How to Decorate a Tree with Outdoor String Lights
To light a tree for Christmas, wrap string lights in a spiral around the trunk and continue out along the main branches. Keep the same distance between every turn. For a 2-metre trunk with 10 cm between turns and a 60 cm circumference, you need about 12 metres of string light.
How many metres of string light does a tree need?
Multiply the number of turns by the circumference of the trunk.
A trunk 2 metres tall, with 10 cm between each turn, gives 20 turns. At a circumference of 60 cm that is 20 × 0,6 = 12 metres.
Tighter turns give more light and use more metres. Wider spacing gives a calmer look. Branches are counted the same way, using the circumference at the base of each branch.
Start at the trunk
Wrap from the base upwards, keeping the spacing even. Uneven spacing is the one thing that makes a lit tree look thrown together, and it shows more at night than during the day.
Work with the shape of the tree rather than against it. A tree that looks good in summer looks good lit. Fruit trees, with their open branch structure, light particularly well.
Then go further out than you think
Most people stop at the thickest branches. That still looks fine, but it does not recreate the shape of the tree.
If you want the silhouette to read from the road, carry the lights further out along the branches and dress both sides evenly. This is the difference between a lit trunk and a lit tree.
Use shorter lengths joined together
Working with one long string light is awkward. Ten metres at a time is the practical length: easy to handle up a ladder, and joined together afterwards.
Our string lights connect up to 2000 LEDs on one plug, so several 10-metre lengths still need only one socket. See our guide on how to connect outdoor LED Christmas lights.
How to attach them without damaging the tree
Use cable ties or plastic clips, and leave them slightly loose. A tie pulled tight around a branch cuts into the bark as the tree moves in wind.
Check the IP rating before buying. IP44 means the product handles rain and snow.
What about bushes and hedges?
Different job, different product. A net light draped over the top covers a bush in a minute, with the bulbs spaced evenly on their own. Read our full guide on Christmas lights for trees, bushes and hedges.
Frequently asked questions
How far apart should the turns be?
Ten centimetres is the usual spacing. Five gives a dense, bright trunk; fifteen gives a sparse, modern look.
Warm white or cool white?
Warm white for trunks and branches. It reads as candlelight against bark. Cool white suits snowflakes and icicles rather than wood.
Can I leave the lights on the tree all year?
Not recommended. The tree grows, ties tighten, and the lights wear. Take them down after the season.
Which tree should I light if I have several?
The one seen first from the road, not necessarily the biggest. One tree lit properly beats three lit halfway.
