Every time people think of string lights, they generally think of a twisted heap that you hang up every Christmas. You may be amazed to learn that string lights are perfect for decorating all-year-round and they can enhance your patio decor.
Compared to most low voltage garden decorative lights, string lights ordinarily require 110 household current. Hence your foremost concern is to make certain you have an outlet available. On the majority of patios, the outlet is right beside the door, but they may also be found on the railing. You want to devise your setup so as not to have the power cord extended into a space where people may encounter them. If that is not an option, the next best thing to do is to have an electrician add a couple of additional outlets outside your house. Odds are that if you are sprucing up your outdoor space, you will need the additional power for more lights as well as appliances or a TV.
When picking ornamental string lights, make certain they are also designed for outdoor purposes. Some of them are not. Additionally, make certain that they are wired correctly so that even if a bulb or two burns out, the string will still stay lit. Most are accompanied with a small fuse, if so an additional one is great and some extra light bulbs as well.
When going for simple elegance, ordinary white ornamental Christmas lights have plenty of potential. They can be woven around railings, hanging around the underside of patio umbrellas, or simply suspended above the outdoor area to give the impression of a star field effect. These will complement any decoration and, when done well, can look elegant.
Of course, decorative string lights are available in an assortment of designs, from the traditional clear light bulb look to lights with novelty designs, for almost any event. Many novelty lights are basically ordinary white lights with some kind of plastic embellishment attached to each LED light.
Most sets include information on the number of strings that can be linked together when sharing an outlet. These are often conservative approximations but don't go too far over the allowed number of strings because it may trigger the breaker, or GFI to trip.
Adding ornamental string lights to your patio lighting display can make a huge difference, at a very low cost!