Christmas lights add sparkle, color, and scintillate to the holiday season. However, it can be difficult to estimate how many Christmas lights you will need to decorate your home. Architectural features such as eaves, columns, spires, and windows in houses are too large to be easily calculated. yet, there are some rules of thumb and guidelines for buying the right number of lights to avoid empty spots or overloading your home with too many lights.

christmas lights

Number of Christmas lights in most homes

If you want to decorate the eaves of your house with Christmas lights in this classic way, buy the following products.

Front side only

Use two 32 FT mini lights for a total of 200 lights in either an average or small home.

If you prefer a C9 christmas light with a large 16-foot-long bulb, double the number of strands. So use 4 C9 strands for a total of 100 lights.

Depending on the length, the C9 strand has 1/4 to 1/2 the bulb of a mini light. Although they are few in number, C9 bulbs are much brighter than mini lights.

What are Eaves and Fascia?

The eaves are roof overhangs that protrude into the outer cladding. A fascia is the vertical part of the eave most commonly used to mount Christmas lights.

Front and Two Sides

Average House: Use 4 strings of 32 FT mini lights and 2 strings of 16 FT mini lights for a total of 500 lights. For c9 christmas lights, 10 for the 16-foot-long strands can be used.
Tiny House: Use 4 mini 32ft lights for a total of 400 lights. For a C9 bulb, use 7 for the 16-foot strands.

Large Projections

If the front or sides have large architectural details such as awnings, domes, or gables, add 10 feet for each detail.

Tip:

An average size new home is about 2,300 square feet. The Tiny House is about half that size, at 1,200 square feet. For both houses, the frontage length is calculated as 50 linear feet. For a small house, each side is assumed to be 24 linear feet. For an average-sized house, each side is assumed to be 46 linear feet.

christmas lights

Popular Christmas Lights and Press

  • Type (Single Strand) Average Length or Area Number of Lights
    Mini strand lights 14 feet 50
    Mini strand lights 32 feet 100
    Mini icicle lights 26 feet 300
    Large C9 style bulbs 16 feet 25
    Mid-size C7 style bulbs 24 feet 25
    Small C3 style bulbs 18 feet 50
    Net lights 4-foot by 6-foot 150
    Net lights 2-foot by 8-foot 150

How to Calculate the Number of Christmas Lights Needed

First measure your house, then add exterior elements to calculate how many Christmas lights you need to decorate your house.

  1. Measure the length of the front of your house (the width of the house as seen from the street). Use a laser meter or tape measure.
  2. If you want to cover the left and right, measure those too. The back of the house is usually not covered, but you can do so to add holiday flair to your deck, patio, or garden.
  3. When covering the vertices of a triangular roof (pitch ratio 4:12), its length is 26 1/2 feet at each vertex. This is based on a house with side lengths of 25 feet.
  4. Choose how many outdoor features you want and add them together.
  5. Add a foot or two to the light measurement for all strands (not webs). The length of the Christmas lights is described by two numbers: the length of the strands and the length of the lights. The lit length is always about a foot shorter than the strand length.

Number of Lights Required for Outdoor Functions

  • Shrubs and Hedges: 1-2 pieces of 4′ x 6′ lightweight netting for each shrub or hedge.
  • Trees: One 32 FT strand (100 lights) for every 1 1/2ft vertical evergreen tree. Or about 500-600 lights for an 8-foot tree.
  • Windows: One 16 FT strand per single wide window.
  • Doors: One 16 FT strand per door.
  • Planters: 14 FT string with 50 lights per planter.
  • Columns and Uprights: 7 FT vertical columns or 32 FT strings with 100 lights per upright.
  • Deck Railing: Measure your deck railing and use this measurement to determine the length of your light. If you plan to wrap the light instead of using clips, you’ll lose about a foot. So add one more foot.

Tip:

Want closer light spacing? An easy way to do this is to double the lights. Adjust the second line so that its bulb falls between the bulbs of the first line. Make sure your GFCI outlets and outdoor circuits can handle the increased load.

christmas lights

Number of Christmas Tree Lights

Underestimating the number of your Christmas tree lights will result in a dark and drab tree. Too many lights overwhelm the tree and distract from the ornaments and the tree itself.

A simple rule of thumb is to use one string (100 lights) for each vertical leg of the Christmas tree. If you like a slightly brighter tree, you need nothing more. Just add another strand.

  • Tree Height Average Number of Strands Strands for a Brighter Tree
    4 feet 4 strands or 400 lights 5 strands or 500 lights
    5 feet 5 strands or 500 lights 6 strands or 600 lights
    6 feet 6 strands or 600 lights 7 strands or 700 lights
    7 feet 7 strands or 700 lights 8 strands or 800 lights
    8 feet 8 strands or 800 lights 9 strands or 900 lights