What To Look For When Buying An Artificial Christmas Tree

Are you hoping for the most realistic-looking tree? Shop for one made from polyethylene. Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) trees tend to cost less, but their limbs are flatter and less lifelike than PE boughs.

what to look for when buying an artificial christmas tree

And tree species do matter when it comes to artificial choices, says Ana Cummings of the eponymous design firm. Her top realistic picks include Morgan firs and pines, like Grandview and Savannah.

Lights bring your Christmas tree to life even without decorations. If you prefer to string your own lights, you need at least 100 lights per foot of the tree. Double or triple the amount if you love the look of brighter, more intense lights on your tree.

All artificial Christmas trees are compressed for shipping, so you need to fluff the branches to make them look fuller. Watch this video on how to shape your Balsam Hill tree and this one for tips and tricks on shaping individual branches.

Flocking refers to artificial snow, which is a popular decorative element sometimes added to trees to create the look of a winter scene in your home. While there are options out there that are pre-flocked for your convenience, you can purchase faux snow separately to create a custom look on your tree.

Yes, all artificial Christmas trees contain toxins. Almost all trees are made of polyvinyl chloride or PVC and the others are made of less toxic plastics. The chemicals present in PVC are associated with negative health impacts. To limit exposure to these chemicals, leave your brand-new artificial tree outdoors for a few days before bringing it inside so it has a chance to air out some of the chemicals used in the manufacturing process.

It's not advisable to try to shorten your artificial Christmas tree. Unlike a real tree, artificial trees are not designed to be resized once brought into the home. Many of the trees on this list offer more than one size. We recommend measuring your ceiling height before you purchase your tree, calculating about twelve inches from the top of the tree to account for a standard Christmas tree topper, and finally think outside the box when it comes to decorating.

From putting up your favorite ornaments to opening gifts with loved ones, the Christmas tree is an important part of many holiday traditions. Artificial trees are an excellent alternative that are designed to look just like the real thing. To help you choose the best faux Christmas tree, we've put together a guide that covers all you need to know about artificial trees. Keep reading to find helpful info about different materials, needles, and tip styles.

PVC: This synthetic material is pressed ultra-thin and then cut into slim, needle-like pieces. The material is then twisted around wire to create branches. These artificial Christmas trees are a popular choice because they're affordable and easy to fold up for off-season storage.

PE: For this type of artificial Christmas tree, the branches are created by injecting polyethylene (PE) into needle-shaped molds. Though more expensive, this process gives the branches and needles a more three-dimensional, realistic feel.

We recommend using the height of your tree to help determine the best tip count. For example, if you have a tree that is about 6'5" tall, look for a tip count between 800 and 900. Trees that are 7'5" look best with 1200 to 1500 tips, and 9'5" trees should have a tip count between 2000 to 3000.

Getting a Christmas tree into your home can be one of the trickiest parts of the process, even with the option for real tree delivery. Luckily, many artificial trees are packaged and shipped right to your door, with easy assembly to boot. From full, pre-lit trees to smaller trees that fit in tight spaces, along with flocked trees to make a statement, we found the best artificial Christmas trees to consider.

If you need to save space, a slim artificial Christmas tree is a helpful option. This pencil-shaped tree can fit into tight spaces, yet has multiple height options to still make a statement. The tree comes pre-lit with clear lights and is quick and easy to assemble for a realistic look.

The type of artificial Christmas tree you choose is entirely up to you. However, if you want something that looks as close to the real thing as possible, consider a noble fir or blue spruce. Those options tend to have a more realistic, full look with a classic Christmas tree shape.

Nothing truly beats a real tree. However, with 2 kids and 2 dogs in the house, artificial trees will have to do for my household. In fact, they more than just make-do. They can be pretty amazing if you ask me. Having lights already pre-strung, being less of a fire hazard, and its longevity (lasts more than 1 season) are among the top reasons why I like artificial trees.

Since the time we purchased our tree, there have been some notable improvements in Pre-Lit artificial trees. Some of these enhancements are included in my 5 Tips on Buying Artificial Pre-lit Christmas Trees below:

This material looks much more realistic than PVC needles that were popular when artificial trees first came out. How can you tell between PE and PVC material? Biggest difference is PE trees have the thickness and weight of a real tree branch. PE needles look more 3-dimensional instead of the flat appearance of PVC.

Because the height of our ceiling is 8 feet, I can only go with a 7.5 foot high tree. If you have high ceilings, by all means, choose a tall tree. Like everything else, scale is important. If you have a house with very high ceilings, any tree (unless bought specifically for kids) less than 7.5 feet will look too small for the space.

Buying an artificial Christmas tree can sometimes feel intimidating, especially if you are purchasing one online. When you are unable to touch or feel the tree in person, it is sometimes scary to pull the trigger. And even when purchasing one in a brick and mortar store, how do you know if it will look nice decorated in your home?

Have no fear, I have a few tips and tricks to ensure you will love the tree you buy! After decades of loving and purchasing flocked trees (and even DIYing my own- tutorial here), I have compiled some little tricks and secrets to finding the best ones! I am pretty picky when it comes to my trees, so I hope you find my tips helpful.

The first thing I look at when purchasing any type of artificial tree is the shape. I don't love trees that have a very overall straight cone shape with no variation up and down the sides. I like when I can see the varying branches and not just a large cone. There is a huge market for those cone trees though, so just because it isn't my style, doesn't mean it isn't yours. It is just something to take into consideration and decide what you really love.

There are many different types of branches and needles on trees out in nature and also on artificial Christmas trees. I have used many of them and like them for different reasons. The one I gravitate toward for my home tends to be one that has longer, pronounced branches (and fingers? does that make sense?). When I fluff my tree (tips for setting up a tree here), I always make sure that all of the blanches are straight and natural looking. I like when there is variation as it really shows off the needle flocking and piles of flocking as well. This is another one of those personal preference things, but it helps to notice the different types and decide which one you like best for your home before buying.

I admit it. I am reaaaaallllly picky about flocking. I love flocking that looks like it naturally occurs in nature. I don't, however, love when flocking looks like it was spray painted on. I will explain.

Of course, you need to know where to look first and that's where we come in. No matter what you choose, your new tree is bound to shed some holiday cheer (as opposed to dirt and debris). If you're unsure where to start, we rounded up 10 of the best places to buy artificial Christmas trees this season.

Target is the ideal place to start when you begin your quest for an artificial Christmas tree. The mega retailer offers several ways to shop for them: By height from under four feet to over eight feet, by price from under $25 to $150, by décor type and by branch type from pre-lit to flocked with artificial snow.

When in doubt, trust the country's largest home improvement store to, well, improve your artificial Christmas tree shopping experience. The retailer allows you to sort through its 4,800 options by shape, height, price, light functions like twinkling and pulsing, light type like LED or low-voltage, color family, tree species and more.

Before buying a Christmas tree, you should decide where you want to display the tree. Which room will it be in? Is it intended to be the centre piece of a room? Or, is it a second tree that will go in a family room or guest room? Will you put it in a corner, along a specific wall or next to a doorway?

Most artificial Christmas trees are made from compressed sheets of PVC which are then cut into strips to have the appearance of needles. PVC trees can look fantastic but if you want to have the most real looking artificial Christmas tree then PE tips are what you need to go for. This type of plastic needle is moulded to replicate a real needle and looks amazingly realistic even from close up.

The best time to buy your holiday centerpiece is during a Christmas tree sale, months ahead of the season. This allows you to enjoy the best Christmas tree deals while avoiding the holiday rush. Shopping in advance will also help you spread out costs, as opposed to buying everything during peak season. Read on for the list of Balsam Hill sale events so you can check off your décor list early.

If you missed out on Black Friday, Cyber Monday Christmas tree deals are your next best option. What started out as an online version of Black Friday has now expanded into a week-long event for retailers. This longer sales period gives you more time to browse and compare artificial tree sales. 041b061a72