It starts with Halloween when we hang spooky decorative stuff all over our homes. The front door greets trick and treaters with hanging skeletons and images of graveyards from the past. When the calendar turns to November 1, the spooky stuff makes way for the symbols representing Thanksgiving. More inviting decorations include pilgrims and turkeys, and if you are a fan of the NFL, the insignia of your favorite team.
Halloween and Thanksgiving have nothing on the winter holiday season when homeowners light up the sky with an array of dazzling colors. As a matter of fact, holiday decor ranks 5th in expected holiday expenditures in the US. Once again, our doors become the focal point for conveying the most wonderful time of the year. However, there is one issue that can turn a season of joy into a costly endeavor.
You need to know how to prevent decorating damage to your doors during the holidays. Keeping your doors in pristine condition prevents intruders and Mother Nature from entering your home. Visually appealing doors increase the value of your property.
According to the door experts at ETO Doors, you should follow a few tips for what to do and what not to do when decorating your home’s doors during the holidays.
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What Not to Do When Decorating Your Doors for the Holidays
The front entry door is the ideal spot to hang a wreath and/or attached colorful lights. The other doors inside your home complement the first decorative impression made by the front entry door. To keep your doors in excellent shape, do not do the following things.
First, never use nails or screws to hang decorative items. Not only are the holes left behind unattractive, using a hammer or a screwdriver might compromise the integrity of the materials that make up your doors. Second, do not use any tape that you cannot easily remove from a door. This includes masking, cellophane, and double-sided tape. Finally, avoid scratching the doors and the weatherstripping around the doors by attaching over-the-door hangers.
What You Should Do When Decorating Your Doors for the Holidays
We have eliminated three common ways that homeowners damage their doors during the holidays. Now, let’s move on from the negative to determine what you should do when decorating your doors for the holidays.
Use Knotted Ribbons
One of the most convenient and timeless holiday season practices involves securing holiday decorations with knotted ribbons. Using knotted ribbons ensures you do not damage the front door by hanging a decorative wreath. The only issue with using knotted ribbons is you have to use ribbons that match the décor theme of your holiday decorations. For example, a large candy attached to the front door means you need to find knotted ribbons that present a red and white-striped appearance.
Fishing Line
Fishing line offers you several benefits when decorating your doors for the holidays. It is typically incredibly strong, which means you can hang more lights and other decorative additions to your home. Transparent fishing line gives you an invisible way to hang lights that run from one side of your home, around your front entry door, and to the other end of your house. The invisible effect makes it seem like your holiday lights float in the air.
Magnetic Hooks
The power of magnetism is a huge help during the holidays when hanging and attaching decorations. Magnets almost match the strength that is produced by fishing line. However, you have to use heavy magnets to accomplish the same level of strength that is delivered by a much lighter fishing line. Nonetheless, magnetic hooks that attach to every one of your doors protect your doors from dents and scratches.
Suction Cups
As with magnets, suction cups with attached hooks allow you to hang holiday decorations while not installing hooks directly into your doors. Although suction cups do not hold as much weight as fishing line and magnetic hooks, they work great for lighter decorations such as wreaths and cardboard images.
How to Prepare Your Doors for the Holiday Season
Before you go all out with your holiday decorations, spend a little time preparing your doors for an extended period of stress. Determine whether any of your doors possess structural flaws by focusing on the frame of each door. You can detect a faulty door frame by slipping a piece of paper into an opening and if the paper fits, you have a gap that ushers in cold air during winter. You also want to ensure the weatherstripping generates airtight seals that trap in the heat and prevent cold air from entering your house.
Another prepping tip for hanging and attaching holiday decorations involves applying caulk around the entry doors to your home. Applying caulk around the outside perimeter of your entry doors improves insulation. Make sure to repair any broken doors before hanging and attaching decorations, as well as install storm doors long before the first leaves begin falling from the trees.
Above all, have fun with your holiday decorations. You can still make your home pop in the neighborhood while protecting your doors from damage.
