Custom Door Hangers

Card Weight, Shape and the Hanging Slit

A door hanger has to survive wind, rain and a bit of handling, so it is printed on heavier card than a flyer. We usually recommend 350 or 400 gsm silk or matt card. Lighter stock flops over and can blow off the handle; heavier card stays upright and feels more substantial when picked up.

The hole at the top is cut to fit most handles, with a slit running to the edge so the hanger can be slipped on without taking the handle apart. Round knobs need a slightly larger hole than lever handles, so we use a size that suits both. Corners can be square or rounded, and the top can follow the curve of the hole for a softer shape.

For something more memorable, the whole hanger can be die-cut to a custom outline, such as a house, a key or a speech bubble. Custom shapes take a little more planning but are remembered far more than a plain rectangle.

Size is worth considering at the same time. Slim hangers suit modern front doors with narrow stiles, while wider hangers give more room for a menu or price list but can overlap a door frame. If your area is mostly flats with communal doors, a slimmer design usually sits better. Our guide to card weights and finishes explains why 350 gsm is the floor for anything left outdoors.

Writing a Door Hanger That Works

The top third of the hanger is what people see first, so put the headline there, in large type, saying exactly what you offer. Your logo can sit below it. Most people make the mistake of putting the logo first and the offer in small print further down.

Keep the message short. A door hanger is not a brochure; it is a nudge. One clear offer, a phone number large enough to read from a step away, and a website or QR code is usually enough. If you have more to say, use the back for a price guide, service list or menu.

A tear-off section at the bottom works well for appointment cards, discount vouchers or a small reply slip. We perforate it so it tears cleanly without ripping the rest of the hanger. Menus too long for a hanger are better split across door hanger flyers with a full back panel.

Finishes and Weather

Door hangers spend hours outside, sometimes in the rain. A matt or gloss laminate on both sides keeps the print from smudging and stops the card going limp in damp weather. Silk card without lamination is fine for dry days and short campaigns, and it is easier to write on with a pen if you plan to add a handwritten note.

If your team writes a name or appointment time on each hanger, choose an uncoated or silk finish on the panel where they write, since ink does not take well on laminate. We can leave a writable panel and laminate the rest.

A spot gloss on the logo or headline is a subtle way to catch the light on a matt hanger. It does not add much to the cost and lifts the key words as the householder picks the hanger off the handle. The finish and laminate options page shows spot gloss on matt card.

Planning a Round of Doors

Distribution is where door hangers succeed or fail. A team can cover a street of houses quickly, but flats with secure entrances and long rural lanes take much longer. Plan your area by the type of housing, not just the postcode, and order a few more than the number of doors to allow for spoilage.

Timing matters too. Hangers placed on a weekday afternoon are found when people come home from work, which is often when they are planning the week ahead. Avoid very windy days for the obvious reason, and track responses with a unique offer code so you know which streets worked.

Keep a simple log of which streets were covered and when, so a second round a few weeks later can follow up without doubling up on the same doors. Posters and business cards for the same campaign sit under marketing print for local services.

Count the Doors, Then Add a Tenth

The quantity is the ordering decision that trips up most first-time users: count the doors in the streets you will actually walk, by housing type rather than postcode, and add about ten per cent for wind, rain and second visits. Then pick the width to suit those doors, slim for flats with communal entrances and standard for houses. If your team writes a name or time on each hanger, say so, because we leave that panel unlaminated and laminate the rest.

Send the artwork or a brief, the size, the card weight and any tear-off slip, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with minimums quoted per job so a sole trader can test one area. The free proof shows the die-cut hole and slit against your design, so check that nothing important sits near them. Printing and cutting take 4–7 working days after approval and tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses is free, taking 2–3 working days. Misprinted or damaged hangers reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Agents who want a different street name on each batch usually order estate agent door hangers in several versions from one artwork.