IP65 LED string lights

Start by checking your protection rating: IP65 for a facade, a pergola or an open terrace, IP44 for a covered balcony, a gazebo or a conservatory. Then pick your string lights by length, material and power source, solar or mains.

What is an IP65 LED string light and where can you install it?

An IP65 LED string light is protected against dust and water jets: it stays uncovered on a facade, a pergola or a fence. The IP44 models in the collection resist water splashes and are meant for a sheltered outdoor space, under an awning, a gazebo or a conservatory.

Outdoor LED string lights: the difference between IP44 and IP65

The first digit of the rating covers solids, the second covers liquids. IP44 corresponds to water splashes, IP65 to water jets and dust. An IP65 outdoor string light therefore withstands driving rain and wind-blown water, whereas an IP44 model needs protection above it. Both families sit side by side in decorative string lights, so read the rating before the style.

What to check before leaving a string light outside

Look at the cable length left after the last light point, the position of the power supply and how well the fixings hold. A power block sitting in a puddle cancels out the benefit of a high rating. Also check that the product is actually stated for outdoor use, connectors and connections included, not just the bulbs. The selection of IP44 models will do if your support stays under cover.

How to choose between an IP44 string light and an IP65 string light?

IP65 suits direct exposure to rain, on a wall, a pergola or a fence. IP44 is enough for a covered balcony, a terrace under an awning or a gazebo. Choose the rating based on where the string light will spend the rainy season, before choosing its style.

What an IP rating really protects

The rating describes how well the casing resists, not the quality of the light or the lifespan of the product. An IP65 string light made unusable by a damaged cable is no better than a well-placed IP44 model. The general rule still holds: the higher the second digit, the stronger the protection against water.

Wind, sea spray and walkways: where to place each model

Under an awning, by the sea or on a windy balcony, an IP44 model hung close to the wall holds up very well. On a fully exposed fence, a seafront railing or an open pergola, aim for IP65 or move the line under a support. The Tubolux LED tube was designed for this kind of straight run.

What length of string lights for a terrace, a balcony or a garden?

Measure the distance between your two hanging points, then allow for the drop. The collection covers lengths from 266 cm for a railing or a small balcony up to 1,000 cm for a pergola, with a 300 x 200 cm light curtain to dress a wall.

Which short string light for a balcony or a railing?

Between 266 cm and 330 cm, the line stretches from one post to the other without touching the ground. The cracked glass balls of the Verrano model or the clear stars of Odo give spaced-out light points, visible from the living room. A string light with wooden shades like Luca warms the whole setting without glare.

Long string lights and light curtains for a large terrace

Beyond 450 cm, you cover a pergola or a tree branch in one run, with no visible connector. The Federigo LED light curtain, at 300 x 200 cm, dresses a wall or a section of conservatory over its full height. Allow for the drop between two points: a taut line slackens in the wind.

How to install outdoor string lights?

Secure the cables with hooks or fixings suited to the surface, keeping the power supply clear of standing water. Without an outdoor socket, solar or rechargeable string lights avoid any wiring. Check the total cable length and the position of the power block before stringing the lights up.

Fixing a string light to a facade or a pergola

On a solid wall, screw hooks or cable clips are enough. On a wooden pergola or a metal railing, prefer fixings that do not damage the material and do not pinch the cable. Stretch between two fixed points so the line does not sag in the middle, and keep enough slack to absorb gusts.

Powering outdoor string lights: protected socket, solar or battery

A protected outdoor socket suits 220V LED string lights, provided the power block is raised. The 24V versions and models with a built-in battery do without a nearby socket. For a garden with no electrical point at all, solar garden string lights settle the question in one go.

Which materials and moods for boho or retro string lights?

Boho models combine natural wood, braided jute, rope and bamboo in beige, brown or amber tones. Clear plastic plays the retro card with visible-filament E27 bulbs, while cracked glass, multicoloured glass and warm white glass at 2700 to 3500 K give brighter reflections.

Natural wood and braided jute for a boho feel

Wood and jute spread a subdued light, very soft in the evening on a terrace. The Luntorena jute ball string light gives that sandy finish, and the Rotinara three-shade string light plays on stronger volumes. These materials are still stated as IP44: an awning or a gazebo protects them.

Cracked glass, bamboo and clear plastic: the other finishes

Cracked glass breaks the light into small bright points, bamboo brings an organic pattern that blends into the greenery. Clear plastic, on the other hand, shows the bulb and its filament, with a bolder look. The Camillo bamboo string light and the Zentoressa star string light illustrate these two directions.

Can LED string lights replace an LED ceiling light or an LED wall light?

A string light creates ambient light and outlines a shape, a table or a railing: some models are rated 1 W or 1.6 W. To actually light a room, a hallway or a facade, add an LED ceiling light, an LED pendant or an LED wall light suited to outdoor use.

String light or LED wall light for a terrace wall?

A string light fixes to the same supports as a wall light: wall, post, screen block, underside of an awning. It is enough if you are after a decorative line of light. To light a walkway, a door or a staircase, the LED wall light remains the right answer, and our Designix lighting collection brings its families together.

String light or LED pendant above an outdoor table?

Above a table, the string light sets the mood, the pendant or ceiling light provides the useful light. Many terraces combine both: a line of string lights around the edge, a high point in the centre. Browse all our light fittings to find the main light that will complete your string lights.

Solar string light or plug-in string light: which to choose?

Solar suits gardens, courtyards and balconies with no socket: the panel captures daylight and gives the light back at nightfall. A plug-in string light, in 24V or 220V, switches on regardless of the weather as long as a protected socket stays accessible.

Solar string light: the right choice for a garden with no socket

It is the solution when running a line to the back of the garden is not an option. The Lumivine solar string light goes on a hedge or a distant pergola. The panel's exposure matters more than the length: a spot shaded all day will give a weaker result.

Plug-in string light: plan for an accessible power source

On a covered terrace or a balcony with a socket, the light stays constant whatever the weather. Rechargeable string lights offer a compromise: bring them in to charge, take them back out for the evening. The format you choose depends above all on the distance between the hanging point and the socket.

What budget should you plan for outdoor LED string lights?

The budget depends on length, material and power source: short plastic or glass models stay the most affordable, long wood, jute or bamboo runs and light curtains sit higher. Every product page shows the current price.

What makes the price of a string light vary

Four factors weigh in: cable length, the material of the light points, the power source (solar, battery, mains) and the number of points. An 800 cm wood or jute string light needs more material than a 266 cm model. The bulb type, LED or E27 fitting, also counts.

Affordable model or more elaborate piece: how to decide

If the string light stays outside all year on an exposed facade, favour the protection rating and the strength of the fixings. If it decorates a gazebo for the warm season, a lighter clear glass or plastic model is more than enough. Find both approaches in all our LED string lights.

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Still hesitating between a tube, a curtain or a line of bulbs? Compare the Tubolux white LED tube and the Coco retro bulb string light, then choose your length in the LED string light catalogue.

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