How to hang icicle lights so they actually look like icicles

Quick answer: fix the bar along the edge you want to light, not in the middle of a wall, and hang it so the longest strands clear the surface behind by at least 5 cm. Icicle lights read as icicles only when the drop is visible against a plain background and the strands are of mixed lengths.

1. Pick the edge, not the wall

Icicle bars are designed to hang from a horizontal line: the front edge of a porch roof, a fascia, a pergola beam, a window head, a balcony rail. Hanging one flat against a wall kills the effect because the strands collapse against the surface.

2. Measure the run before you buy

Measure the full edge, corner to corner, and add 10% for the drop at each end. If you plan to link two bars end to end, check the total length against the supply first — linked runs have a maximum.

Our bars: Frostfall icicle cascade lights (4 m to 5 m runs) and Rainfall 96-head bar for long fascias.

3. Height and clearance

• Porch fascia: 2.1–2.4 m from the ground so people walk under it.
• Window head: 5–10 cm above the frame so the strands fall across the glass, not over the wall.
• Pergola beam: along the outer beam, with the strands hanging inward.

Whatever the position, keep the longest strands clear of doors, gates and steps.

4. Fix it so it survives wind

Clips and hooks are not included with most bars, so plan the fixings: gutter clips for fascia, screw hooks for beams, cable ties for rails. Space them every 40–50 cm. On an exposed wall, add a fixing at both ends and one in the middle rather than pulling the bar tight.

5. Power and control

Mains bars need an outdoor-rated socket; keep the plug and any connector above ground level. If the bar will run for hours every evening, mains is the right choice — battery versions exist but dim over a long evening.

Common mistakes

• Hanging on a wall instead of an edge (the strands bunch up).
• Buying one bar for a double-frontage house.
• Letting strands touch the ground or a wet step.
• Mixing warm white and cool white on the same facade — pick one.

Next: how many lights you need — or browse Christmas Lights.