Well, how about that. Before you know it we go from Halloween to Christmas and the holidays are upon us! Halloween signaled something most of us dread to admit. It is already almost the end of the year. Doesn’t it always feel like the second half of the year flies by a lot faster than the first? Before you know it, New Year’s Eve is upon us!
Whether you look forward to the holiday season with trepidation or excitement, one thing most people seem to agree on is that decorating your home for the holidays is always fun and exciting. Who doesn’t want to erect spectacular displays that are the envy of their neighbors? No one! Yet, we don’t want to bring you down, but you must always remember to decorate your home and garage door safely.
So, today we are going to take a closer look at all the fun ways you can decorate your garage for the holiday season. And although Halloween was just this past weekend, why not prep you with some tips for the new year! Let’s dive in.
Top Tips for Garage Door Safety When Decorating
You probably have a lot of real estate on the exterior of your home to decorate for the holidays, but your garage door does also offer a tantalizing opportunity. It is a giant flat planar space for which a bunch of scary or pretty things (depending on your holiday) can be attached. So, we say why not? Use your garage door, but be safe about it. Garage door safety during the holidays is so important.
There are some initial things you want to keep in mind as you are choosing decorations. First up, do not add anything more than a quarter inch thick to your garage door. As the door is lifting, if something attached to it is too thick, it might get caught as the door lifts. Also do not add anything more than a pound or something that covers more than one section of the door. Any one of these could impact your overall garage door safety or obstruct its functionality and cause a problematic rattle.
Garage doors have a lot of moving components and panels, so you want to make sure nothing gets stuck in those parts or components. Evaluate what you use your garage for. If you use it for storage and do not open it much, you can cover the overlapping panels. If you do use your garage door often, you would be better off putting things like small lightweight stickers or decorations on individual panels.
To simplify things, you could also just decorate the frame or the garage itself. And if you have light fixtures outside of your garage, consider changing the bulbs in those to a festive color. You can also utilize your garage door trim in creative ways that do not prevent your garage door from functioning safely.
Materials to Use When Decorating Your Garage Door
We have talked about tips on how and where to decorate, but it is important to also cover what we want to use to decorate with. Materials matter, especially when you are dealing with something complex and potentially dangerous like your garage door. A lot of this goes back to what you use your garage door for, as that will influence how you decorate it.
Magnets are an ideal option for garage door decorations. They stick well and are thin and easy to remove. And if you do not use your garage door often, you can use larger magnets to cover more garage door real estate. If you use your garage door often, consider smaller vinyl decals or magnets.
You want to make sure you avoid flammable materials or materials that do not suit being on your garage door. Keep only flat, smaller, and easily removeable items for your garage door. The last thing you want to do is damage your garage door, ruin the paint, or something else equally undesirable.
Holiday Ideas for Garage Door Decorations
We have covered safety, so now let’s move on to the fun stuff! What are some great ways you can use your garage door to enhance your holiday decorations? There are some basics we can cover first.
Consider using your garage door for silhouettes. Whether you put a spider web for Halloween or a giant Santa on your garage door, it is a great spot for adding a flat silhouette. Lights are also an easy and great way to effectively decorate. You can use existing lights or add new ones. Or you can use the frame around your garage door to string lights.
Although Halloween has passed, we have some ideas you can use next year! If you leave your garage shut, you can actually set up cut outs with backlighting, whether you use tea lights or rope lighting.
For Thanksgiving and Christmas, you can consider using fall-themed decorations or even placing wreaths on your garage door. You can also use potters or small tables on either sides of your garage door to place gourds, pumpkins, and stalks of wheat to add an autumn feel. Finally, consider using your garage door as a space for giant murals, whether printed off the internet or painted on using watercolors.
Or, if you want to go with something pre-made, check out these options!
Happy Holidays from Prestige Door
As the weather turns chilly and the days grow shorter, we all hunker down with our families and prepare for the holiday season. And while this year the holidays are impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, they are still times for us to come together and enjoy the companionship of friends and family. It is that magical time of year when gifts, family, and fun seem to be a stone’s throw away.
So, as you set about planning your holiday decorations, keep our tips in mind for maximum garage door safety. We all know each year is a contest between neighbors. If you plan on expanding your decorations, make sure to do it safely.
From all your friends here at Prestige Door, we want to wish our friends, family, and community in Northeast Ohio a happy and safe holiday season!