How to hang a wreath on a glass storm door

Do you have a glass storm door and no idea how to hang a wreath on it? Today I’m sharing five ways to do it, plus which one I’d pick for which wreath! The quick version is an over-the-top hanger that actually fits your storm door’s frame, a suction cup hook for a lightweight wreath, or a two-piece magnet on single-pane glass. And if your wreath is fresh, keep it on the outside of the glass. The gap between a storm door and your front door gets warm, and a fresh wreath in there browns fast.

I’d never even owned a storm door until I started helping friends with their porches. The first time, I grabbed a regular over-the-door hook out of my bin and it didn’t fit! Storm doors are a lot thinner at the top than a front door, so the hook just wobbled around and clanked every time the door shut.

Step 1. Weigh Your Wreath

Put it on the kitchen scale. I’m serious! Every method below has a weight limit, and a fresh wreath full of wet greenery is a lot heavier than a faux one the same size. Suction cups and magnets are for light wreaths. If yours is heavy, skip straight to an over-the-top hanger or hanging it on the inside door.

Method 1. Over-the-Top Hanger Made for Storm Doors

This is the most secure option for a heavier wreath. The tricky part is getting one that fits. Most over-the-door wreath hooks are sized for a regular front door, which is usually 1 3/8 or 1 3/4 inches thick. The top of a storm door is often thinner, and it may have a closer or a frame lip in the way.

So before you buy, open the storm door and measure the thickness of the top edge where the hook would sit. Look for an adjustable hanger, or one specifically sold for storm doors. I like the Zip ‘n Hang because it uses thin cords over the top corners of the door instead of a thick metal hook, so it doesn’t get in the way of the door closing. It holds up to 8 lb, but it won’t work on arched or sliding doors, or doors with metal interlocking weatherstripping, so check yours first!

Two things that make it work better:

• Put felt on the inside of the hook. Bare metal on an aluminum frame will scratch it, and you’ll see the mark all year.
• Close the door slowly the first time. Make sure the hook doesn’t stop the door from latching or crush the weatherstripping at the top. If the door won’t close all the way, the hook is too thick for that door.

Method 2. Suction Cup Hook on the Glass

This is my pick for lightweight faux wreaths, grapevine wreaths and little dried ones. There’s no hardware and nothing to fit, and it goes exactly where you want it on the glass.

Suction cups can fail in cold weather because the rubber gets stiff and won’t seal. Here’s how I get one to stick:

1. Clean the glass with rubbing alcohol and let it dry completely. Window cleaner can leave a film.
2. Wash the suction cup in warm, soapy water, rinse, and dry it.
3. Put it up on a day that’s at least 40°F, and never on frosty glass. If it’s cold out, warm the cup in your hands right before you press it on.
4. Press from the center out to push out all the air.
5. Check it every few days. Rain, fog and the door closing can all loosen it. If it lets go, soak the cup in warm water for a few minutes, dry it, and put it back up.

For a bigger wreath, use two or three small suction cup hooks spread across the top instead of trusting just one. These clear locking suction hooks come in a 2-pack and work great for most faux wreaths on smooth, flat glass. If it’s a windy spot, add a loop of clear fishing line over the top of the door as a backup. That way, if the cup lets go in the middle of the night, your wreath doesn’t end up in the bushes!

Method 3. Magnets (Single-Pane Glass Only)

Wreath magnets come in two pieces. One goes on the inside of the glass and one goes on the outside, and the wreath hangs from the outside piece. They’re clean and almost invisible, but there are a few things to know:

• They only work on single-pane glass. Most wreath magnets aren’t strong enough to hold through double-pane.
• They’re for light wreaths. For something a little heavier, use two sets, at about 10 and 2 o’clock on the wreath.
• One-piece magnetic hooks need steel. They’re made for steel front doors, like this magnetic wreath hanger 2-pack. Most storm door frames are aluminum, and a magnet won’t stick to aluminum at all.

Method 4. Ribbon Over the Top

This is the old-fashioned way, and it’s still a good one! Tie a long piece of ribbon to the top of the wreath, run it up the outside of the glass and over the top of the storm door, and secure the end on the inside of the door with a small clip or a piece of tape.

Use a thin ribbon so the door still closes, and pick something you don’t mind getting rained on. Velvet and burlap soak up water and sag. A satin or outdoor-grade ribbon holds up better outside, and clear fishing line works the same way if you don’t want the ribbon to show.

Method 5. Hang It on the Front Door, Behind the Glass

If the wreath is thin enough, you can hang it on your actual front door with a regular over-the-door hook and close the storm door in front of it. It’s protected from wind and rain, and it looks so pretty from the street.

Before you do this, close both doors and check the gap. If the storm door presses on the wreath, it’ll flatten it.

This is great for faux wreaths and a bad idea for fresh ones. The glass traps heat in that narrow space, and if the door gets direct sun, the reflected heat can actually scorch the greenery. Even on a shady door, there’s no airflow back there. A fresh wreath that would last weeks on the outside of the glass can turn brown much faster sandwiched behind it. If you have a fresh wreath and a storm door, hang it on the outside, ideally on a door that’s shaded for most of the day. I shared more about what makes them last in how long a fresh wreath lasts outside.

Stop the Banging

Storm doors close hard, and a wreath hanging from the top swings and thunks against the glass every single time. There are two easy fixes:

• Stick a few felt furniture pads on the back of the wreath frame so it doesn’t scratch the glass.
• Anchor the bottom with a small suction cup or a loop of clear fishing line so the wreath can’t swing out.

Which One I’d Pick

• Light faux wreath: suction cup hook on the glass.
• Heavy faux wreath: over-the-top hanger that fits the storm door, or hang it on the inside door.
• Fresh wreath: outside of the storm door with an over-the-top hanger, on the shady side of the house if you get a choice.
• Renting: any of these! None of them leave a mark. My renter-friendly decorating list has the rest of my no-holes tricks.

If you’re decorating the whole front porch, here’s the formula I use for a front porch that looks done in one afternoon.

Which method are you going to try on your storm door? I hope this helped you find one that works for your wreath! Be sure to post on Instagram and tag me @sugardesignco because I love seeing the beautiful decor y’all create!

-Ciera

Made something with this? Tag me @sugardesignco — I love seeing them.