Hanging string lights isn’t difficult when your pergola is made of wood, but what if your pergola is made of metal?
More specifically, aluminum.
Well then, it’s definitely a little more difficult! With wood, your biggest concern is ensuring that there are no fly away wires and everything looks neat.
With aluminum, however, you must get a little creative when thinking about how to hang them up and get them attached to the pergola.
Since metal pergolas are increasingly on the rise, we decided to pull together this comprehensive guide on how to hang string lights on aluminum pergolas.
Keep reading to find out everything you need and all of your options for hanging your string lights on a metal pergola.
What are metal (aluminum) pergolas?
We’ll fill you in on exactly what a pergola is if you don’t know what it is.
A pergola is a garden feature that is intended to provide a shaded sitting area, passageway or walkway.
A pergola is generally constructed from vertical pillars or posts that support some type of crossbeaming, and may support a lattice or a combination of both. Pergolas also may have trained woody vines grown up and over the pergola to provide shade.
The word pergola originates from the Latin word pergola, meaning a projecting eave, but the English term comes from the Italian term pergola.
The term was first mentioned in 1645 by English writer John Evelyn in Rome.
Pergolas are not built to protect from elements.
Ultimately, pergolas are shaded and decorative areas that better your backyard and home.
If the pergola is open at both ends, it isn’t a pergola, it is an arbor. A true pergola has a wall for the pillars or posts to attach to.
How to attach string lights to an aluminum pergola
If you’ve ever had a wooden pergola, I bet you knew hanging string lights to it was a twenty-minute job.
And you probably also figured out that there are many simple ways to attach them.
However, when you have a metal pergola – you can’t use many of those same options.
So lets take a look at these options for hanging string lights.
1. Don’t hang, just wrap
Depending on your string lights, you might be able to wrap the lights around the beams of the pergola without needing to secure the lights at all.
This is an option you would want to use if you have small bulbs and probably wouldn’t want to use with large ones.
You will also want to use longer lights (or more than one set of string lights) for this method, as the wrapping will take away some of the overall length.
This may present problems with electricity and outlets, as if you use more than one set of string lights, you probably want to start them at different places.
You can however also use outdoor string lights which do not have electricity.
2. Cable ties
Plastic cable ties are a fantastic solution for fixing your light wires to a metal frame.
All you have to do is place the string light in the position you want and wrap the cable tie around the pergola and the wire and tighten in place.
Cable ties are a one-use fixing and will require cutting to remove but will last for a long time.
They are also available in all colors including translucent, so you can find one to camouflage into the pergola.
Works Great – If you don’t have cable ties, string or wire ties will work as well.
3. Create a chandelier
If you want to show off your decorative and creative side, use string lights to make your own chandelier.
For this, you’ll need:
- a metal hoop
- some wire
- some metal paint
- and your string lights
The first step is to paint the hoop with some metal paint (the best choice is a spray paint).
You should use a color that is either the color that matches your pergola, or the color of string light wires.
When your hoop is the color you want, and it is dry, use pieces of wire and evenly space them along the hoop.
This is where the lights will attach, so you want to space them evenly. Make sure you are using enough wire to attach the light wires.
Once the wire is in place, attach your string lights appropriately.
Now you have a DIY chandelier and you will only need to attach this to one point in the center of your pergola.
4. Hooks and anchors
While this is a time-consuming method, adding anchors to your pergola will give you a permanent and good method of hanging string lights.
You’re going to need to drill holes in the aluminum wherever you want a hook.
You want to make sure you choose the appropriate drill bolt and hole size for the hooks and anchors you will use.
You should also ensure you used galvanized hooks and anchors so they won’t rust or corrode when exposed to the elements.
After you drill the holes, insert your anchors, and screw your hooks in place facing upward.
Once you have the hooks in place, you can hang string lights however you like.
If you want to create more security for the lights, you can use plastic ties to secure them however you want.
When Using This Method – You should be careful to make sure you know what you’re doing because the nature of drilling into aluminum means you are permanently changing your pergola, and if you make a mistake you won’t have a way to fix it.
FAQs on how to hang lights on aluminum pergolas
What type of drill bit should I use for aluminum?
If you’re going to use hooks and anchors in your pergola and you’re drilling into them, you’ll need a drill bit suitable for the application.
Aluminum is soft, so you could probably get away with using a standard drill bit for this application. But given that aluminum has a low melting point, it would be best to use a cobalt drill bit to dissipate heat faster and keep the two metals cooler.
If drilling aluminum, what speed should I use?
The recommended speed to drill aluminum is 200 rpm to 300 rpm. A slower drill speed is important in reducing heat build-up.
Do I need lubrication when drilling aluminum?
It’s always a good idea to use a lubricant to reduce friction and minimize the heat build-up.
Final thoughts on how to hand string lights on an aluminum pergola
So, we’ve looked at four different ways to hang string lights on a metal pergola.
Each are decent methods, but some are more permanent than others.
The most important decision factor is your pergola design and how meaningful it is to you to use cable ties or hook and anchors.
Once you drill holes in a pergola, you can’t go back, so be confident this is the method you want to pursue!