A Better Christmas Light Hook
By Benjamen Johnson
Putting up Halloween decorations today reminded me it won’t be long before I’ll be struggling with hanging the Christmas lights. I’m always looking for a better way to hang lights, and I think these stainless-steel loop hooks from Lee Valley look promising — a lot more promising than plastic gutter S-hooks that can pinch your cold fingers.
Think of an eye hook — now bend the tag end perpendicularly away from the shaft and squish the loop so the tag end overlaps the loop. The hook that’s left completely captures the wire, yet you can easily remove the it without backing the entire string through the eye. The loop hook can accommodate wires up to 5/16″ in diameter.
A package of 20 loop hooks will run you $13 before shipping.
Loop Hooks [Lee Valley]
October 20th, 2009 at 11:52 am
I usually use these and cable ties..
http://www.amazon.com/Startech-HC102-Adhesive-Cable-Mounts/dp/B00008VFBE
You can add a flathead screw if needed.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
Unless you’re trying to keep your lights up in a hurricane, cup hooks are quite sufficient. With cup hooks, I can put up all of my lights while standing on the ground using a broom stick with a nail sticking out the side as a hook. With these new hooks, I’d have to drag out the ladder. No thanks.
October 20th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I was looking for a way to split my trim - these look like a great way to do that.
Predrill - anyone?
October 20th, 2009 at 12:56 pm
agreed with dave, and they would be unsitely when the christmas lights were not up. popular science had a diy for make your own beer bottle lights, though, the neighbors could look at your adornments all year round
October 20th, 2009 at 2:19 pm
What Dave said.
October 20th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Cool, looks like an answer for me. Gotta get all my green lights up before the ‘Riders win the Grey Cup.
Here in Southern Alberta we get many Chinook winds in the winter that do a number on xmas lights. The Chinooks bring winds gusting up to and beyond 100 km/h and all the plastic hooks I have found just don’t hold up,…
October 20th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Dave’s got the plan. I’ve used brass cup hooks for 35+ years with no issues.
October 20th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
I have had brass cup hooks up for about 6 years now on the front of my house. When I painted the house 2 years ago I painted them along with the trip, and they are not noticeable at all from the ground. Have not had a set of the lights pop off of them yet! Makes it so much easier than the shingle style hooks and hold up way better. Yes, I pre-drilled them too to prevent splitting…
October 21st, 2009 at 8:44 am
I thought ‘pre’-drilling was getting the drill out of the case and making the hole was drilling.
October 21st, 2009 at 9:19 am
You could probably cut a short slot in the end of a broomstick for the wire and use that to manipulate the wire into and out of this hook.
Dave
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:51 am
It’s October folks!
October 22nd, 2009 at 4:27 pm
@MMel - Thanks for the laugh