OT: How To Mount LED Light String On Garage (Shop) Door

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  • Paul Alciatore
    Senior Member
    • May 2002
    • 17491

    OT: How To Mount LED Light String On Garage (Shop) Door

    I bought a string of solar powered LED lights to hang on the side of my garage door. This is primarily to help me back into the driveway after dark. If one works OK, I will buy one or three more for the other side of that door and for the other door. I guess I will hang the solar cell unit by fabricating a bracket to go around the rain gutter.

    But my house is brick and I am wondering how to attach the string of lights without messing up the bricks. Anybody have any suggestions. This will be on the corner of the bricks.
    Paul A.
    s
    Golden Triangle, SE Texas

    And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
    You will find that it has discrete steps.
  • Frank Ford
    Senior Member
    • Dec 2003
    • 1449

    #2
    Bet you could drill some teeny holes between the bricks, right at the corner and bend up some little wire clips to stick in them. Often enough a small hole is a lot less messy than any kind of surface mount adhesive gunk.
    Cheers,

    Frank Ford
    HomeShopTech

    Comment

    • mattthemuppet
      Senior Member
      • Oct 2012
      • 5045

      #3
      hot glue gun? they're pretty light. I have a couple and they work great in the summer but are completely useless in winter as they don't get enough sun to charge. I'm a fair ways north of you though. Also, the soldering on the connections of the ones I have is pretty poor, so I had to go through one and fix the loose connections after wrapping it around some hooks, real PITA but nice idea.

      Comment

      • Paul Alciatore
        Senior Member
        • May 2002
        • 17491

        #4
        Walla Walla WA; burrrrr!

        Beaumont TX; bright sunshine! Ahhhhh! I was working outside in my tee shirt today. Last snow was at least 20 years ago. But we do get clouds and rain. It will probably work 90% of the time or more.
        Paul A.
        s
        Golden Triangle, SE Texas

        And if you look REAL close at an analog signal,
        You will find that it has discrete steps.

        Comment

        • darryl
          Senior Member
          • Jan 2003
          • 14400

          #5
          If you're willing to drill into the brick- even a 1/8 hole- then more options open up. Otherwise you use some glue of some kind. I'd be tempted to use goop or E6000, one of those rubber compounds. They are at least hazy if not clear when cured, not something that would be a standout. Apply lights, stick in place with masking tape temporarily, keep going until it's all on. Where a wire has to leave the brickwork, you really should have some kind of stud embedded in the brick to take the strain. One way you could use this trick is to drill the small hole, clear it out, take some monel wire and fold it in half twice, insert end into hole with epoxy. When cured you have four weather resistant wires coming out which you can wrap around a wire or whatever to hold it in place. That's about as low profile as you can get.
          I seldom do anything within the scope of logical reason and calculated cost/benefit, etc- I'm following my passion-

          Comment

          • mattthemuppet
            Senior Member
            • Oct 2012
            • 5045

            #6
            Originally posted by Paul Alciatore View Post
            Walla Walla WA; burrrrr!

            Beaumont TX; bright sunshine! Ahhhhh! I was working outside in my tee shirt today. Last snow was at least 20 years ago. But we do get clouds and rain. It will probably work 90% of the time or more.
            true The low angle of the sun doesn't help either, the panels don't get much direct sunlight as the sun is still behind the house at mid day.

            oddly enough it's been up to 55F recently, warm enough that I can use my light jacket and shoes to work in the garage instead of my double insulated jacket and snow boots!

            Comment

            • Richard King
              Senior Member
              • Aug 2012
              • 509

              #7
              My son put up some cool LED lights on his house before Christmas and they are some new modern set up. He can call a number on his cell phone and can change the color of the lights. At Christmas they were green, red, white and he showed me on his cell phone he can change the color to red, white and blue for the 4 TH of July, Orange for Haloween, all white for summer parties in the yard.

              He has a cedar siding so he screwed in clips. He said he has them programmed to go on and off. Really neet! Amazing what they have invented. I can get you the brand name. PM me. Rich

              Comment

              • Baz
                Senior Member
                • May 2013
                • 2037

                #8
                Drill into the mortar between the bricks. Afterwards it can be filled and will look like the normal variations in quality and colour you get in this part of a house.

                Comment

                • vpt
                  Senior Member
                  • Dec 2009
                  • 8808

                  #9
                  JB weld some hooks to the bricks, holds like cement but can be chiseled off.
                  Andy

                  Comment

                  • michigan doug
                    Senior Member
                    • Nov 2011
                    • 1265

                    #10
                    I also vote for hot melt glue. It turns brown in the sun after a couple years. It holds well enough, but pries off pretty cleanly if needed. Especially after a few years.

                    Comment

                    • lugnut
                      Senior Member
                      • Sep 2004
                      • 1896

                      #11
                      If the lights are going to a permanent fixture, just go ahead and use a small carbide masonry drill bit and drill and install some screw anchors to attach the lights. I just done the same thing on the outside of my brick fireplace and I put the anchors in the bricks, not the mortar. I'm afraid the mortar might pull out. Your not going to be able to see the holes or anchors. The bricks are easy to drill and much more solid.
                      _____________________________________________

                      I would rather have tools that I never use, than not have a tool I need.
                      Oregon Coast

                      Comment

                      • kendall
                        Senior Member
                        • Sep 2006
                        • 2501

                        #12
                        As Frank said, drill a small hole in the mortar, form a loose spiral in one end of wire, (Stripped 14 gauge Copper works well in most cases) then fold a loose V in the other end slip the cord through the spiral, press the V into hole and fill with caulk. Easy to remove and fill holes later.

                        Comment

                        • Bob Fisher
                          Senior Member
                          • Jan 2006
                          • 1341

                          #13
                          They make a spring clip that will attach between the brick courses. You could tie wrap the lights to these. If it does' work out , no permanent damage done. Bob.

                          Comment

                          • KIMFAB
                            Senior Member
                            • Dec 2009
                            • 730

                            #14
                            When I was installing we used these



                            No plastic part the proper size drill is included, the screw taps the concrete or mortar and works quite well.
                            Will leave less of a mess than the other methods.
                            Guaranteed not to rust, bust, collect dust, bend, chip, crack or peel

                            Comment

                            • Black Forest
                              Senior Member
                              • Jan 2010
                              • 8984

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Paul Alciatore View Post
                              Walla Walla WA; burrrrr!

                              Beaumont TX; bright sunshine! Ahhhhh! I was working outside in my tee shirt today. Last snow was at least 20 years ago. But we do get clouds and rain. It will probably work 90% of the time or more.
                              And God awful humidity, correct?
                              Location: The Black Forest in Germany

                              How to become a millionaire: Start out with 10 million and take up machining as a hobby!

                              Comment

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