By BH&G Holiday Editors

Troy Warren for CNT #HomeGarden

Wreaths are an easy way to decorate for any season—but hanging them just right can be tricky. Whether you have a wood, metal or glass door, we’ll show you how to safely hang your wreath without damaging the door.

It’s not the holiday season until you’ve hung the Christmas wreath with care. Christmas wreaths are a staple of the holiday season, providing customizable decorations that are gorgeous inside and outside the home. Hanging a wreath is an easy way to instantly create a gorgeous holiday front porch scene, but there are a few tips you should know before decorating the front door.

There are special tricks for hanging Christmas wreaths outside and throughout your home, and we have a few no-fail secrets to help you hang your wreath damage-free! We’ll walk you through each method so you can choose the one that’s right for your space. And if you’ve not yet picked out the perfect Christmas wreath yet, check out our creative Christmas wreath ideas to upgrade your classic evergreen decoration.

How to Hang a Wreath with Ribbon

One of the simplest (and prettiest) ways to hang a wreath is with a band of ribbon that matches your wreath or décor. It’s quick and easy to do, and since you don’t need to attach a hook or nail to the door, it leaves your door in perfect condition. The first thing to do is choose the right ribbon: Your best bet for a ribbon that’s strong, durable, and makes a statement is thick satin ribbon ($6, Amazon). To avoid a droopy look, hang your wreath in the top half of your door and center it at eye level. Here’s an easy method that works on most wood doors:

Hold your wreath in the position you want it to be in on your door and measure the distance between the inside top edge of the wreath to the top of the door. You may need to recruit an extra set of hands to make this step easier.

Cut a length of ribbon that is twice the distance you just measured, plus 3 inches.

Slip the ribbon around the wreath and knot it about 1 inch from the ends to form a long loop. Rotate the loop so the knotted ends are hidden behind the top of the wreath. (If you don’t want the ribbon to run through your wreath, secure the ribbon to the back of the wreath form. If your wreath has a wire wreath form, you should be able to thread the ribbon through the wire structure. If it’s a straw or foam form, secure the ribbon to the back of the wreath form with florist’s pins or thumbtacks.

Center the wreath on the door and fold the end of the ribbon loop over the top of the door, then use a staple gun to secure the ribbon to the top of your door—this ensures the staples will never be seen. When the door is closed, the ribbon will be hidden and won’t be visible on the other side of the door.

Editor’s Tip: Use double-sided foam tape ($8, Amazon) on the back of the wreath to keep it in place.

If you want to use ribbon to hang your wreath but your door is made of metal or fiberglass and you’re not able to add staples to the top of the door, you can still hang your wreath with a ribbon.

Determine where you want the wreath to sit on the door to gauge the wreath’s hang height. Hold the wreath in place and measure the distance from the inside of the top edge of the wreath to the top of the door, but also measure the top edge of the door (how deep is it).
Cut a length of ribbon that is twice the measured height and door depth, plus 12 inches.
Slip the ribbon around the wreath and knot the ribbon about 1 inch from each end to form a loop. Rotate the loop so the knotted ends are hidden behind the top of the wreath.
Hang an adhesive hook ($11 for a set of 3, Amazon) upside down on the inside of your door approximately 6 inches from the top of the door.
Center the wreath on the door and thread the ribbon over the open door and down the inside, hooking the loop on the adhesive hook. Make sure the ribbon lays flat so the door will close easily. If you don’t love the look of the adhesive hook on the inside of your front door, hide it with another small wreath!

How to Use an Over-the-Door Wreath Hook or Hanger

Typically made of metal, these handy devices make hanging a wreath easy. They’re basically long flat strips of metal with two U-shape ends: One end is designed to fit snugly over the top edge of a standard door, and the other end holds a wreath. You can find over-the-door wreath hooks ($14 for a set of 3, Amazon) in all sorts of finishes, from matte black iron to high-shine silver. Look for an adjustable door hanger to give yourself flexibility in how high your wreath sits on your door.

You can also find wreath hangers with felt padding on the back to protect your door from scratching. If the one you like doesn’t have that feature, consider picking up a roll of adhesive hook and loop tape and creating your own scratch protection. Adhere the soft “loop” side of the tape to the back of the hanger to provide protection for your door. To protect the top of the door, slip a small piece of fabric or felt inside the over-the-door hook.

If you plan to hang wreaths on both sides of your door, consider a double wreath hanger ($6, Factory Direct Crafts). This variation is designed to display wreaths outside and inside your home simultaneously. It works the same way as the single-sided wreath hanger, but both ends of the hanger extend down into hooks. Slip the hanger over the top of your door and use the same felt padding technique as the single-sided wreath, if desired.

How to Hang a Wreath with a Magnetic Hanger

Hanging a wreath on a window or glass door can be tricky, but a magnetic wreath hook ($11, Amazon) makes the process quick and easy. These hangers have two identical round pieces that have strong magnets on the back and hooks at the base of the magnetic circles. You’ll need a second set of hands to attach these to the door: Determine where you want the wreath to hang and hold one of the magnetic hooks up to the glass where you want it to be. Have a friend stand on the other side of the door and place the second magnet directly over the first so the hooks stay on either side of the glass. Then, hang your wreath on one or both sides of the door.