Make an Outdoor Chandelier with Icicle Christmas Lights
It doesn’t have to be the holidays for you to display this twinkling celebration of lights in your backyard or porch. In fact, these chandeliers covered with icicle Christmas lights would be ideal for a wedding or any other special event. Although the chandelier may look complicated to create, even the least handy craftsman or woman could master this project with ease.
Steps
Pick Up Supplies
- Purchase the chandelier frame--a standard hula hoop. The hula hoop must be new and very sturdy because it will serve as the basis of the chandelier.
- Avoid purchasing a hula hoop with beads or sand inside (some hula hoops are designed to make a little noise). Unless you are looking for a somewhat noisy chandelier test the hula hoop before you purchase.
- Purchase a can of black (or white) spray paint. You want to transform the hula hoop from a toy to a sturdy chandelier frame.
- Pick up two strands of new icicle white lights, duct tape and an extension cord. You want the duct tape color to match the color of the paint you will be using to cover the hula hoop. Also, always go for new lights as lights from holidays past may have burned out or could be on their last leg.
- Purchase hard plastic pole tubing that you will use to hang the chandelier. You want three poles of the same length that can be joined together at the top.
- As an option you can use a ball of twine to hold your chandelier.
Create the Chandelier
- Spray paint the hula hoop and allow for ample dry time. Spread newspaper or cover the surface before you paint to protect your floor or room. Also, paint in a well ventilated area to avoid being exposed to hazardous fumes.
- Allow up to 48 hours for dry time depending on the number of coats you used and humidity levels. You don't want to start the project with a wet hula hoop.
- Spray paint the plastic pole tubing the same color and allow ample time for the tubing to dry.
- Join the two strands of icicles together. Tuck any excess wire underneath and tape with the duct tape. You want a seamless, continuous strand to wind around the hoop.
- Lay icicles around the edge of the hula hoop. Essentially you are determining placement before you tape the icicles in place. Make sure the entire hoop is covered and icicles are draping downward off the hoop.
- Tape icicle wire to the hula hoop. Wind tape around in a circular motion, covering the wire but not the lights. Smooth any bubbles or bumps along the way.
- Join the tubing to the hula hoop, locating each tube well spaced around the perimeter of the hoop. You should essentially be creating a pyramid with the tube.
- Use duct tape to join the tube to the hoop and the three tubes together at the top.
- Optionally you can tie the twine forming a cross and hang it up on a hook.
- Run the light cord along one of the tubes (the closest to the end) and tape in place. Use the extension cord to plug into an outlet. Do the same if you're going to the twine.
Tips
- Avoid having to plug the lights in by purchasing battery operated icicle lights.
- Cover as much of the icicle cord with duct tape as possible to create the illusion that the icicles are part of the hoop.
