Do you need a professional for bistro lighting?
Adding bistro lighting (string lights, café lights) strands creates an inviting nighttime ambiance that draws you in and lets you enjoy your outdoor space long after the sun sets.
Hanging bistro lighting seems like it is an easy DIY project, right?
Unfortunately, bistro lighting is not as easy as it looks to do it correctly. At Landscape Lighting Guru, we are often asked to do bistro lighting for clients AFTER they have already tried to hang the lights themselves. The secret to hanging bistro lights that will last? It just takes some planning and prep work.
Tips for Hanging Bistro Lighting
Plan your bistro lighting plan BEFORE heading to the store to purchase lights. The first part of that plan is to identify the trees and parts of your home you plan to use to secure lights. Depending on your space, you may need to install a post to support your lights. You also need to factor in the power source you have available for the lights and where that is located. After you have the basic measurements, you can now sketch out the pattern you would like for your lights.
When looking at bistro lights, look for a high-quality brand. You need to look at how long each strand is and how far apart the bulbs are. It is also important to look at how many strands you can plug in together and determine how that works into your plan. It should go without saying but buy LED lights and lighting strands that are waterproof and suitable for the outdoors.
The biggest difference between a DIY bistro light and a professional installation is the running of an airline cable to support the lights. If you use the strand itself with no cable to support it, the design will start to droop over time. If you are installing them for a temporary event, that is fine, but if you want these to be up for years, it is worth the time and expense to install cabling to support the lighting strands.
Consider how you are going to be turning on the bistro lights. On a professional installation, there will be a remote switch or an interior wall switch that will allow you to turn them on and off. If you have a smart home system, you may be able to control the outlets you use for bistro lights to control them. Otherwise, you may have to plug them in and out to turn them on and off, which is just fine in a temporary situation but not a sustainable setup for the long term.
Remove the bulbs before hanging the strands! We promise you it is worth the time and effort to go back and add the lights back in once you have the strings and connectors secured.
Bistro lights create a fun, festive atmosphere for your entertaining or relaxing after a long day. Want more information and tips for installation? Check out our past posts on bistro lighting here and here. Want to talk to the Landscape Lighting Guru about your lighting needs? Give us a call at 210-710-7737.
