A Guide to Scissor and Boom Lifts for Hanging Holiday Lights

You want lights running along a two-story roofline, up a tall tree, or across a storefront, and a ladder isn't getting you there safely.

Ladder falls spike every holiday season, and reaching or leaning off one to clip a light is exactly how people get hurt. Height you can't reach safely is height you shouldn't fake with an extension ladder and good intentions.

A rented lift puts you up there on a stable platform and gets the job done in a fraction of the time. This guide covers choosing a scissor or boom lift for your job, handling cold-weather ground, and staying safe around electrical and overhead hazards.

Scissor or Boom: Which Fits the Job

Scissor lifts go straight up

A scissor lift raises a wide, stable platform straight up, which is ideal when the work is more or less directly overhead and the ground is firm and level, like a storefront sidewalk or a flat driveway. If you just need height in one spot, a scissor is simple and steady. See scissor lift rentals.

Boom lifts go up and over

A boom lift puts you on an arm that reaches up, out, and over, so you can get around landscaping, out past eaves, and up to a treetop that a scissor can't touch. For a house with shrubs and gutters or a tall tree, that reach is usually the deciding factor. See boom lift rentals.

One-person lifts for low, tight work

For a storefront interior or a modest height in a tight space, a compact one-person lift is often all you need, and it's easy to move and set up.

Watch the Outdoor Height Rating

Here's the catch most people miss: electric scissor lifts are really indoor machines that can go outside, and they lose height outdoors, often five to eight feet, and drop to a single occupant. The taller the machine, the less of its rated height you actually get outside. They also need firm, level ground and have a wind limit of around 28 miles per hour. So choose your lift by its outdoor rating for the height you need to reach, not the taller indoor number on the spec sheet.

Cold-Weather Ground Conditions

Firm and level is non-negotiable

A scissor lift has to sit on a hard, level surface. A frozen but rutted lawn, soft mud, or any slope is a problem, and setting up on ground that can shift is dangerous. Use the machine's setup requirements, and put pads or cribbing under the wheels on soft spots.

When the yard won't cooperate, go boom

If your lawn is uneven or soft, a rough-terrain or towable boom lift handles that ground far better than a slab scissor, which is often the real reason to choose one for a house. Never set up any lift on ice, on a slope, or on ground you're not sure will hold.

Cold-Weather Electrical Safety

Lights, cold, and moisture are an unforgiving mix, so keep the electrical side clean. Use ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) protection and outdoor-rated cords and timers, keep plugs and connections up off snow and ice, and don't overload a circuit; know your light strings' load, and remember LEDs draw far less than old incandescent strings. Anything beyond plugging into an existing exterior outlet, a new circuit, rooftop wiring, or a panel change, belongs to a licensed electrician.

Aerial Safety Essentials

This is the part that matters most. Overhead power lines come first: rooflines and trees are often close to service lines, and a lift, a person, and a wet string of lights near a line is a deadly combination, so keep well clear and never work toward one. Beyond that, wear the fall protection the machine calls for (booms especially), stay within the wind and capacity ratings, keep a spotter on the ground, and read the machine's manual before you go up. If the job is big, the weather is bad, or you're not comfortable running the lift, hiring a lighting installer is the right call, not a failure.

Getting the Lift to Your Place

A lift's weight decides how it travels. Many are delivered, or you can tow one on an equipment trailer rated for the machine's weight. Read more about how to load and secure equipment on an equipment trailer and the equipment trailer rental guide.

A Note on Insurance

Operating a rented lift is different from towing a trailer, so check with your insurer about coverage for renting and operating equipment, and review our FAQ and platform terms for how equipment rentals work before you book.

Ready to Light It Up?

Once you know the height and reach you need, browse lift rentals near you from local owners and request a quote for your dates. Match the lift's outdoor rating to your roofline, tree, or storefront, and skip the ladder.

The Short Version

• Skip the ladder for anything you can't reach safely; a lift is steadier and faster.
• Scissor lifts go straight up on firm, level ground; boom lifts reach up and over and handle uneven yards.
• A one-person lift suits low, tight storefront work.
• Outdoors cuts a scissor lift's height and drops it to one person, so choose by the outdoor rating.
• Firm, level ground is required; use pads, and go boom when the yard is uneven.
• Keep well clear of overhead power lines, use GFCI protection, and leave real wiring to a licensed electrician.
• Stay within wind and capacity ratings, use fall protection and a spotter, and hire a pro when the job calls for it.