Full Griswold

[Road Guy]

So this year I am going to do it. I have been slowly buying 600 packs of lights ever since they went on sale in August  ..

What's the best way to accomplish the roof / house full of lights? Just suck it up and get on a ladder the old fashioned way?  It would be nice if they sold some sort of pre arranged 10X10 grid you could buy and lay out on your roof?  & If you have seen that for sale let me know!!!!

Wish I had a truck so I could just rent some scaffolding...

 

[tj_PE]

my neighbor rents a driveable boom lift thing to do paint touchups on his house - he said it is like $500 for a day, but if you rent on friday or saturday morning, you get it for the whole weekend. that would probably be more efficient for installment, at least. 

 

[Freon]

I rent a towed boom lift from Sunbelt to put up the lights.  But I have 22' from ground to roof line.  That is a lot of time going up and down an extension ladder.  

 

[FLBuff PE]

Can you construct a simple grid with 1/2" or 1" PVC, and secure that to your roof? Pre-string the lights on it with zip ties, then carry the whole thing up?

 

[Ble_PE]

 

[Supe]

Search for "grid lights" or "net lights".  They sell them in 4x8 sections at least.  They're supposed to be an easy way to cover bushes and shit, but you can lay them out flat.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

@Supe beat me to it, but what size lights. Not that it matters since you already bought them, but I know that they sell pre-made grids of LED for ease of programmable displays.

 

[Road Guy]

man I feel dumb (which happens often) 

https://www.yardenvy.com/p/Net-Lights-Red-Green-Wire-15248.htm#15248?utm_source=bing&utm_campaign=lights&utm_medium=pla

I had been scouring the retail stores and didn't see much - I can still take back my rolls of 600 lights I think - but I may keep some....

 

[Supe]

If you had to use the string lights, I would probably use the mounts that slide under the shingle at the peak, and the ones that clip on the shingle at the roof edge, space them however you want, and then just loop them top to bottom in a zig zag or S pattern.

 

[mudpuppy]

If you use incandescents, but careful how many you string together.  I ran into issues with blowing fuses last year stringing too many together (approximately 8 strings.)

Alternatively if you can swing the cost of LEDs, you can string about a quarter mile of those together.

 

[Road Guy]

I was going to plug them into the outlet on the street light in front of my house   (not joking) I have been doing that the last several years. There isn't a sign that says not to use...

so I was thinking about the PVC Option - I was thinking of trying to get some measurements and then make something that would fit where I could just pre make it and then pop it in with help from my dependents. I think that would result in less ladder time -  & We have some weird roof angles - but not too steep, just a broken up rooflines.. & I could reuse it every year and just slide it under my porch.

What I would love to find is one of those older plastic santas to put on the roof (like circa 1980's)

 

[MA_PE]

I was going to plug them into the outlet on the street light in front of my house   (not joking) I have been doing that the last several years. There isn't a sign that says not to use...

so I was thinking about the PVC Option - I was thinking of trying to get some measurements and then make something that would fit where I could just pre make it and then pop it in with help from my dependents. I think that would result in less ladder time -  & We have some weird roof angles - but not too steep, just a broken up rooflines.. & I could reuse it every year and just slide it under my porch.

What I would love to find is one of those older plastic santas to put on the roof (like circa 1980's)

https://www.ebay.com/itm/46-Empire-Santa-Claus-Toy-Bag-Blow-Mold-Vintage-Illuminated-Light-Yard-Decor/382619865180?hash=item5915ebd05c

 

[knight1fox3]

Can't wait to see the final product! :thumbs:

 

[jeb6294]

https://www.acehardware.com/search?query=Griswold

 

[Road Guy]

I don't normally get suckered into buying t-shirts off FB ads but damn this is going to be hard to pass on!

 

[Audi Driver P.E.]

So this year I am going to do it. I have been slowly buying 600 packs of lights ever since they went on sale in August  ..

What's the best way to accomplish the roof / house full of lights? Just suck it up and get on a ladder the old fashioned way?  It would be nice if they sold some sort of pre arranged 10X10 grid you could buy and lay out on your roof?  & If you have seen that for sale let me know!!!!

Wish I had a truck so I could just rent some scaffolding...

Just rent the truck from home depot too.

 

[RBHeadge PE]

How did the lights look?