How to Hang an Old Door as Artwork

Look for a door that's suitable for the project. When you're searching, use your room's decorating theme to help you determine what kind of door you should get. For example, a heavy door with carvings would work in a style such as Tuscan or French country.

Clean up the door. Scrub it with soap and water and allow to dry.

Remove the knob if it's still on the door. Unscrew the screws that fasten the knob to the door.

Sand off any rough patches on the door. If you're going with a style such as eclectic, you can leave the bits of chipped paint on the door. It will look more authentic.

Paint or stain the door. Allow to dry according to the instructions on the can. Choose a color that goes with your decorating motif.

Decorate the windows with colorful stencil designs. For a stained-glass look, choose representational stencils such as a fleur di lis, knights or patterns of faces. Choose a paint that replicates the look of stained glass or buy a kit from a craft store to create the stained-glass look, including the lead pieces that support the glass on real stained-glass pieces.

Attach screw hooks into the top of the door. Make sure that you find the parts of the door that are made from solid wood.

Spray paint two heavy chains. Choose colors for the paint that match the colors of your decorating scheme and the door. Allow to dry.

Knock on the wall to find the studs. Look for two studs that stand almost the width of the door apart on the wall. For example, if the door measures 3 feet, find studs that stand about 2 feet apart. Mark the wall with a pencil. Make sure that you mark it high enough so that when you hang the door it clears the floor.

Screw very heavy screw hooks into the studs.

Hook the chains to the hooks on the wall first. Then hook the chains to the hooks on the top of the door.