot. The permanence of the clips means that you can use them again next year, but the bumpy texture of stucco means that you may need to apply some caulk where you want to add the adhesive clips.

4. Apply Roof Clips

Alternatively, you don’t have to apply the lights directly to the wall surface. Alternatively, it is possible to hang them from the roof edge. Different types of clips are available with some that attach directly to the roof and some that attach to the guttering. Apply the clips and make sure they are firmly fixed before then hanging the lights from the clips.

5. Attach to Frames

If you want lights lower down the walls, you could add hooks and clips to the frames of your doors and windows. Again, there are different styles of fixing available. Some need to be drilled and might not be suitable for the type of frames you have. Others work using adhesive and need to be applied to a freshly cleaned surface.

If you want to be able to remove the hooks or clips when you take down the decorations, ensure that you get those that are easily removed and won’t leave any material or residue behind.

6. Attach to Windows

You can even get suction hooks that attach to glass and windows. These can be removed when you take down Christmas lights and are easy to apply. These can be used even in situations where you can’t drill into window frames and have no means of hanging lights from the roof. Wash the windows before you start because this will help ensure that the hooks stay in place without keep sliding off.

Conclusion

Stucco is a popular material for the exterior of homes because it can improve the aesthetics while also waterproofing the property. However, despite its benefits, there are times when the stucco finish can pose a challenge.

Owners should not drill the material, which makes it difficult to hang Christmas lights and festive decorations on the outside of a property. Fortunately, there are other methods to hang lights and still put on a festive display without risking the integrity of the stucco finish.

Featured Image Credit: Jasmin Schreiber, Unsplash