DIY Roofline Installation Options

ColorBit Lights creates holiday and all occasion lighting that is breathtaking for both residential and commercial properties. The roofline is one of the most popular locations to hang ColorBit Lights to make a big impact by instantly highlighting the entire property.

While some customers prefer keeping it simple for seasonal displays, others want to go above and beyond to deliver a longer-term installation that is tailored for their home or business. To make sure your lights hang just right and hold tight across your gutters, shingles, or eaves, it helps to begin with a plan.  

Customers have several options to attach ColorBit Lights along the roofline of their home, business, or other structures. Here are several mounting options from simple short term installations to more complex longer-term installations.

Easy No Holes Mounting - All-purpose light clips make installation easy and are designed to work without poking holes in your roofing or trim. Light strings attach to the clip through wire guides to securely hold lights with no forcing or twisting. Clear universal gutter and shingle Christmas light clips snap on gutters or flip around to slide under shingles.

Gutters Only Mounting - Choose gutter hooks to quickly hang lights along your gutters. Purchase S-shaped gutter hooks at the home improvement store or from Amazon, and hang them up by pressing the top part of the S into the gutter, with the rest of the hook resting on the front. When you’re ready to hang the lights, simply use the bottom part of the S as a hook and string the wire of the lights into each hook. Gutter hooks are placed every 6 inches along the gutter to position the light strings.

Quick Staple Mounting - Light strings can be stapled under the eaves.  Use a staple gun with ¼-in. staples to attach the string lights. Keep the string centered and make sure you don’t staple through the wiring!  With the light string unplugged from the power supply, pull the cord taut, but not tight, and continue stapling the string lights along your path. You may also use electrical staples to secure the cord of the string lights. However, if you use staples always ensure that they are the type designed to be used with electrical wiring.

Simple Hook Mounting - When hanging your string lights, you might find it is easier to simply use small hardware cup hooks. The hooks are screwed in the wood at 12-inch intervals under the eaves, zip ties can be used to secure the light string to the cup hooks.

Professional Looking “Hidden” Mounting - For a more professional look, you can install ColorBit Lights using a vinyl j-channel. Drill 12mm holes in the channel facing down (the max distance between the holes should be no more than 85mm center to center).  Install the j-channel behind the fascia board using wood screws with the hole facing down. Insert the LED bulbs through the hole in the j-channel until they “click” into place. Power cords can be tucked in the channel as well for a professional look. This installation used 1-1/2 inch j-channel.

All installation hardware and supplies are available at your local hardware stores or Amazon.com. J-channel is available at your local vinyl supply center.

Connecting Vertical Separate Roof Lines - For extending continuous light strings vertically between different roof sections, customers have used 3 Pin JST SM Male Female Plug LED Connector Cable. The cables allow for jumps from one section to the next level to avoid lights in places they shouldn’t be. Various lengths are available that plugs directly into the end of the Light Strings.

Field Customizing String Length - Although we don't recommend cutting and splicing as it will void the warranty, it is possible with the design.  When adjusting a light string length at the end of a roof elevation run, you may choose to cut off the excess bulbs and splice on a new female end. If you are a few bulbs short, you may choose to insert a few bulbs.  The light string is directional (data flows in only one direction along the string - from the male end to the female end) but the string design does allow for cutting and splicing between any bulb for insertion use either a male or female 3 Pin JST SM Plug LED Connector. The key items to keep in mind are that the data flow along the string of lights is directional so the type of connectors on a piece of string cannot be reversed when using small sections of lights. The second key item is to make sure that the different pins on the connectors match the correct wires in the same orientation as the factory. Therefore, look for the white line on one of the outer wires and splice to the white wire of the connector.  Next connect the middle wire with the green middle wire on the connector together. Finally, connect the remaining outside wire to the remaining wire of the connector. Customers have reported good results using Dolphin DC-100S Super B Connector w/Sealant. Here is a video on how to use the B connector: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9JQU_eF_rOA. Email support@colorbitlights.com if you have any questions, we are here to help!

These are several options customers have used to install ColorBit Lights to their rooflines. You may find other mounting and installations options that work for your specific project. We hope this helps you to be ready for the holidays with your DIY Christmas Lights project. Make this a fabulous holiday season with ColorBit Lighting.

The following Amazon Links are for examples of products described in the article. Similar items may be available at your local hardware stores.  

Clear Universal Gutter and Shingle Christmas Light Clips: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01K8S7H0E/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_02QaFbZ00GE3Y

S-shaped gutter hooks

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JJCQS9R/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_xXQaFb9W912GX

Cup Hooks

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07KB741F9/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_zUQaFbEAVVENG

3 Pin JST SM Male Female Plug LED Connector Cable https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07F7WMG3C/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_wMQaFb9364FX4

3 Pin JST SM Plug LED Connector

  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00NBSH4CA/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_gQQaFbYV9RA2N

Dolphin DC-100S Super B Connector w/Sealant

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000JP3GB6/ref=cm_sw_r_em_api_i_1RQaFbM9RH80G