Door Cover Ideas for Front, Interior and Unused Doors

For a front door, the best cover is usually a canopy or awning that is wider than the frame and projects about 3 feet, so you stay dry while you find your keys. For an interior or unused door, paint, fabric, wallpaper or a freestanding screen will change how it looks without taking it off the hinges.

This post covers both. Start with the section that matches your door, because the right fix for a porch is very different from the right fix for a closet or a door you no longer use.

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Which door cover fits your situation?

A front door cover does two jobs: it protects the door and threshold from weather, and it gives a flat facade some depth. An interior door cover has a different job, usually privacy, style or hiding a door you never open. Pick by goal:

• Rain and sun protection on an entry: a canopy, awning or small portico.
• A plain exterior door that needs personality: paint, a wreath, hardware and plants.
• An interior door you want to change quickly: paint, peel and stick wallpaper, or fabric.
• A door you never use: a bookcase, a fabric panel or a built-in look (more in the unused door section below).

If you have a glass door or a door with sidelights and mostly need privacy, this guide to covering door windows goes deeper than I can here.

Front door cover ideas: canopies, awnings and porticos

The covering over a door is called an awning, canopy or portico, depending on size and how permanent it is. Fabric awnings and polycarbonate kits are lightweight and renter or DIY friendly. Metal canopies and timber-frame covers are sturdier and suit a permanent look.

Match the style to your roofline. A gabled house looks natural with a small gable cover. A modern flat-roofed house suits a slim cantilevered metal canopy. As an architect, I'd coordinate the cover with the roof and trim rather than with the door itself, so the door stays the color accent and the cover works as its frame.

How big should a door cover be?

• Width: extend 6 to 12 inches past the trim on each side. A standard 36-inch door with 4-inch trim calls for a cover at least 60 inches wide.
• Depth: about 3 feet keeps one person dry. Four to 5 feet starts to feel like a small outdoor room.
• Slope: every cover needs a pitch so water drains. About 1/4 inch per foot is the minimum, and snowy climates need a steeper roof so snow slides off.
• Height: leave clearance above the door casing so the entry doesn't feel squeezed.

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Mounting and permits

A cover must be fastened into studs or a structural header, never into siding alone. Brick and stone need masonry anchors. Many towns require a permit for permanent structures, so call your building department before you drill. If the cover is heavy, or includes posts and a roof tie-in, hire a licensed contractor. The same goes for any new light fixture wiring: use a licensed electrician.

Will a cover make the entry too dark?

It can, particularly a deep cover on a shaded side of the house. The U.S. Department of Energy's building science pages note that overhangs, fixed shades, louvers, and screens can help control unwanted glare and heat, which is the trade-off you are making. To keep light coming in, use clear or frosted panels, paint the underside a light color and add a warm fixture (around 2700K to 3000K).

Creative ways to cover a door without building anything

If a canopy is more than you want, dress the door itself. These ideas work for a front door and for most interior doors.

• Paint. A saturated color on the door against a calmer trim is the cheapest change with the biggest effect. For ideas, see these burnt orange and sage green front door looks.
• A wreath or seasonal garland on a hook. Plan the hook before the wreath so it doesn't scratch the finish.
• Planters on both sides, one taller than the other, to frame the door and lead the eye up.
• New hardware. Matching the finish of the handle, mailbox and house numbers makes an ordinary door look considered.
• A mirror or privacy film on a glass panel, covered in the door windows guide linked above.

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Can I put peel and stick wallpaper on a door?

Yes, on most interior doors. It sticks best to a clean, smooth, painted flat panel. Heavily textured or raised-panel doors give the adhesive less to hold, so the edges may lift. Try a small hidden spot first, and expect repainting to be easier if the existing paint is in good shape.

Decals and stencils work the same way and are easy to undo. Skip adhesive products on exterior doors that get direct sun or rain, since heat and moisture work against them.

How to cover a door without removing it

You don't need to take a door off its hinges for any of the ideas above. A tension rod with a fabric panel, a door-width hanging tapestry, a removable wallpaper or a freestanding folding screen all leave the door in place. For door covering ideas without curtains, a screen, a leaning mirror or a slim bookcase pushed against the door do the job and look more like furniture than a cover-up.

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How to cover an unused door or doorway

For how to cover unused door problems, the question is whether you may want the door back. If yes, keep it removable: a bookcase, a large piece of art or a padded fabric headboard-style panel on the room side. If no, you can fill the opening and finish it flush with the wall, which is a job for a pro if the door is exterior or in a structural wall.

Our guides on hiding an unused door and the 8-step unused door cover-up list the options in detail. For a doorway with no door at all, a curtain on a ceiling-mounted track, a sliding panel or a pair of folding screens gives privacy without framing work.

Finishing touches for a covered entry

• Use semi-gloss exterior paint on trim so it wipes clean.
• Choose an outdoor rug at least as wide as the door so it doesn't look lost under the cover.
• Check that a doorbell camera still has a clear view once the cover is up.
• Use corrosion-resistant bolts and brackets, especially near the coast.
• If you have a dog, pick a surface that tolerates paws and muddy feet, and keep planters out of reach of chewers. Check with your vet about which plants are safe.

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Frequently asked questions