How To Hang Christmas Lights On Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding looks nice, but its primary purpose is to protect your home from water and the elements. It's much harder for the siding to do that if you staple into it or place screw holes in it so that you can hang your Christmas lights.

Luckily, there are a few ways that you can hang lights and other decorations without compromising your siding or your holiday spirit. Whatever hanging method you choose, remember to check that all the lights work before you hang them. Bulbs are much easier to change when you're still firmly on the ground.

Perhaps the most flexible way to hang Christmas decorations without damage is by using vinyl siding hooks. These metal hooks are uniquely designed to grab onto vinyl siding without causing any damage. You simply slide the hook up under the siding and then push it down toward the wall. The hook latches onto the back side of the siding without any nails, screws, or staples. When you're finished, they come right off the siding without leaving behind any holes.

One great benefit of siding hooks is that they let you hang decorations almost anywhere. If you want to hang a wreath in the middle of a wall, you can. Unlike gutter clips, siding hooks offer a great amount of flexibility when it comes to location. If you're afraid that a windy day may blow your decorations astray, you can secure them to the hook with zip ties for a secure fit.

When buying vinyl siding clips, don't go bargain shopping. Opt for clips made of stainless steel or other materials that won't rust. Otherwise, you may remove your clips only to find unsightly rust stains marring your siding. These are difficult to remove and are often quite noticeable.

When vinyl siding is installed around windows and door frames, contractors use J-channels to secure it. A J-channel is a trim piece shaped like the letter "J." The long part of the J is attached to the wall, and the siding is tucked between the tall and the short part of the J. This creates a nice, clean finish rather than just a row of siding pieces that suddenly stop at every door and window.

You can use this J-channel to easily hang Christmas lights around your doors and windows. As fate would have it, size C-7 Christmas light bulbs fit perfectly into J-channels with no need for screws or staples. You can simply tuck the light bulbs into the J-channel, and they will stay securely in place. The wire between the lights also tucks easily into the channel, where it's perfectly concealed.

Suction cup hooks are sometimes hard to work with, but they're a good way to hang Christmas decor on vinyl siding if you can get them to stick. To do so, thoroughly clean the place where you want the suction cup to hang using soap and water. Dry the area and clean it again, this time with rubbing alcohol. Dry the area again. Then, wet the back of the suction cup and press it firmly against the siding.

Leave the suction cup in place for at least a full 24 hours before hanging any decorations from it. Remember that the larger the suction cup, the more weight it can hold. A series of small cups may hold lights in place, but you'll need to think bigger if you're hanging a wreath or a plastic Santa. Large decorations may even need more than one suction cup. As is true of siding hooks, you made need zip ties to ensure that your decorations stay firmly attached to their hooks on windy days.