Bucsfan15 18 Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 I always liked the clean lines of lights around windows. How do you get the perfect number of lights around windows without extra lights exposed or too little lights to fit around the window? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Lee_N_the_NorthWest 10 Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 That depends on the type of lights you use. I use LED lights and I cover the extra lights with something black. or you could use something like these. http://www.christmas-light-source.com/Mini-Light-Black-Out-Caps_c_222.html Quote Link to post Share on other sites
vkjohnson 7 Posted October 20, 2013 Report Share Posted October 20, 2013 I use several strands of minis around my windows. Ends up going around the window 3-4 times. You can't tell when one side of the window has 3 layers of lights and the other has 4. Makes 'em bright too. The other way is to use c7 or c9 sockets with normal bulbs or LED retro fits. Those are in a parallel circuit so you can cut to length without hassle. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bucsfan15 18 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2013 Thanks for the feedback guys I'm going to see what works best but I'm definitely doing it this year. Thanks Again. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
BaldEagleChristmas 24 Posted October 25, 2013 Report Share Posted October 25, 2013 I used mini lights around windows for a few years and they bugged the heck out of me because they were always loose and crooked. Then I switched to C9s that I could keep perfectly straight and cut to length held in place with wires through eye hooks. Then we got new windows and my wife said that I was NOT drilling those. So I currently use frames from I think Frame My World with C9s and they work well. I have them situated so that they are visible from the inside and the outside and they are actually among my favorite lights because they are so festive from the inside! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Scott 0 Posted October 27, 2013 Report Share Posted October 27, 2013 I frame my windows with C-6 Led's. No window is exactly the length of a string. So, I must "double wrap" (go past my starting point on the window, and retrace the first layer of string). As my house is 120' from the road, you can barely tell I did this. And there is so much going on, I think I'm the only one that notices. Another thought, but more labor intensive, black electrical tape. Tape over the extra bulbs. No one (even you) can tell there are extra. Downside, that string MUST be marked solely for THAT window for next year. More labor. One of my windows, 1 string leaves me 5' short of a full square. I just throw another string on and go around again. Now I have a square, and no one has ever complained to me about this! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ErnieHorning 2 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 I don’t frame my windows but I do frame my shutters. The same idea would work for both. I used 100 mini’s on the large shutter and cut them in half and only used 50 on the smaller ones. The lights are kept straight by lots of wire ties attached to PVC pipe. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
LangfordDave 5 Posted October 28, 2013 Report Share Posted October 28, 2013 (edited) I built frames out of J channel I measured the window circumference, then divided by the number of lights on your string (70 in my case) to get a rough idea of light spacing (eg 200 inches / 70 lights = ~3 (well, 2.85) inch spacing). I didn't want lights right in the corner of the fame so I tweaked it a bit to have them line up nicely but ended up with 2 extra lights. I wrapped them in black electrical tape to hide from sight. Edited October 28, 2013 by LangfordDave Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CrossroadsToNowhere 0 Posted October 29, 2013 Report Share Posted October 29, 2013 Ernie, thats amazing brother. The amount of time I would have spent laying in bed at night thinking of something like that would be ridiculous. I am already thinking of doing a type of 2" wooden frame with holes in it for the lights to neatly sit in. My windows are all set inside the wall rather than the flushmount types most people have. Thanks for the idea..... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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