How to hang Christmas lights on siding, brick and shingles

Which clip for which surface

Vinyl siding

Vinyl siding is the easiest. Siding clips hook over the bottom edge of a panel and hold a cord or a bulb socket without piercing anything. Place one every 12 inches for C9 and about every 8 inches for mini lights, the same density the calculator uses.

Cold plastic is less forgiving, so pick a mild dry day and do not force a clip into a tight panel.

What siding makers and installers say about hooks and holes

• Hooks leave no holes. Metal siding hooks slide up under the panel and latch behind it, and they come off cleanly. Add zip ties to keep strands from blowing off in wind (Hunker).
• J-channel is a free mount. The trim channel around windows and doors can hold C7 bulbs and wire without fasteners (Hunker).
• Never staple, nail or screw into siding. Fasteners open holes that let water in (Hunker), and holes hurt performance and resale value (Feldco).
• Buy rust-resistant clips. Bargain clips can rust and leave stains that are hard to remove; stainless steel avoids that (Hunker).
• Suction cups need prep and patience. Clean with soap and water, then rubbing alcohol, let it dry, wet the cup, press firmly and wait about a day before hanging anything. Heavy decorations are a poor fit for vinyl (Feldco).

How many clips for a 40 ft run

Clips are counted per run, rounded up to a 10, with the usual 10 percent slack. For 40 ft of roof edge that is 50 clips for C9 and 70 for mini lights, since mini lights take 1.5 clips per foot against 1 for C9. Brick clips on a mortar line follow the same counts.

Shingles and the roof edge

Shingle clips slide under the tab of an asphalt shingle and are held by the shingle. They are meant to be removed. In cold weather the shingle tab is brittle and can crack, so use these on a mild day. Roof ladders and walking on the roof are for pros. If the run is on the roof slope itself, hire an installer.

Use the same clips along gables. A gable edge is a roof edge and takes about the same clip spacing as a gutter run.

Brick, stone and stucco

Brick clips grip the mortar joint with a spring or a wedge. They work on brick with recessed joints and not on flush, painted or very hard stone. For smooth surfaces such as painted brick or stucco, stick-on clips rated for outdoors and cold work only on clean, dry surfaces and fail in rain or ice. If you want permanent anchors, set a screw-in hook into solid wood trim, or into a mortar joint (not the brick face) with a masonry anchor, once, and reuse it every year. Never put one through siding or shingles.

Do not use hot glue, duct tape or adhesives that are not rated for outdoor temperature. They fail and pull paint when removed.

Plan the cord path first

Before you clip anything, plan where the cord goes: from the outlet, along the base of the wall, then up in one place. Hide cord runs along the bottom of a downspout or behind a shrub. Count your clips with the calculator.

If the house is old, soft or painted with lead-era paint, ask a pro. Adhesives and clips can pull flaking paint.