Windows & DoorsNo. 2820 · The 2026 edition
Make Ghostly Outdoor Draperies for Halloween
Transform your porch into a haunted scene with these ghostly cheesecloth draperies.
Our own summary of the original — the full post and photos live at hgtv.com.
Create eerie outdoor drapes for Halloween by aging cheesecloth with black tea, stapling it to poplar strips, and attaching them to your porch overhang. Add tattered effects by cutting random holes and pulling the fabric for a spooky, worn appearance.
You'll need
Directions
- Measure the height and width for each panel with a tape measure, then cut the cheesecloth accordingly. Using a mitre box and saw, cut 1/4-inch-thick 2x4 poplar strips to match the fabric width.
- Boil water and pour it into a bucket, then add several bags of black tea. Submerge the cheesecloth in the tea and let it soak overnight to give it an aged, yellowish tint. After soaking, remove the cheesecloth and hang it over a bannister, fence, or door to dry.
- Once the fabric is dry, staple each cheesecloth panel to its corresponding poplar strip using a staple gun with 9/16-inch staples. Then staple the poplar strips to the overhang of your porch. To achieve a tattered look, use scissors or a utility knife to cut random holes, and then pull the fabric to create runs.
More photos
Photos hosted by hgtv.com.