Attaching to metal trim/fascia

[Guest guest]

So I completed all the static work I wanted to do over the weekend, had my wife oohing and ahhing over the blue icicle lights around the trim on the house, the new LED spots, and starting to get excited about "what all those mini trees may look like.."...

Monday morning, i head for the west coast, when I get on the ground, I get a call telling me one string of lights was hanging from the arch over my front porch.

And therein lies the problem.

I use the 3M command strips

http://www.command.com/wps/portal/3M/en_US/NACommand/Command/Products/Product-Catalog/?PC_7_RJH9U523080QE0IIHEICN90GC1_nid=VJRT254X7RgsC4Z924C3ZHgl8P867CS2Z7bl

for hanging lights on the metal (aluminum) trim around the house. Every year, I probably have somewhere in the area of 25% failure with those things, having to replace them over the month or so that I have lights hung.

Does anyone know of a better way? Or, have the secret to 100% success with the 3M strips? If it was wood trim, I'd just go the staple route. I prefer not to drill any holes, though, that would be the easiest fix, but a last resort at this point, at least not this year.

It's a flat surface, so no gutter to clip to, and shingle clips are not an option.

(I'd post a pic, but am remote...sorry.)

And yes, being out of town until Saturday night, it's driving me crazy knowing one side of my perfectly lit archway (at least, it was this weekend) is drooping..

Suggestions?

[HowardShank]

I did something new this year. Found the suggestion on another forum.

I used vinyl J channel to hang my lights on the front underside of my soffits and on my gutters.

For the gutter I used the J channel, attached the lights to the pre-made holes and hung the J channel over the front edge of the gutters. I notched the back of the J channel where it had to hang over a gutter nail/screw. I cut the J channel to 12' lenghts or the length of my lights string. The J channel comes in 14 foot lengths and icicles normally are 12 foot.

For the underside of my soffits I used the J channel and slipped it in between the siding and the facia board.

I'll attach images to better explain.


Attached files

[HowardShank]

Here's the gutter drawing. I'll try to take real pictures and upload them tonight.

Attached files

[jimswinder]

good idea...I LIKE IT!!!

Do you keep the icicle lights on the channels when you store them?

[HowardShank]

Yes. I'll install brackets in my garage and just hang the channels on them.

[scubado]

Very nice idea, I'll have to make a note of it for next year.

[HowardShank]

Here are the photo's I promised.

This one shows the J-Channel tucked inside the bottom of the facia covering.


Attached files

[HowardShank]

Here's the J-Channel hanging on the gutter.

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[HowardShank]

Just a picture of the J-Channel with nothing attached.

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[HowardShank]

Here's a picture where I drilled 2 holes. Depending on if you are attaching to, you may want to adjust to one edge or the other.

Attached files

[-klb-]

I don't do it on metal trim, but you might consider hot glue. I use it all sorts of places with very good results.

[Guest guest]

Thanks..

I don't have gutters, so the idea looks great, but not able to implement in my case.

Got home late last night, going to attack it this morning.

All the other command strips stayed up, so hoping I put new ones up and they stay up.

[HowardShank]

My first picture shows how I slipped the J-Channel under the fascia board in between the siding and the wood.

[Guest guest]

HowardShank wrote:

My first picture shows how I slipped the J-Channel under the fascia board in between the siding and the wood.

Yea, I looked at that too..but with the way this is, that won't work. I was on the other side of the country when I posted, and no way my wife was dragging the monster stepladder to the archway to get me a pic.

And I SHOULD have taken a pic when i was up there today, but..duh..I didn't.

All is reinstalled..we'll see how it hold.

If nothing else, the string got some good ideas out there.

[Linda McDonald]

"for hanging lights on the metal (aluminum) trim around the house. Every year, I probably have somewhere in the area of 25% failure with those things, having to replace them over the month or so that I have lights hung."

Maybe the oxidation of the paint is keeping the it from sticking. I had this problem. So, when they fell off, I cleaned the area with a mix of vinegar and water before rehanging. The ones that I cleaned before I rehung stayed on with no problem.

[Linda McDonald]

"for hanging lights on the metal (aluminum) trim around the house. Every year, I probably have somewhere in the area of 25% failure with those things, having to replace them over the month or so that I have lights hung."

Maybe the oxidation of the paint is keeping the it from sticking. I had this problem. So, when they fell off, I cleaned the area with a mix of vinegar and water before rehanging. The ones that I cleaned before I rehung stayed on with no problem.

[Guest guest]

Linda McDonald wrote:

"for hanging lights on the metal (aluminum) trim around the house. Every year, I probably have somewhere in the area of 25% failure with those things, having to replace them over the month or so that I have lights hung."

Maybe the oxidation of the paint is keeping the it from sticking. I had this problem. So, when they fell off, I cleaned the area with a mix of vinegar and water before rehanging. The ones that I cleaned before I rehung stayed on with no problem.

They say use isopropyl, and not a household cleaner, and while I've been burned by that before, don't think it was the issue this time.

it would make sense though, that "surface prep" is the key. So where was your post yesterday when I was hanging from the arch putting these things back up?..:D:D

Based on the feedback from wife and daughter, these added strings are a must for future years..will need to add that to my "make it better next year" list.

[RaceMedic]

A different idea that I used for my C9 bulbs for the eaves trough.

I too 2" x 2" plastic downspout ... cut the back of it out and drilled the holes for the bulbs. It is the same color as the eaves so it blends in nice.

Simply hook it on and put a couple of tie straps incase the wind picks up and you are done.

Here are a few pics of a short sample piece. http://www.pbase.com/dgeall/eaves

And the final look .... http://www.pbase.com/dgeall/image/129898708

Dave

[Paul Roberson]

J channel is exactly what I went with this year. We got new siding this year an was not about to put holes in it.

Where there was no gutter or existing J channel to slid the J channel for lights I just slid the longest side of the J channel under the shingles.


I did have to put some double sided tape between the J channel and the shingles to keep the wind from blowing the J channel out from under the shingles.

Here is more pictures of the installation.




Attached files

[RaceMedic]

Paul Roberson wrote:

J channel is exactly what I went with this year. We got new siding this year an was not about to put holes in it.

Where there was no gutter or existing J channel to slid the J channel for lights I just slid the longest side of the J channel under the shingles.


I did have to put some double sided tape between the J channel and the shingles to keep the wind from blowing the J channel out from under the shingles.

Paul .....

Are the J channels made out of plastic or metal .... what is the weight like on them ?!

Thanks,

Dave