Putting up lights outside house

I'm what's known as a DIY novice - or complete f***kin cabbage - when it comes to basic household jobs.

Today's task: 'just hang those LED lights across the front of the house'. So, after standing outside for five minutes looking up at the fascia above the porch, I Googled it. That just gave me loads of videos of American companies trying to sell me clips and magnet systems.

Is there a simpler way? Or do I need to go buy some clips? If so, which ones?

There's a plastic fascia that runs across the front of the porch which would be a nice spot for the lights.

Please, please help.

NapoleonInRags

The main diy stores and the likes of Homestore sell the bags of clips for 2 or 3 quid.

They just clip onto the drain and the clip at the front holds the lead for the lights - piece of piss really.

Thanks NapoleanInRags. Appreciate the tip and the Dylan reference in your username

Let's see how simple it is - I often find a way to complicate simple DIY jobs. It's like DIY dyslexia: my brain just doesn't quite work the way other people's brains work!

owen85

apparently curtain hoops work a treat

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=93633975

sgarvan

I got some of these and trimmed them a little and tapped them into the facia board. I trimmed them enough to slide the LED lights into. Then next year you just need to hang the lights back up onto the clips

Longboard

Pretty similar to whats already been mentioned.
I've hung lights to the PVC fascia using clips made from plastic binder spines (most stationary stores have them) cut to 1 inch lengths using snips.



They are clipped in every 12 inches or so as shown below.


Try get the spines the same colour as the fascia.

jack of all

It may be a better idea to use a proprietary clip system or the binding spines already mentioned, rather than resort to using nail-in cable clips. Unless you pre-drill each location there's a good chance you could crack or splinter PVC fascia- especially if it's been there a few years and tends to become brittle after long term exposure to UV.