How to build a Christmas archway tunnel out of PVC

[@Esspppiia]

If you cut the 10' sticks at 5' and use the cross couplings, you can have a sturdier archway and wrap mini lights around it. You can then hang nets instead.

[@ArthurHadley-vk8yf]

Good idea.🎉

[@mikemendes7598]

@Esspppiia Except then it doesn't bend as well. Adding strength is great, but you can't get it to flex.

[@jamesfountain6183]

Best tutorial I've seen online. I'm going to build an archway this year for my 4 year old granddaughter. She will get a kick out of it when they make there way here to central Texas. She has a blast w/ all my other decorations but had a blast for over an hour playing in an archway at a walk of lights last year. Have a Merry Christmas 2024 🎄 🎅 🦌

[@chivone21]

VERY NICE!!! My only question is, you said you were using regular mini lights. How in the world do you not blow fuses?

[@Fohil]

Follow me

[@mikemendes7598]

Assuming they are LED, in which case they draw almost nothing.

[@elizabethstump4077]

Thank you for the measurements. Now I know judge visually high it will be if I use 10' PVC and place them 8' apart.

[@felixsantosmolina8872]

Happy Holidays n thanks for the video

[@Chipobravo]

Thanks a lot for this great video and very good idea to do this season. My kid will enjoy it.

[@maethomas78]

Wonderful done .

[@tfriend8223]

So beautiful!! I am going to try and do something like this this Christmas. Fingers crossed.

[@joshuaravel3273]

Thank you so much.. this is the best video on KZbin..

[@jasearc]

Looks awesome... I'd like to build this setup but use solar lights going down my double driveway to the garage.

[@Hawaiinotastate]

When wrapping lights, space them with 2 fingers (I used index and middle). Lined up perfectly

[@coocooforcoffee4248]

Looks great 👍

[@minervamedina9652]

Thank you! Looks awesome

[@amycuaresma]

that's sweet! I wonder if I could put led strips inside the pvc instead for a more soft filtered look

[@samanthaa5568]

Incredible!! Thank you so much for sharing!

[@BabyHaleyMommy]

Great tutorial! Looks amazing! For a 15 foot wide driveway would two 20 foot 1 inch pvc pipes with a connector in the center work for being able to drive under it?

[@holidaylightingcreations]

That should work, for a total of 40’. I recommend using a t-post to secure the pipes instead of rebar.

[@keithcraig731]

I made mine with a lot of lights . I made it about 35 feet and the cost was about $300 dollars but it was cool when i got done . Wife was mad but i don't care . LOL

[@MissT_NJ]

Good job thanks for showing 👍🏾

[@tufaznail]

Awesome. Starting this tomorrow!

[@brianmboller]

We live in the Midwest. If I'm worried inclement weather and I want to make it durable enough for strong winds and heavy snow, any suggestions on how to reinforce it? Anything I can add to this design or any slight adjustments that would help the whole structure stay up right and in tact?

[@keithcraig731]

I live in south west mi. and it's been holding up so far . I used 4 ft. rods in the ground .

[@mikemendes7598]

How does this hold up in wind? I have a very similar concept in 3/4" pvc, with 4' between sections, 2 X 10' vertical sections to make each arch, plus a 2' section to raise it up enough to drive under. I found in suburban Denver, winds over 20mph were common, and really stressed the arch, even though I am using 3/4" versus 1/2". I had to tie it down to the ground using stakes and rope. Having your verticals over rebar should definitely help. We also ended up duct taping (with white tape) each joint or they would come loose and/or break. And even with all of that, we had to use large trash cans leaned up against the side against the prevailing wind to keep it from coming apart.

[@frantz1z]

I did 3/4” last year and sadly mid season it didn’t stay up enough. I think I’m going to redo with 1/2” this year. Unwrapping the lights makes me want to cry but I can’t think of any way to shore up 3/4”

[@jilldalldorf3875]

I love how you attach lights before hanging. Does everyone detach lights from all poles every year or is it ok to store with lights wrapped to pipes if indoors?

[@holidaylightingcreations]

I leave the lights on for storage

[@coosbayyaker]

i leave my lights attached also. i sand the ends of the pvc so they come out of the couplers easier.

[@robertdoyle6769]

How do you attach the lights at the bottom without a row of lights on the ground

[@johnnykat21]

He used zip cord and female vampire plugs and made his own extension cords.

[@robertdoyle6769]

@@johnnykat21 thank you!!

[@michaeldamico5152]

Can you post how much it cost for the parts? I'm wondering how much it cost to build the tunnel you demonstrated building in this video. Thank you for your help with my question.

[@ErickSauceda-v1n]

How to do connect the lights?

[@keithcraig731]

How much did it cost to build ?

[@ryanclose6196]

How did you connect all the lights to power??

[@Mr-117]

If ya can't figure out a simple problem like that, then best to just go buy something instead attempting even easy shit like this lol

[@debbiesherrill9386]

Weather proof extension cord. You can find them in green for outdoors easily at Christmas.

[@nickross4781]

Its a valid question, as it appears that there are about 30 light strands all connected together and powered by on extension chord. Some people think its a hazard.​@Mr-117

[@charlottenewcomb7281]

My thing is how do you connect the arch lights together at the bottom near the ground when they are 5’ apart arches. I’m making one now and I guess I’ll need a heck of a lot of extension cords for those on the 5 ‘ sections.

[@ArthurHadley-vk8yf]

Job well done ✅

[@bobbybobman3073]

How well do these structures handle snow?

[@danielacuna6826]

What size rebar did you use? Like what thickness?

[@holidaylightingcreations]

I believe it was 1/2”

[@salg8794]

How do you connect power to all lights

[@cheapskatehalloween]

Pretty. 🎄

[@NadjemaSoro]

Fantastic !

[@estherfatoye9659]

Hellooo, I’ve never quite worked with pvc pipes like at all, but I’d really like to make about 4-5 individual Christmas arches (without the top connecting pipes)for my parents driveway this year. Any advice?

[@holidaylightingcreations]

I would recommend using 1” pvc pipe and use a t-post to secure them on each side.

[@BoluwatifeFatoye-s1h]

@@holidaylightingcreations Thank you! :D

[@leonardhandzlik6008]

I have a couple of questions. I have had a pvc arch for several years now, and I 8:16 decided to glue my fittings ( perhaps a bad decision) .Also, I have used (4) 5ft. sections rather than (2) 10' sections, so I have 3 junctions per individual arch instead of your 1. I did that mostly for stability in winds etc., and becauseI followed another man's light arch directions on Pinterest when I first constructed my arch, and that is how he did it. The problems I have been experiencing have been with my pipe occasionally breaking at the junctures when I assemble my arch. I have 3 questions. First, do you think that (4) 5' lengths are more prone to breakages than (2)10' sections. Second, I think that my decision to glue the fittings might be part of the problem, as when I assembled the arch, each individual arch tends to twist away from having the fittings lined properly for the 5 ft' connector, and I think it puts stress on the fittings when the connectors are inserted. Do you agree? Finally, do you feel that your method, (2) 10 ' sections with one connection, is as stable in wind as ( 4) 5' sections with 3 connections. I would appreciate any help you can offer as I really enjoy putting up my Christmas arch. I know you probably get a lot of questions, but your feedback would be appreciated, as this year, I have broken two of my individual arches at the fittings, and I am frustrated.

[@c0pyimitati0n]

I would use screws to prevent the PVC and coupling from twisting apart

[@tonymooney8441]

Can a 20ft pvc bend enough to make a walkway arch? I am placing this over a sidewalk so just a little wider than sidewalk

[@samanthale4716]

I'm also thinking of doing a sidewalk arch, did you end up doing it? If so what measurements did you use?

[@Mtworld18]

Did you ever try it? First time living in a house and want to do this for our sidewalk.

[@AshantyLovesJC]

do you know how I might execute this indoors?

[@ELBrazoArmado]

Make a T stand with the same pvc to hold your arches upright

[@tooldemoguy]

How well do these hold up in high wind, open land areas?

[@holidaylightingcreations]

It gets very windy here during cold fronts and it holds up very well. You can always put a t-post at the front pipes to help secure it.

[@joegutierrez2019]

How many strands of lights did you use 🤔

[@holidaylightingcreations]

For the tunnel walls probably around 31 strands at 24’ each. For each arch, 2 strands

[@joegutierrez2019]

@@holidaylightingcreations thank you 😊

[@PeterTierney]

@@holidaylightingcreations That's ~67 strings of lights total, assuming the setup in the video. So around $400+ of LED lights, to be clear. And that's only with post-season sales. Regular price is closer to $700, right?

[@mneraasen224]

I want to do a single arch. Will it hold up or should I shorten the height

[@holidaylightingcreations]

If you do a single arch, maybe at a T-post on each side instead of rebar so it doesn’t blow in the wind as bad.

[@mneraasen224]

@@holidaylightingcreations thank you

[@josephine9345]

Is there a trick for getting the pvc pipe more bendable?

[@c0pyimitati0n]

Heat gun

[@txladykat]

Is this pex or shedule 40 pvc

[@holidaylightingcreations]

Schedule 40

[@09williamsa]

Hi there, I I’m trying to do this on a pathway that is 6-7 feet wide, what length pipe should I use? 10 doesn’t fit as it’s too long and the bend would be too harsh causing it to snap.

[@holidaylightingcreations]

I would recommend cutting the pipe to around 8’ or 9’ depending on the bend. You might have to practice with a few pieces before you cut them all.

[@deryaerkann]

Outdoor lighting become nightmare forme because of the Foxes. This year second time they chew my wires and cutted middle of the long light, and iam so angry why they do😢

[@ericthuemmel5275]

Are you in a warm climate? Actual snow and ice always weights down my arches. I'd like to try a tunnel.

[@holidaylightingcreations]

Yes I am in Texas. We have had ice before and it was fine. But it depends how much ice. Also, the more lights on the tunnel, the more weight from ice accumulation.

[@ericthuemmel5275]

Thanks for the response. The wind is playing havoc with my tunnel. The connecting pieces keep coming out. The 4-way connectors keep snapping too. I'm going to use regular connectors without the 5' short pieces in between, that's what I've done in the past. It probably doesn't help that I'm less than a mile from Lake Michigan and we get some nasty wind storms. @@holidaylightingcreations

[@elizabethgoodson9802]

Did you build the large ball ornaments in the back right as well? If so please do a video 🙂

[@holidaylightingcreations]

No I did not, but I am thinking of a diy video for next year.

[@Oslenaledlightforoutdoordecora]

that is so ccol

[@_Fadedpolo]

make it 100% solar lights and repost

[@princemohammedbinsalmanis666]

[@bellaannecgoff2335]

❤❤❤

[@joeguilmet3530]

I did this with incandescent mini lights from Home Depot, 3000 lights/ 20 strands of 100 and the fuses kept blowing. I built the whole thing, zip ties, etc and ended up ripping it down. I guess LED would have been better.

[@holidaylightingcreations]

Yes, led is the best option for this since you can plug over 40 strands together depending on the light count.

[@jamiegallier2106]

❤

[@EthanT150]

Hi, I am first

[@32fordcoupegirl]

did i see over sized Christmas bulbs? green one, white one? and did you decorate the little shed to look like candy or giingerbread house? can ya show us?

[@tufaznail]

All my PVC cross fittings are snapping. Going to reinforce joints with rebar on inside.

[@holidaylightingcreations]

You might need to add glue if that is happening. Also, make sure your pvc is pushed all the way in the fittings.

[@simplescents3309]

What size rebar did u use

[@holidaylightingcreations]

1/2”