Just used this technique tonight and I'm still in awe that it worked so well!! My lights look so much fuller now that I can use the brick... All time life hack !! Merry Christmas!
Thank you thank you thank you for a wonderful video! I have been wondering if I could hot glue lights to brick and you showed me I could! Yes! Thank you also for your gentle straight forward directions! Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this Awesome tip , for the first time ever I decided to decorate my house with Xmas lights , and to my luck I just bought a hot glue gun , this tip worked a treat , merry Xmas from Perth Australia
Thank You for this Channel. I have become quite the Christmas Humbug last ten years. This is inspiring me. I am going to put up Fall an Christmas Lights this year!!!
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well. We will definitely take your video suggestion into consideration. We appreciate the feedback!
I have a light gray cast stone and brick - does the glue leave a residue or absorb into the stone - when removing will it all be gone even if using alcohol? Thank you
Thank you for this channel. Love that you take the time to share to the general public all the information you have. Most appreciated. Question: I have alot of white coloured lights. Is there a way to colour them? Paint them? If so, what brand do you recommend?
Glad you're enjoying the channel! We have seen people paint the socket and light cord with paint made for plastic that Rust-Oleum makes. However, it's very tedious and as the lights are installed and taken down, the paint does come off rather easily. But you may find that using white wire in a lot of applications is not as noticeable as you may think it is. Try it out and it may not stand out as much as you think it will.
To remove your light strand from brick, simply pop each light off. The glue usually comes off easily, but you can use a scraper if needed. For stubborn spots, you can use rubbing alcohol to loosen the glue.
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
@@ChristmasDesigners When you're ready to remove the lights, putting a little rubbing alcohol on the hardened glue will make it come off without leaving any residue. This works on any hot melt glue .... alcohol releases it cleanly.
Thank you for this tip! I was wondering if this method would work for rope lights? We did not realize how difficult it would be to put the on brick. My husband used a drill bit that’s for brick but the brick will break off and the bits keep braking too. Thank you for your time!
Unfortunately it takes a lot of hot glue to hold rope lighting to brick, which creates a pretty big eyesore. Rope lighting is difficult to attach to brick without significant drilling and damage to the brick.
I've seen people use hot glue on stucco and when removed the lights the stucco actually peeled off, how do you remove the lights without damaging the stucco
Hi Alan! If you gently pull the lights, most of them will come off with the glue. For some areas with tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Neat idea, i thought lowes may carry something for this, instead of glue. I do have a question how strong is the glue? I live in Texas and boy we had 40 mph winds come in last night, so would it hold or would l come out next morning and find busted bulbs and such?? Is this how everyone is putting up their Xmas lights around window and garage ?
If you gently pull the lights, most of them will come off with the glue. For some areas with tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well. Most of the time, it is hard to find clips that work with brick. Hot glue makes for an easier installation as well as tear down.
@@ChristmasDesigners This is great thank you!!!! We have a stone archway that we have always wanted to put Christmas lights around.... I am going to give your hot glue a chance this year . .and see how it goes thank you for the tip
Can this method be used to attatch those led light strips like by govee to the vinyl soffit under the eaves. I don't want to drill holes into the soffit with the clips.
@nyacoustics8373 - No, we would not recommend hot glue for a permanent installation. For Govee, we’d recommend checking with them to see what type of adhesive they recommend for their product.
Great tips on installing lights around the brick. I have never thought about doing that in my house now I’m strongly considering it. This might sound like a dumb question but is it better to use hot glue or silicone? From my understanding they’re both similar but your experience will guide me to make a better choice. Thank you for sharing your videos with the community as they’re very helpful.
We do recommend hot glue over silicone for two reasons: 1) Hot glue dries quicker and allows for a much faster installation 2) Silicone is more difficult to remove and tends to leave a lot of residue on the brick surface as well as on the lights after takedown.
@@ChristmasDesigners I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question. I loved to follow channels that take pride on their work and always do their best to give us advice. You got yourself a new follower love your videos very entertaining and educational. Thanks.
The glue will last well past the end of the holiday season. In some cases we've had it up for 18 months on year round lighting applications. To remove the glue, a chisel can be used to gently peel it off. But on more stubborn glue spots or if there is residue left, use some isopropyl alcohol.
Christmas Designers is based in North Texas and a number of the pro installers that buy from us locally use this technique without a problem. We've had projects with winds over 80 mph without any issues with the bulbs coming undone. The project in the video was in McKinney, Texas, so it has similar weather to Fort Worth. It is important to make sure the surface is clean and moisture free. If there is loose debris or moisture, the glue will not hold as well. It's also important to make sure the hot glue has been stored in temperatures under 90 degrees and is not more than 3 years old.
@@ryankelly9032 standard hot glue at Home Depot or Lowes will work without a problem. You want to avoid the high strength glues which are more yellow in color and can be nearly impossible to remove.
It sounds like you are purchasing lights and sockets already attached. These typically already have the wires and plugs attached. We only recommend vampire plugs with empty socket lines or zip cord that has an 18 gauge wire. To learn more please feel free to watch our Vampire plugs video: ruclips.net/video/4efjUEcLJC4/видео.html
The glue will work with most consumer grade Christmas lights, but patio (market) lights are likely too heavy. Though the glue won’t melt in the summer, if used year-round, the glue will likely deteriorate. Hot glue is typically better for short-term use outside. It holds up well in all types of weather conditions, however, if ice starts to accumulate on the line, the extra weight sometimes can cause the lights to break loose.
Can you use this same method (hot glue) to hang a couple of hooks for mounting a wreath on the bricks? I’m trying to avoid drilling a hole in my house.
Hot glue would not be advisable for hanging a wreath as it only holds a few ounces. I would suggest connecting with a local hardware store to see if they have any other suggestions for hanging your wreath.
It's best to buy the same light sets and accessories that professional Christmas installers use. There's a number of online specialty stores that sell to pro installers. Of course we hope you buy from us, but if not, just make sure you find a high quality seller. You can visit us at www.christmasdesigners.com/
Most modern garage doors slide up and down rather than pull out. If it is the style that pulls outward rather than sliding up on tracks, then yes, it would hit the lights and they would need to be repositioned to allow for this.
What if I do this with store bought lights that will most likely be a longer length than my window perimeter? What do I do with the excess? Hope that makes sense.
Most store bought lights are not able to be cut to size. So there's not a clean, easy solution for the excess lights. For this reason we recommend using C7 or C9 light line with 18/2 wire. The light line can be cut to length and is the type of lighting professional installers use. You can see this type of light line being installed in the video below: ruclips.net/video/6Cg-ITTa_6M/видео.html You can find this product on our website at the link below: www.christmasdesigners.com/christmas-lights/empty-socket-light-line/c9-spools-1.html
So last year i attempted to use hot glue in the red brick on the outside of my apartment.. but the glue didnt seem to want to hold.. what is the best hot glue sticks to use? I have a full size gorilla hot glue gun.. and was using the gorilla hot glue with no luck.. any tips or tricks for this year? Mind you the bricks our pretty old on my building.
@transam1981 We are surprised to hear that the Gorilla glue sticks didn't hold! For brick surfaces, especially older ones, adhesion can sometimes be tricky. We usually use standard hot glue sticks from the hardware store, but preparation is key. Make sure the brick is completely dry and free from any loose debris before applying the glue. This can help create a stronger bond. Additionally, working on a warmer day, if possible, can improve adhesion.
For standard asphalt shingles, we do not recommend hot glue. It will damage the surface and can void your shingle warranty. If the roof is made from clay roof shingles, then it's okay to use hot glue.
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well. Hope this helps!
Great question. On this specific job we were using SPT1 for the cord and the vampire plugs. If you need more support, please feel free to send us an email with pictures to product-support@christmasdesigners.com.
Applying hot glue to the wiring on Christmas lights is generally not recommended. The heat from the hot glue can potentially damage the insulation on the wires, leading to exposed wiring and potential electrical hazards. Our C9 empty socket light line is great for applications like this. You can find more information on the products we offer on our website at www.christmasdesigners.com/
Hi, Im looking to put some Twinkly lights onto the front of my garage door in a rectangle pattern across so I can then map it to synchronize them to do light patterns. If I use the glue gun method and apply to the front of garage door, will it do anything to the white color of my garage door. Not sure if garage door was painted when it was installed. Or if it comes that way.
Most white garage doors are painted with a high-quality latex exterior house paint. This means that the hot glue could theoretically peel the paint off of your garage door. We would suggest connecting with a local hardware store, using a command hook type application (Home Depot has garage light command hooks which we have not used) or if you know that a magnet would stick to the garage door (test it by using a kitchen magnet) then you could use a magnetic clip (www.christmasdesigners.com/magnetic-clip-for-c7-sockets-bag-of-25.html)
Hot glue gun... Genius idea and great video... But have you had any issues with many days of rain causing the glue to become less adhesive? Also, was it any type of glue stick that you were using, was it commercial grade or any regular glue used for crafts.
The rain won't cause any issues with the hot glue. It holds up well in all types of weather conditions, however, if ice starts to accumulate on the line, the extra weight sometimes can cause the lights to break loose. For the type of glue, standard, all purpose clear hot glue works the best. Avoid using high strength glue due to the difficulty removing it after the holiday season.
We suggest not using hot glue with vinyl as the heat from the gun will cause the material to melt. If you decide that you want to try the hot glue method, we suggest testing a small area first. Again, we do not recommend hot glue for vinyl siding or fences.
@@dougweaver5127 we would suggest reaching out to your local hardware store to see if they have adhesive that is specifically used for vinyl fencing. Depending on the style of vinyl fence, you might be able to use an adhesive and zip ties to hold your lights in place.
We recommend standard clear all purpose glue sticks. Avoid the high strength hot glue. It can make it much more difficult to remove the glue residue after the holiday season. The standard hot glue will hold adequately and is easier to remove.
Painted brick is becoming more and more popular, but we have not had any experience using hot glue on it and we have not received any feedback from customers that have used hot glue on painted brick either. If you are going to try it, we recommend having touch up paint available in case any of the surface is damaged and it's best to use a smaller amount of hot glue.
Hi Donna! Yes, these come off by gently pulling the strand. For some tougher glue areas, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For the stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well. Hope this helps!
Hey Gabrielle, Unfortunately, without drilling and placing masonry screws, there is not an effective way of attaching garland as garland is fairly heavy. We would suggest getting with a local hardware store to see if they have something that would be a better fit.
Hi - I have put a string of cluster lights around the apex of my house using standard 195 degree hot melt glue & they fell off over night - I then used Tecbond 248 glue with the same result - any suggestions?
Unfortunately, clusters will be too heavy for the hot glue. We have only used it on one bulb applications, C7/C9 bulbs with empty socket lines. We would suggest utilizing a shingle clip or an all in one clip on the apex of your house due to the weight of the clusters you are using. If you find the clips are also being weighed down too much we have added binder clips for additional support. Hope this helps.
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Hi @BarbC793, I apologize for the delay in our response. Yes, it can, but it does tend to adhere extra well to stone, so it can be a bit harder to remove the glue from the stone.
so i have a hip roof, V shape. what would be the best way to do the V? start at one roof corner, get to the tip of the V, snip the wire and then add a second line from the other roof tip to meet at the V... and then meet them at like a 3 way prong and then continue across to the other side of the roof? or can you use an in line vampire plug and just do it that way where i have one long continuous cord from one end of the roof and simply add in line plus for the other side of the v's? hopefully thats not as confusing as it sounds as i type it
Hi Brian, You can add an inline female plug to add the line on the roof peak. You just want to ensure that you are watching the amount of line connected to each other. We would suggest watching our two videos on amperage before hooking everything up. ruclips.net/video/B8aL2XcKGM4/видео.html ruclips.net/video/u6Z3up8bHZ0/видео.html
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well.
Great video, thanks for sharing this. I have a question regarding the glue - will it work on powder coated aluminum flashing? and would I use the alcohol to remove the glue from the flashing?
We’ve never used it on powder coated aluminum, but it should be okay since it’s powder coated and not painted. The only issue you may encounter is the holding strength of hot glue may not be as good due to the smooth texture of aluminum.
I am not sure which one you have however, we prefer the standard high temperature glue sticks. Low temp glue generally doesn't have enough holding power. Hope this helps!
Unfortunately it takes a lot of hot glue to hold rope lighting to surfaces, which creates a pretty big eyesore. Rope lighting is difficult to attach to flagstone without significant drilling and damage to the stone.
@@NicoleTapz You should be able to gently pull on the light sets. The glue should detach. For the more stubborn areas, you may need to gently use a chisel to remove the glue or Isopropyl Alchohol. Hope this helps!
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you! I used to have someone install for me but they backed out last minute this year so I had to do it myself. I watched them enough times when they were putting them up but I never watched them take them down. I will try the alcohol!
Hi Alan, unfortunately the hot glue trick will not work on aluminum. The surface is too smooth so the glue doesn't have anything to stick to. I would suggest speaking with your local hardware professionals to see if they have anything suitable.
Thanks for the video. any suggestions on how to do this for C6 lights. I have C6 lights and I cannot apply glue to the base as wires are running through the base and I cannot apply glue to sides as it very small/thin. TIA
Glad you liked the video. We have seen many types of installations for the string lights. One installer that purchases from us actually builds a frame out of PVC pipe and zip ties the lights to that to ensure that all the lights are straight. He then mounts that around the windows (using command hooks on the window) or around doorways. Some people use brick clips or adhesive back clips to attach to the bricks. Hope this helps!
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
@@hyperflys We have people in North Dakota that use the regular hot glue in -30F weather for their displays. That would be the most comparable state we have to Canada. Hope this helps!
@@ChristmasDesigners Ok thanks. The other question i had was when you are hot gluing wire onto the brick to keep it secure, is it not possible to melt the wire?
@@hyperflys You would want to run the glue and then place the wire in or lay the wire and have the glue drizzle down onto it. The glue is not hot enough to melt the wire but the tip of the glue gun is.
Hello Christmas Designers, I want to know what kind of hot glue gun I should use? Should i buy just like yours? Or I can buy any regular hot glue gun? Or cheap ones?
Any medium quality hot glue gun will work ($17 to $30 range). If you are planning on doing a lot of gluing, we recommend the Ryobi, 18 volt cordless. But otherwise, any mid-range corded glue gun is perfect.
Thanks for this video! Question about using hot glue to install lights on wooden shutters. Is the high temp glue stick strong enough to bond to the shutters and will it leave any residue or damage when time for removal?
Wood can be a bit tricky when it comes to hot glue. If the wood is painted, it may remove some of the paint. If it's natural wood, with just a stain applied, it may be okay, but depending on the roughness of the surface, it may leave behind a residue. For wood, we often use stainless steel staples. For most wood, the holes left are not problematic and if it's painted wood, then you can always touch up the holes left with paint after the holiday season.
We suggest not using hot glue with vinyl as the heat from the gun will cause the material to melt. If you decide that you want to try the hot glue method, we suggest testing a small area first. Again, we do not recommend hot glue for vinyl siding.
Last question.: I have only 1 outside outlet in the back of the house , I don’t want to overload it, what do you guys do in a situation like that.? run a power source from a inside the house outlet? Underneath a door?
@@davidmatias6239 That is definitely an option. Keep in mind the electrical code states that outdoor lighting needs to be on a GCFI protected outlet. Most outlets inside a house are not GFCI unless you are going through a kitchen or a bathroom. Even if you are on two separate outlets the other thing to watch out for is that you are not overloading the circuit. I would suggest watching our videos on Amerage to understand how to test before setting up your display: ruclips.net/video/B8aL2XcKGM4/видео.html ruclips.net/video/u6Z3up8bHZ0/видео.html As always if you are unsure about anything on your display, we would suggest consulting a professional installer or electrician before installation.
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Thanks for watching the video and for your feedback @joyridef6830. We're glad you found the content helpful. As for the brickwork, we're just focused on helping people get those Christmas lights up safely and easily. If you have any questions about attaching lights to brick, feel free to ask-we're happy to help!
I have a question please. We used a professional company last year to hang lights at a Monument. In about 3 days large areas of lights came unglued and were hanging off the monument. By week 2 almost all the lights were unglued. They came out and re glued but it still didn't work. They said it was the strong winds, which I didn't believe their story. This was so disappointing for us. So do you think they didn't prepare the surface of the Monument first (cleaning) before gluing down the lights? Do you think they used the wrong glue? We paid a lot of money and really don't want to go through that again. Would love your opinion. Thank you.
Monument signs tend to have surfaces with more carbon and dirt buildup. So it's possible that the glue was not sticking very well because of that. It could also be that they were not using enough glue to hold the sockets properly in place or not gluing every socket. When sockets are skipped, the wind tends to move those sockets back and forth until the rest of the line comes free. Our own installation teams have done thousands of monument signs over the past 40 years with hot glue and it's very rare for the lights to come off, even with high winds.
@@ChristmasDesigners that's impressive! I was wondering about the same thing, especially with carbon build-up relating to things near roads. (It is amazing how much residual carbon dust gets caked on things near busy streets!) Have you had any issues with water/hummidty and freeze thaw cycles with the hot glue? I love the concept... I must've been using low temp hotglue in my previous poor results...
Does not seem like the glue would hold very long. When the bulbs get warm the glue will soften and release the hold. Same as too cold...turns glue brittle....not to mention strong winds at play.
As professional installers, we use this technique on hundreds of installs every year. We have colleagues that use hot glue in conditions below -30 degrees Fahrenheit and the glue holds up well. As far as bulb heat, we have not encountered any problems with that in the 40 years we've been using hot glue. Even prior to cool burning LEDs, there was not any significant heat generation at the base of the bulbs.
Just used this technique tonight and I'm still in awe that it worked so well!! My lights look so much fuller now that I can use the brick... All time life hack !! Merry Christmas!
That's great to hear! Merry Christmas!
Thank you thank you thank you for a wonderful video! I have been wondering if I could hot glue lights to brick and you showed me I could! Yes! Thank you also for your gentle straight forward directions! Merry Christmas!
Thank you so much for taking the time to share this Awesome tip , for the first time ever I decided to decorate my house with Xmas lights , and to my luck I just bought a hot glue gun , this tip worked a treat , merry Xmas from Perth Australia
Thanks for the awesome video Jason! Enjoyed watching you show us the tricks of the trade.
Thank You for this Channel. I have become quite the Christmas Humbug last ten years. This is inspiring me. I am going to put up Fall an Christmas Lights this year!!!
We are happy to help and would love to see pictures of your display when it is done!
Hello from Indonesia🇮🇩
Thank you for this,, going to make next week on my mom House🏠
How do you remove them? It would be helpful to see a video and show any possible damage to the brick.
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well.
We will definitely take your video suggestion into consideration. We appreciate the feedback!
I have a light gray cast stone and brick - does the glue leave a residue or absorb into the stone - when removing will it all be gone even if using alcohol? Thank you
alkohol takes it off
Thank you for this channel. Love that you take the time to share to the general public all the information you have. Most appreciated.
Question: I have alot of white coloured lights. Is there a way to colour them? Paint them? If so, what brand do you recommend?
Glad you're enjoying the channel!
We have seen people paint the socket and light cord with paint made for plastic that Rust-Oleum makes. However, it's very tedious and as the lights are installed and taken down, the paint does come off rather easily. But you may find that using white wire in a lot of applications is not as noticeable as you may think it is. Try it out and it may not stand out as much as you think it will.
Killer video!
Love this how do you remove the lights, will this damage the lights or wall?
To remove your light strand from brick, simply pop each light off. The glue usually comes off easily, but you can use a scraper if needed. For stubborn spots, you can use rubbing alcohol to loosen the glue.
How do you remove the lights after the season is over?
Does the glue come off too?
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
@@ChristmasDesigners When you're ready to remove the lights, putting a little rubbing alcohol on the hardened glue will make it come off without leaving any residue. This works on any hot melt glue .... alcohol releases it cleanly.
@@erwinclements7729 that is correct :)
Thank you for this tip! I was wondering if this method would work for rope lights? We did not realize how difficult it would be to put the on brick. My husband used a drill bit that’s for brick but the brick will break off and the bits keep braking too.
Thank you for your time!
Unfortunately it takes a lot of hot glue to hold rope lighting to brick, which creates a pretty big eyesore. Rope lighting is difficult to attach to brick without significant drilling and damage to the brick.
Looks great
I've seen people use hot glue on stucco and when removed the lights the stucco actually peeled off, how do you remove the lights without damaging the stucco
very clever idea
This is great, thanks for showing us. Just wanted to ask how do I take them off afterwards? Thanks!
Hi Alan! If you gently pull the lights, most of them will come off with the glue. For some areas with tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Neat idea, i thought lowes may carry something for this, instead of glue. I do have a question how strong is the glue? I live in Texas and boy we had 40 mph winds come in last night, so would it hold or would l come out next morning and find busted bulbs and such?? Is this how everyone is putting up their Xmas lights around window and garage ?
Yes, it will hold up in high winds. Many areas see winter winds above 60 mph and the glue holds without a problem.
Does the hot clue come off easily when you take the lights down? Is this why you recommend the hot glue?
If you gently pull the lights, most of them will come off with the glue. For some areas with tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Most of the time, it is hard to find clips that work with brick. Hot glue makes for an easier installation as well as tear down.
@@ChristmasDesigners This is great thank you!!!! We have a stone archway that we have always wanted to put Christmas lights around.... I am going to give your hot glue a chance this year . .and see how it goes thank you for the tip
Can this method be used to attatch those led light strips like by govee to the vinyl soffit under the eaves. I don't want to drill holes into the soffit with the clips.
@nyacoustics8373 - No, we would not recommend hot glue for a permanent installation. For Govee, we’d recommend checking with them to see what type of adhesive they recommend for their product.
Great tips on installing lights around the brick. I have never thought about doing that in my house now I’m strongly considering it. This might sound like a dumb question but is it better to use hot glue or silicone? From my understanding they’re both similar but your experience will guide me to make a better choice.
Thank you for sharing your videos with the community as they’re very helpful.
We do recommend hot glue over silicone for two reasons:
1) Hot glue dries quicker and allows for a much faster installation
2) Silicone is more difficult to remove and tends to leave a lot of residue on the brick surface as well as on the lights after takedown.
@@ChristmasDesigners I appreciate you taking the time to respond to my question. I loved to follow channels that take pride on their work and always do their best to give us advice. You got yourself a new follower love your videos very entertaining and educational.
Thanks.
Thank you, I wasn't sure it would hold but it obviously does 👍
That looks like the best method, but how did it go when you took the lights down ?
The lights are easy to remove, but you will need a chisel to help peel off the remaining glue residue.
Great idea
@rawheadrex - Thanks so much! We’re glad you like it! 🎄
How long will the hot glue last? And how do you take the lights down after Christmas?
The glue will last well past the end of the holiday season. In some cases we've had it up for 18 months on year round lighting applications. To remove the glue, a chisel can be used to gently peel it off. But on more stubborn glue spots or if there is residue left, use some isopropyl alcohol.
It’s pretty windy in Fort Worth, so the glue doesn’t hold. Is there a better way to do this on brick without glue?
Christmas Designers is based in North Texas and a number of the pro installers that buy from us locally use this technique without a problem. We've had projects with winds over 80 mph without any issues with the bulbs coming undone. The project in the video was in McKinney, Texas, so it has similar weather to Fort Worth.
It is important to make sure the surface is clean and moisture free. If there is loose debris or moisture, the glue will not hold as well. It's also important to make sure the hot glue has been stored in temperatures under 90 degrees and is not more than 3 years old.
@@ChristmasDesigners thanks for the reply. any recommendations on which glue to use?
@@ryankelly9032 standard hot glue at Home Depot or Lowes will work without a problem. You want to avoid the high strength glues which are more yellow in color and can be nearly impossible to remove.
Does this method work with LED light strips? Does it come off the same?
@pennycg1 - it would depend on what your particular LED light strips are backed with - plastic backing would melt with the hot glue.
Should’ve known there’s a video for this too 👍🏼
Hi there - thank you! If I am using lights with bulbs already on, do I still need vampire plugs? What do they do?
It sounds like you are purchasing lights and sockets already attached. These typically already have the wires and plugs attached. We only recommend vampire plugs with empty socket lines or zip cord that has an 18 gauge wire.
To learn more please feel free to watch our Vampire plugs video: ruclips.net/video/4efjUEcLJC4/видео.html
Does the glue work with market lights? I leave them up in my backyard all year round so will the hot glue melt in the summer?
The glue will work with most consumer grade Christmas lights, but patio (market) lights are likely too heavy. Though the glue won’t melt in the summer, if used year-round, the glue will likely deteriorate. Hot glue is typically better for short-term use outside. It holds up well in all types of weather conditions, however, if ice starts to accumulate on the line, the extra weight sometimes can cause the lights to break loose.
Can you use this same method (hot glue) to hang a couple of hooks for mounting a wreath on the bricks? I’m trying to avoid drilling a hole in my house.
Hot glue would not be advisable for hanging a wreath as it only holds a few ounces. I would suggest connecting with a local hardware store to see if they have any other suggestions for hanging your wreath.
@@ChristmasDesigners thanks
You mentioned before not using the retail store/hardware store lights. Where do you recommend finding hardier lights? Thanks.
It's best to buy the same light sets and accessories that professional Christmas installers use. There's a number of online specialty stores that sell to pro installers. Of course we hope you buy from us, but if not, just make sure you find a high quality seller. You can visit us at www.christmasdesigners.com/
Isn’t the garage door going to hit the lights on the side when it’s opened?
Most modern garage doors slide up and down rather than pull out. If it is the style that pulls outward rather than sliding up on tracks, then yes, it would hit the lights and they would need to be repositioned to allow for this.
I had this done professionally last year, but it kept coming undone and the pro kept having to come back out and redo.
What if I do this with store bought lights that will most likely be a longer length than my window perimeter? What do I do with the excess? Hope that makes sense.
Most store bought lights are not able to be cut to size. So there's not a clean, easy solution for the excess lights. For this reason we recommend using C7 or C9 light line with 18/2 wire. The light line can be cut to length and is the type of lighting professional installers use. You can see this type of light line being installed in the video below:
ruclips.net/video/6Cg-ITTa_6M/видео.html
You can find this product on our website at the link below:
www.christmasdesigners.com/christmas-lights/empty-socket-light-line/c9-spools-1.html
So last year i attempted to use hot glue in the red brick on the outside of my apartment.. but the glue didnt seem to want to hold.. what is the best hot glue sticks to use? I have a full size gorilla hot glue gun.. and was using the gorilla hot glue with no luck.. any tips or tricks for this year? Mind you the bricks our pretty old on my building.
@transam1981 We are surprised to hear that the Gorilla glue sticks didn't hold! For brick surfaces, especially older ones, adhesion can sometimes be tricky. We usually use standard hot glue sticks from the hardware store, but preparation is key. Make sure the brick is completely dry and free from any loose debris before applying the glue. This can help create a stronger bond. Additionally, working on a warmer day, if possible, can improve adhesion.
Is there a special hot glue that works best? I’ve been using standard craft glue and it sucks.
We prefer the standard high temperature glue sticks. Low temp glue generally doesn't have enough holding power.
Hello, great video. Do you recommend using hot glue on roof shingles? I want to make a pattern with the lights.
For standard asphalt shingles, we do not recommend hot glue. It will damage the surface and can void your shingle warranty. If the roof is made from clay roof shingles, then it's okay to use hot glue.
Whats the easiest way to take off the glued lights off afterwards...
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well. Hope this helps!
Will the hot glue last when it rains?
Yes, it will hold up without an issue in the rain. As long as it's applied when the surface is dry.
Are u using SP 1 what gauge are the cords and are the vampire plugs sp1 also? I couldn't fit the cord in the vampire plugs lol
Great question. On this specific job we were using SPT1 for the cord and the vampire plugs.
If you need more support, please feel free to send us an email with pictures to product-support@christmasdesigners.com.
Could you put the glue on the wire. The lights I have, have nowhere for the glue other than on the wire itself.
Applying hot glue to the wiring on Christmas lights is generally not recommended. The heat from the hot glue can potentially damage the insulation on the wires, leading to exposed wiring and potential electrical hazards.
Our C9 empty socket light line is great for applications like this. You can find more information on the products we offer on our website at www.christmasdesigners.com/
Hi, Im looking to put some Twinkly lights onto the front of my garage door in a rectangle pattern across so I can then map it to synchronize them to do light patterns. If I use the glue gun method and apply to the front of garage door, will it do anything to the white color of my garage door. Not sure if garage door was painted when it was installed. Or if it comes that way.
Most white garage doors are painted with a high-quality latex exterior house paint. This means that the hot glue could theoretically peel the paint off of your garage door. We would suggest connecting with a local hardware store, using a command hook type application (Home Depot has garage light command hooks which we have not used) or if you know that a magnet would stick to the garage door (test it by using a kitchen magnet) then you could use a magnetic clip (www.christmasdesigners.com/magnetic-clip-for-c7-sockets-bag-of-25.html)
Hot glue gun... Genius idea and great video... But have you had any issues with many days of rain causing the glue to become less adhesive? Also, was it any type of glue stick that you were using, was it commercial grade or any regular glue used for crafts.
The rain won't cause any issues with the hot glue. It holds up well in all types of weather conditions, however, if ice starts to accumulate on the line, the extra weight sometimes can cause the lights to break loose.
For the type of glue, standard, all purpose clear hot glue works the best. Avoid using high strength glue due to the difficulty removing it after the holiday season.
Can the lights be hot glued to vinyl fencing? Will the hot glue hold throughout the year?
We suggest not using hot glue with vinyl as the heat from the gun will cause the material to melt. If you decide that you want to try the hot glue method, we suggest testing a small area first. Again, we do not recommend hot glue for vinyl siding or fences.
Thanks for the quick reply.
Do you have suggestions to attach small lights to the top of a vinyl fence? Since there is a cap on the top of the fence clips will not work.
@@dougweaver5127 we would suggest reaching out to your local hardware store to see if they have adhesive that is specifically used for vinyl fencing. Depending on the style of vinyl fence, you might be able to use an adhesive and zip ties to hold your lights in place.
Thanks again for the quick reply. Never thought of zip ties, perfect.
what type of glue sticks did you use in this video
We recommend standard clear all purpose glue sticks. Avoid the high strength hot glue. It can make it much more difficult to remove the glue residue after the holiday season. The standard hot glue will hold adequately and is easier to remove.
What about painted brick? I would love to do this but our brick is painted.
Painted brick is becoming more and more popular, but we have not had any experience using hot glue on it and we have not received any feedback from customers that have used hot glue on painted brick either.
If you are going to try it, we recommend having touch up paint available in case any of the surface is damaged and it's best to use a smaller amount of hot glue.
Do the lights come off easy after the holidays?
Hi Donna! Yes, these come off by gently pulling the strand. For some tougher glue areas, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. For the stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well. Hope this helps!
Any tips on how to attach a garland around a front door that’s faced with limestone?? Without drilling into the stone
Hey Gabrielle,
Unfortunately, without drilling and placing masonry screws, there is not an effective way of attaching garland as garland is fairly heavy.
We would suggest getting with a local hardware store to see if they have something that would be a better fit.
Hi - I have put a string of cluster lights around the apex of my house using standard 195 degree hot melt glue & they fell off over night - I then used Tecbond 248 glue with the same result - any suggestions?
Unfortunately, clusters will be too heavy for the hot glue. We have only used it on one bulb applications, C7/C9 bulbs with empty socket lines. We would suggest utilizing a shingle clip or an all in one clip on the apex of your house due to the weight of the clusters you are using. If you find the clips are also being weighed down too much we have added binder clips for additional support. Hope this helps.
would this same technique work with LED Strip lights? How long would you say the glue would hold ?
It should work for your LED light strip. In the video we are using our Empty socket line with LED lights. The glue should last one season.
Hi, what about removal after attaching with hot glue? is that difficult? Does it leave a residue on the bricks? Tks!!
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Are you using low temperature glue stick or high temperature glue stick for the demonstration?
We prefer the standard high temperature glue sticks. Low temp glue generally doesn't have enough holding power.
Can this technique be safely used on stacked stone?
Hi @BarbC793, I apologize for the delay in our response. Yes, it can, but it does tend to adhere extra well to stone, so it can be a bit harder to remove the glue from the stone.
so i have a hip roof, V shape. what would be the best way to do the V? start at one roof corner, get to the tip of the V, snip the wire and then add a second line from the other roof tip to meet at the V... and then meet them at like a 3 way prong and then continue across to the other side of the roof? or can you use an in line vampire plug and just do it that way where i have one long continuous cord from one end of the roof and simply add in line plus for the other side of the v's? hopefully thats not as confusing as it sounds as i type it
Hi Brian,
You can add an inline female plug to add the line on the roof peak. You just want to ensure that you are watching the amount of line connected to each other.
We would suggest watching our two videos on amperage before hooking everything up.
ruclips.net/video/B8aL2XcKGM4/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/u6Z3up8bHZ0/видео.html
Now how do you take them down?
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alcohol works well.
Great video, thanks for sharing this. I have a question regarding the glue - will it work on powder coated aluminum flashing? and would I use the alcohol to remove the glue from the flashing?
We’ve never used it on powder coated aluminum, but it should be okay since it’s powder coated and not painted. The only issue you may encounter is the holding strength of hot glue may not be as good due to the smooth texture of aluminum.
Is there a special type of hot glue needed for this? I only have the type you get at the craft store, wondering if that's too week for this.
I am not sure which one you have however, we prefer the standard high temperature glue sticks. Low temp glue generally doesn't have enough holding power. Hope this helps!
Can you apply the Hot Glue to rope lights to stick to flagstone?
Unfortunately it takes a lot of hot glue to hold rope lighting to surfaces, which creates a pretty big eyesore. Rope lighting is difficult to attach to flagstone without significant drilling and damage to the stone.
Do you have tips on hot to remove them when done around a window? Not brick.
Hi Nicole! To properly answer your question, are you putting the hot glue on the glass part of the window or on wood?
@@ChristmasDesigners neither. I put it on the metal around the glass.
@@NicoleTapz You should be able to gently pull on the light sets. The glue should detach. For the more stubborn areas, you may need to gently use a chisel to remove the glue or Isopropyl Alchohol. Hope this helps!
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you! I used to have someone install for me but they backed out last minute this year so I had to do it myself. I watched them enough times when they were putting them up but I never watched them take them down. I will try the alcohol!
Does this work on aluminum trim around windows???
Hi Alan, unfortunately the hot glue trick will not work on aluminum. The surface is too smooth so the glue doesn't have anything to stick to.
I would suggest speaking with your local hardware professionals to see if they have anything suitable.
Thanks for the video. any suggestions on how to do this for C6 lights. I have C6 lights and I cannot apply glue to the base as wires are running through the base and I cannot apply glue to sides as it very small/thin. TIA
Glad you liked the video. We have seen many types of installations for the string lights. One installer that purchases from us actually builds a frame out of PVC pipe and zip ties the lights to that to ensure that all the lights are straight. He then mounts that around the windows (using command hooks on the window) or around doorways.
Some people use brick clips or adhesive back clips to attach to the bricks.
Hope this helps!
How do you get the glue off the brick when you are done?
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
@@ChristmasDesigners would a pressure washer get it off?
@@shannontlane9338 A pressure washer should remove all the glue.
Will this work with a cordless glue gun in the cold temps of Canada?
Yes, it should work. Keep in mind that the glue will dry very quickly due to the cold temperatures.
@@ChristmasDesigners I was reading that i should use acrylic glue in cold temperatures. I guess the regular glue would be ok.
@@hyperflys We have people in North Dakota that use the regular hot glue in -30F weather for their displays. That would be the most comparable state we have to Canada. Hope this helps!
@@ChristmasDesigners Ok thanks. The other question i had was when you are hot gluing wire onto the brick to keep it secure, is it not possible to melt the wire?
@@hyperflys You would want to run the glue and then place the wire in or lay the wire and have the glue drizzle down onto it. The glue is not hot enough to melt the wire but the tip of the glue gun is.
Hello Christmas Designers,
I want to know what kind of hot glue gun I should use? Should i buy just like yours? Or I can buy any regular hot glue gun? Or cheap ones?
Any medium quality hot glue gun will work ($17 to $30 range). If you are planning on doing a lot of gluing, we recommend the Ryobi, 18 volt cordless. But otherwise, any mid-range corded glue gun is perfect.
Thanks for this video! Question about using hot glue to install lights on wooden shutters. Is the high temp glue stick strong enough to bond to the shutters and will it leave any residue or damage when time for removal?
Wood can be a bit tricky when it comes to hot glue. If the wood is painted, it may remove some of the paint. If it's natural wood, with just a stain applied, it may be okay, but depending on the roughness of the surface, it may leave behind a residue.
For wood, we often use stainless steel staples. For most wood, the holes left are not problematic and if it's painted wood, then you can always touch up the holes left with paint after the holiday season.
Will the glue adhere to vinyl siding? And will it damage it?
We suggest not using hot glue with vinyl as the heat from the gun will cause the material to melt. If you decide that you want to try the hot glue method, we suggest testing a small area first. Again, we do not recommend hot glue for vinyl siding.
@@ChristmasDesigners thx . I’ll do a test on the back of the house and behind the shrubs
Last question.: I have only 1 outside outlet in the back of the house , I don’t want to overload it, what do you guys do in a situation like that.? run a power source from a inside the house outlet? Underneath a door?
@@davidmatias6239 That is definitely an option. Keep in mind the electrical code states that outdoor lighting needs to be on a GCFI protected outlet. Most outlets inside a house are not GFCI unless you are going through a kitchen or a bathroom.
Even if you are on two separate outlets the other thing to watch out for is that you are not overloading the circuit.
I would suggest watching our videos on Amerage to understand how to test before setting up your display:
ruclips.net/video/B8aL2XcKGM4/видео.html
ruclips.net/video/u6Z3up8bHZ0/видео.html
As always if you are unsure about anything on your display, we would suggest consulting a professional installer or electrician before installation.
@@ChristmasDesigners thank you for your help
Hello
How do you call those male and female adapters?? That you use to connect it
They are female and male vampire plugs. You can find them www.christmasdesigners.com/catalogsearch/result/?q=vampire%20plugs
how to remove afther
A lot of the glue will peel off when you gently pull the lights off. For some tougher glue, you may need to use a chisel to help peel it off. And for more stubborn residue, Isopropyl Alchohol works well.
Great Video, but I have one question: who the H..l did the brick work on that house? kids would do a better job..
Thanks for watching the video and for your feedback @joyridef6830. We're glad you found the content helpful. As for the brickwork, we're just focused on helping people get those Christmas lights up safely and easily. If you have any questions about attaching lights to brick, feel free to ask-we're happy to help!
Used this method on a different type of light where there is no flat base. 30% has fallen lol also it’s probably not good for -40 climates
I have a question please. We used a professional company last year to hang lights at a Monument. In about 3 days large areas of lights came unglued and were hanging off the monument. By week 2 almost all the lights were unglued. They came out and re glued but it still didn't work. They said it was the strong winds, which I didn't believe their story. This was so disappointing for us. So do you think they didn't prepare the surface of the Monument first (cleaning) before gluing down the lights? Do you think they used the wrong glue? We paid a lot of money and really don't want to go through that again. Would love your opinion. Thank you.
Monument signs tend to have surfaces with more carbon and dirt buildup. So it's possible that the glue was not sticking very well because of that. It could also be that they were not using enough glue to hold the sockets properly in place or not gluing every socket. When sockets are skipped, the wind tends to move those sockets back and forth until the rest of the line comes free. Our own installation teams have done thousands of monument signs over the past 40 years with hot glue and it's very rare for the lights to come off, even with high winds.
@@ChristmasDesigners that's impressive! I was wondering about the same thing, especially with carbon build-up relating to things near roads. (It is amazing how much residual carbon dust gets caked on things near busy streets!) Have you had any issues with water/hummidty and freeze thaw cycles with the hot glue? I love the concept... I must've been using low temp hotglue in my previous poor results...
they fell off 2 days later
Does not seem like the glue would hold very long. When the bulbs get warm the glue will soften and release the hold. Same as too cold...turns glue brittle....not to mention strong winds at play.
As professional installers, we use this technique on hundreds of installs every year. We have colleagues that use hot glue in conditions below -30 degrees Fahrenheit and the glue holds up well. As far as bulb heat, we have not encountered any problems with that in the 40 years we've been using hot glue. Even prior to cool burning LEDs, there was not any significant heat generation at the base of the bulbs.
Bet they all fall off with a gust of wind
Nothing like having blobs of glue stuck all over the brick on your house forever