How Many Feet of String Lights Should You Buy? – Captain Patio (2024)

FAQs

How many feet of string lights do I need for patio? ›

First, Measure Your Space

Part of what makes patio string lights so appealing is the natural curve created by the strings. To make sure you have enough length to account for the swag in your light strings, add 2 - 6 feet of length to your measurements and purchase strings that coincide with those final numbers.

Measure your string lights to run the entire length of the deck railing. If you prefer, light only the main length of the railing and leave the sides open. Make sure your string lights are attached to an extension cord or they're close to an outlet before you begin installing them.

String Lights

(Don't forget to include enough to reach the outlet.) For columns or trees, measure once around and multiply that by how many times you'll wind your light around. Once you determine the total length, divide that by the length of a single strand for the quantity you'll need to purchase.

The number of lumens you need per square foot will range from person to person. This all begins with how much light you prefer in your outdoor space. For a ballpark number, the general recommendation is 75 lumens per square foot.

“A good rule of thumb is 100 lights for every foot-and-a-half of tree,” according to Lowe's. But Better Homes & Gardens recommends using three 100-light sets for every foot of a tree's height. And Real Simple suggests 100 lights for every foot.

Outdoor lights can get wet as long as their IP rating is waterproof. To ensure your specific model of string lights can get wet, you need to look at the IP rating of your outdoor lights to check how well protected they are against moisture.

OVERVIEW. GE String-A-Long incandescent 5-mm miniature 100-count clear light set. 3-Inch lead wire, 2.5-inch lamp spacing, 3-inch end connector, 20.6-feet lighted length, and green cord with fused plug.

The average spacing between sockets on a patio light string is at least 12 inches. However, spacing can range from 12 inches to 3 feet wide.

Formula: total sq. footage x 1.5 = total wattage needed. Total wattage divided by 60 watts (or whichever wattage you select) = total amount of recessed can lights. Example: 240 square foot room x 1.5 = 360 divided by 60 (the bulb wattage I'd like to use) = 6 recessed lights needed.

How do you calculate lighting needed? ›

To determine the needed lumens, you will need to multiply your room square footage by your room foot-candle requirement. For example, a 100 square foot living room, which needs 10-20 foot-candles, will need 1,000-2,000 lumens. A 100 square foot dining room, which needs 30-40 foot-candles, will need 3,000-4,000 lumens.

These lights are typically meant to be less bright than their security counterparts, and thus require the use of bulbs that emit less lumens. String lights will usually emit fewer lumens than a wall light, as they're meant to be bright but at the same time dimmer than most lights to create the desired ambiance.

Your lights should be ⅓ to ¼ the size of your door and trim. If you have a grand entry way with a high ceiling you can go bigger. So, opt for ⅓ the size of your door. If you're in a tighter area, try ¼ the size of your door.

The minimum number of lights for a 6-foot tree is 600 lights (or six strands of 100-bulb Christmas lights)—but you can go up to 1200 lights, depending on whether you want the lighting or the ornaments to be the star of your Christmas tree.

If the bulbs you're using are 50 Watts each, then you can only use one strand. However, if the bulbs are 10 Watts each, you can use up to 5 strands together. For this reason, LEDs are a good way to go, especially if your space requires a long run.

Therefore, your circuit can only handle 14 incandescent light strings connected together. On the other hand, if an average LED string light set uses 10 watts, then 1440/10=144. That means you can have 144 light strings connected together if they're LED! That's a lot more light than the incandescent.

Plug in the lights to make sure all the bulbs are working. Starting at the top of the tree, intertwine the lights on top of and under branches. Work your way down and around the tree, hanging lights in the back as well. When you reach the bottom, hide any extra lights behind the tree.

As a handy rule of thumb, a sitting room or bedroom will generally require around 10-20 lumens per square foot, while a bathroom or kitchen will need a stronger level of lighting, at around 70-80 lumens per square foot. To work out the lumens you need, simply multiply the square footage of the room by this figure.

This rule states that an OCPD can be loaded to only 80% of its rating for continuous loads. Remember that 80% is the inverse of 125% (0.80 = 1 ÷ 1.25) and, as such, the rules are indeed identical in their end requirement.

We always recommend that you put one light every six to eight feet along the length of the deck. This way it will not be too bright, or too dark around the deck area.

What should you not do with string lights? ›

Never string up a human or animal with the lights that you plug in, even if it's just for a photo -- they could get an electric shock or burns if the lights are too hot.

Should you leave outdoor lights on at night? No, leaving lights on can make intruders think that you're not home. Use a motion sensor light that turns on when you, or anyone else, comes near so you have light only when you need it.

If you live in an area with a lot of bad weather, wind, or trees that can damage your lights, consider shatterproof options first. Another safety consideration with outdoor patio lights is heat. Incandescent string light bulbs get hot to the touch within seconds.

You need to measure the length and width of your patio space, add those together, and multiply by 2. What is this? That will give you the total perimeter and total length of lights you need. Simple.

Amazon.com : GE String-A-Long 200 (41.4-ft) Indoor/Outdoor Clear White Miniature Lights, Christmas / Holiday / Patio / Party : Home & Kitchen.

300 LED String Lights Outdoor Indoor, Extra Long 98.5FT Christmas Lights, 8 Lighting Modes, Plug in Waterproof Fairy Lights for Wedding Party Bedroom Decorations (Warm White)

Both light sources boast LED bulbs for better energy efficiency. However, rope lights can also come with incandescent bulbs instead of LEDs. They either have a 120/220vAC or a 12/24vDC power input. LEDs from strip lights often produce a much better illumination than rope lights.

As long as you buy outdoor string lights with a suitable IP rating, they're durable and can usually be left out all year round. However, always practice safety, and if you have bad weather, make sure your bulbs haven't trapped any water.

Every manufacturer provides a maximum spacing criterion, which is a ratio to help determine the maximum distance you can put between each light. This number, which is usually between 0.5 and 1.5, is multiplied by the ceiling height in order to determine the maximum distance allowed for each light.

What happens if you string too many lights together? ›

Why? Because light strings have a maximum wattage capacity, which is why many string lights come with a little fuse just in case you connect too many together at once. The fuse is designed to blow so you don't overload and damage your Christmas lights.

As a rule of thumb, we suggest you divide your ceiling height by 2 to give you the space required between each downlight. For example if your ceiling is 8 foot high, then position your lights 4 feet apart. Again, this is only a guideline and you will get a feel for what works best in your individual space.

How Many Recessed Lights? In general, a 12x12 kitchen will use a minimum of three to a maximum of nine recessed lights to illuminate the needed area. Exact lighting needs will vary, so keep your kitchen's layout in mind when deciding the number of lights you need for your unique space.

Multiply width of room x length of room x 1.5 = amount of total minimum wattage needed (assuming an eight foot ceiling). Divide by 60 to get the number of 60-watt equivalent bulbs required. Then, add up the wattage in each bulb in each fixture to figure out how many light fixtures are needed.

It often seems that installing recessed lights is a cure all, but they cannot properly wash light upon walls and all dark corners, which would bounce reflective light into the room. In fact, using too many recessed light may leave areas of your room dark and may even cost you more on your electric bill.

Since the lighting ratio is the ratio of the light levels on the brightest lit to the least lit parts of the subject, and the brightest lit are lit by both key (K) and fill (F), therefore the lighting ratio is properly (K+F):F although for contrast ratios of 4:1 or more, then K:F is sufficiently accurate.

Calculate Lighting Placement

A good general rule for placement is to divide the height of the ceiling by two. The result is the amount of space to leave between each light. For example, recessed lighting spacing for a room with an 8-foot-high ceiling would be 4 feet between each light.

Calculate the amount of lumens you need. Multiply the area in square meters by the lux, or the area in square feet by the footcandles. Work out how many bulbs you need. Divide the number of lumens by the number of lumens delivered by each bulb.

Fire Safety Precautions for Outdoor String Lights

Outdoor lights should not be left on for prolonged periods of time or overnight. Even LED lights can overheat and cause a fire if exposed to dry leaves or flammable substances.

So, while LED lights are more expensive to purchase than incandescent lights, you'll actually save over the lifetime of the bulbs in energy costs and replacement bulbs. LED bulbs are also less likely to short or blow than a standard bulb, so you'll spend less time replacing them.

Can you leave LED string lights on all the time? ›

To put it simply, well-manufactured LED lights are extremely long-lasting and can be left on 24 hours, 7 days a week. This is because, unlike conventional types of light, LEDs produce minimal amounts of heat, which means they are unlikely to overheat or set on fire.

Exterior fixtures do not have to match, so have fun mixing outdoor lighting for your front door, backyard, patio or even small balcony.

In general, we recommend that the light is 3" tall for every foot of space between the floor and ceiling. You can find this number by multiplying the height of your ceiling (in feet) by three. For example, if your ceilings are 10' high, your chandelier should be 30" tall (10 x 3 = 30).

Warm White (2700K).

Similar to halogen-type landscape lighting, it is the most preferred color temperature for landscape lighting. Psychologically, it is thought to be more welcoming and soothing compared to higher color temperatures.

Six-inch lights should be placed six feet apart. In other words, the diameter of the lights equals the space between them.

A general rule is to use 100 lights for every 1.5 feet of tree. However, if you love lights, you may want to double or even triple that amount.

You will need 5 to 9 can lights to light up your 12 x 12 room for ambient lighting. Considering the fixtures and overhangs, you can determine the spacing to avoid cast shadows.

For our 10-ft. column, we'd need 60 feet of lights in order to wrap the strands 3 inches apart. Your results will vary depending on the height and circumference of your column or tree trunk.

From 10 feet to 400 feet in length, patio string lights can be used pretty much wherever and however the mood strikes you. However, if you're new to the world of patio lighting, or just want to revamp your current string lights, there are many options and tips to help you make the most of your patio strings.

The most important thing to consider here is that people can walk comfortably without running into your string lights or bulbs. For most string lights, about eight to 10 feet is perfect.

How do I calculate the number of lights I need? ›

Multiply your room square footage by the footcandle requirement. For example, a 100-square foot living room, which needs 20 foot candles, will need 2,000 lumens. A 100-square foot dining room, which needs 40 foot-candles, will need 4,000 lumens.

Rope lights, though bendable, don't do well at large bending angles. The rope has internal wiring, which can be damaged if turned too much. LED Strip lights are more flexible, allowing you to bend them over 90 degrees without breaking. You can attach them even at sharp 90 degree turns, such as wall corners.

But how long of a strip do you need to buy? When buying LED strip lights, you need to measure the total perimeter of your room, including any alcoves or sections of walls that stick out. Then buy strip lights that are either the perfect length or, more likely, longer than you need – you can cut them to length.

How far apart should deck lights be? When planning the layout of your lights the maximum distance between each light should be 120cm. It's best to measure and mark out the position of your lights in advance.

How many pendant lights do I need for a 12 foot Island? You should install 3 island lights over a 12 foot island that are approximately 24″ wide. Center the pendants over the island spaced 25″ apart, leaving 10 inches on each end of the countertop.