To work out how to put Christmas lights on your balcony, start with the effect you want: a frame along the railing, a cascade of light or a few small sparkles among the plants. Then check measurements, power supply and fixings.
Here you’ll find ideas for choosing your fairy lights and a guide to hanging them, with tips on fixing them in place and sorting out outdoor connections.
Which lights to choose for your Christmas balcony
If you’re wondering how to decorate your balcony for Christmas, start with colour. Warm white LEDs pair well with green, red, gold and natural materials. Cool white goes with white and silver decorations; multicoloured lights work if you pick up the same shades in the rest of your decorations.
You can match the outside to the colours you’ve chosen to decorate your home for Christmas, keeping a common thread running from room to room.
When comparing outdoor Christmas lights for balconies, check that they’re marked for outdoor use, carry the CE mark and come with instructions in English. Check the power adapter and accessories too: they might be for indoor use only, even if the lights themselves are fine outdoors.
A frame of light for a small balcony
When space is tight and you’re working out how to put Christmas lights on your balcony, start from the handrail: an LED string or rope light follows its outline without taking up floor space. You can trace just the top edge or add a few short vertical runs.
To furnish a small balcony, even over the holidays, it pays to keep room to move around: pick one spot to highlight and leave the rest clear. If you have to shift a reindeer and two snowmen every time you hang out the washing, the decorations have got a bit too comfortable.
Cascading lights on the railing for a showstopping effect
Curtain lights have strands of light that hang down vertically. In icicle models, these strands come in different lengths.
Choose the width based on the stretch of railing you want to cover and check the length of the hanging strands: they need to fit within the available space. On a solid balustrade they’ll be seen mostly from the street; on an open railing you’ll enjoy them from inside too. For a lighter look, keep the cascade to the central section.
Lit garlands and plants for a natural feel
A green garland along the handrail and a few micro LEDs create a cosy look. Choose the garland first, then spread the lights along its shape, leaving the greenery visible. Add a few bows or pine cones.
When deciding how to put Christmas lights on your balcony, think about potted plants too: spread the lights among the branches without wrapping the wire too tightly. Use the same colours when you plan how to decorate your front entrance for Christmas, so everything ties together.
How to put Christmas lights on your balcony: preparation and fixing
Measure the full route, including the stretch between the socket and the first bulb. If you want to wrap the string around the bars, you’ll need more wire than for a straight run.
Unroll the lights and check them while unplugged. If you spot damaged insulation, exposed wires or broken parts, stop there. If they’re intact, test them following the instructions, then unplug them before hanging. Finding out half the string doesn’t work after closing thirty cable ties is a great way to brush up on some very unfestive vocabulary.
Before you start: if you live in a block of flats, check the building rules before touching the façade or shared areas. Angle the lights so they don’t shine into your neighbours’ windows.
How to put lights on a balcony railing
Get outdoor cable ties, clips or twist ties ready, suitable for your railing and for the weight of the decorations. Here’s how:
- lay the string along the planned route, starting from the end closest to the socket or battery pack
- space the fixings according to the manufacturer’s instructions, adding extra ones where the route changes direction
- close the cable ties so the wire isn’t squashed or pulled
- tuck any excess wire out of the way, without leaving loose sections dangling.
For curtain lights, fix the top wire and spread out the vertical strands. If you’re adding a garland, support it with its own fixings: the electrical cable shouldn’t carry its weight. Work from inside the balcony, without leaning over or climbing on the railing.
How to fix lights to walls and around windows
To trace the frame of a French window you can use outdoor adhesive clips, making sure they suit the wall material and can hold the weight of the lights. Clean and dry the surface where you’ll apply the clips as the manufacturer recommends, then respect the waiting time before hanging the string.
On crumbly plaster or uneven surfaces, skip generic adhesives: look at dedicated supports or an existing structure, such as a trellis panel for climbing plants. Don’t run the cable between doors or windows and their frames: it could get crushed when they close. Nails and staples must never go through the wire.
How to light up your balcony for Christmas without an outdoor socket
Battery lights are handy for a plant, a garland or a short stretch of railing. Check the stated battery life and whether there’s a timer. Keep the battery pack somewhere easy to reach for swapping batteries; it needs to be suitable for outdoor use.
Solar lights, on the other hand, need a panel exposed to light, free from shade and decorations. Before choosing them, watch how much light your balcony really gets during the day: in winter or after cloudy days, run time can drop. If the sun visits your balcony less often than distant relatives, go for batteries.
Don’t run power from inside by trapping an extension lead under the French window. To add an outdoor socket, call an electrician.
How to protect lights and connections from rain and wind
Check the IP rating of lights, power adapter and accessories: IP44 means protection against splashing water, while IP65 covers dust tightness and protection against water jets. Read these codes together with the stated outdoor use and the manufacturer’s conditions: even a covered balcony can get rain blown in by the wind.
To set everything up:
- place the power adapter where the instructions say, keeping it indoors if it’s for indoor use only
- use sockets, connectors and extension leads suitable for outdoor use and the expected exposure, keeping connections raised off the floor and away from plant saucers and puddles
- use proper outdoor protective covers for electrical connections, compatible with plugs and connectors, and avoid makeshift wrapping with bags or tape
- secure loose sections of string with suitable supports, without stretching or squashing the cables, and fasten garlands and other decorations with separate hooks.
After windy weather, check the fixings are still secure, with the power disconnected. Stay within the maximum wattage in the instructions and only connect several strings if the manufacturer allows it. Switch off and unplug the lights before going to bed or heading out.
Once the holidays are over, unplug the lights and take everything down. Before storing lights, cables and accessories, make sure they’re dry, following the manufacturer’s storage instructions. Coil the string without tight bends and keep the power adapter and accessories together.
