Patio String Lights: A Comprehensive List Of The Different Types

By Chloe

When first deciding to buy lights for any occasion, Christmas, a wedding, or halloween, it can be difficult to find the lights you are looking for, just because there are so many different varieties of outdoor patio string lights. Browsing on the web can be difficult if you do not know what patio lights you are looking for, so please find below a list that describes all of the major tools in the patio/party decorators luminescent entourage.

Miniature Light Strings: Christmas, Icicle, and Net

Miniature lights are typically the size and shape of a candle flame and can be found on Christmas displays everywhere. Coming in multiple colors or plain white typically, these patio string lighting displays are historically the ‘bread and butter’ of Holiday decorations ($1 for 10 lights). The icicle and net varieties may be found, as well, though are not as common. Icicle lights, as the name implies, resemble icicles (a number of small strands are connected to the main line, hanging down under an awning or wainscot, like icicles; ($1 for 2-3). Net lights similarly are what they sound like – a number of lights splayed out in a net ($1 for 10).

Stock Holiday Lights: C7 and C9 LED Lights

These are the acorn-sized patio light strings that are most often seen around the holiday season. People drag spools from their closets and go about the task of testing each strand to see which bulbs need to be replaced. The bulbs retail for around $1 each, more for C9 bulbs, and the spools are sold for about $1 for each 3 sockets. The frequency of sockets is variable as are the coloration of the bulbs.

Globe Party Lights: G40 and G50 Lights

This category of patio string light is the next step up in size, with bulbs a little larger than walnuts. Clear bulbs or those of any color are available on a variety of differently colored cords. Sets retail for approximately $1 for each light and typically come in strings of 15 or 25. As shapes vary considerably, they may be used for various occasions, including weddings, parties, halloween, and so on.

Rope Lights

Also found quite often around the holiday season, rope lights are used to wrap around trees or to form outlines of figures, such as Santa’s sleigh and reindeer, Frosty the Snowman, etc. Most come with removable sections and will list the length of each of these sections – i.e. “Cuttable every 5 ft.” Prices vary, depending on voltage, dependability, cuttability (<$1 per foot), and whether it is chasing or not. Chasing rope lights are much more expensive ($2-$5, depending on programmability), and are designed to give the impression of movement along the rope.

Floralytes

The odd-light-out in this collection of string lights are floralytes – they are not strung, but rather involve independently battery-run lights which may are used most often for weddings in floral arrangements (as the name suggests). They are fairly expensive ($3 per light) and are often disposable, which is why they are most often used for once-in-a-lifetime events. Some of the higher-end models are even submersible, for use in pools, ponds or vases.