Reinstall The Door Handle And Locks
Once the paint is dry you can reinstall the door handle and locks and your new door is done!
I decided to leave the handle and locks off overnight to give the paint a little more time to cure before I re-installed them. We have a storm door so we were still able to shut the door for the night.
I dont know if this was necessary or not, but I didnt want to install the door handle and have it stick to the paint. Ill hopefully be removing it soon to install a different style handle and I dont the paint to peel or chip when I remove the current handle. Hopefully I let the paint cure long enough that this wont be a problem.
Best Type Of Paint For Metal Doors
Use two or more coats of high-quality exterior acrylic-latex paint for painting your metal front door. Glossier paint sheens are easier to clean and last longer. Use semi-gloss or gloss paint for your front door.
Many new exterior doors come pre-primed. If so, you’ll be able to apply the paint directly to the door.
If the door surface is bare metal or has any bare sections, apply primer before rolling on the paint. Or you can use direct-to-metal paint. DTM paint can stick to metal without priming.
Simple Steps To Repaint Your Front Door
There are lots of easy DIY projects to be done around your home this summer if you are looking to fill up some time. A perfect revitalization to your home can be as simple as a fresh coat of paint on your front door. Here are some tips and tricks on choosing the perfect paint, and steps on how to prep and repaint your door.
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Top Exterior Paints From Cr’s Tests
The best paint in our exterior paint ratings? Behr Marquee Exterior its $51 per gallon at Home Depot and is front-runner for the category.
For around $10 less and almost as good, theres Behr Ultra Exterior, also sold at Home Depot. Clark+Kensington from Ace Hardware is another solid choice with a comparable rating, at just $35 per gallon. Sherwin-Williams Emerald is impressive, too, but it has a harder time resisting dirt than the other two, and its $72 per gallon.
CR members can see more detailed ratings below.
Should A Front Door Be Satin Or Gloss
A front door could be painted in a satin or gloss finish exterior paints are sold in both these finishes as well as flatter options. Gloss has more luster than satin paint and is generally more durable, and easier to clean, but satin can still be a great choice for a front door if you prefer less sheen.
Some people are put off using gloss by its perceived downsides. The thought of gloss paint can be scary, says Martin Waller, founder of global design brand, Andrew Martin . Lots of preparation, and its often a product thought of as thick and odorous, tricky to apply and difficult to clean up afterwards. Times have changed! Many gloss paints including Andrew Martins excellent version are water based and need barely any preparation, have virtually zero odor and really easy to apply and work with.
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Paint 2 Coats Of Exterior Paint
Once your primer is dry, you can add your first layer of exterior paint.
Check your can of primer to see how long you should wait before adding a coat of paint on top. For the primer I used, Zinsser 1-2-3 Bullseye Primer, I only needed to wait an hour.
For your exterior paint you want to choose something that is fade-resistant and can stand up to the weather. I ended up using Behr Ultra Exterior Paint & Primer in One from Home Depot. This was my first time using it and I loved working with it! It went on easily with great coverage, was easy to clean up with water and dried super hard. I was really impressed!
You want to paint your front door with the exterior paint in the same way you painted the primer. Use a brush for the detailed parts and go over your brush strokes with a foam roller to smooth them out. Then use the foam roller for the flat parts of the door.
I experimented painting different sections in different orders because I had read that it was important to paint the sections of your door in a specific order with brush strokes going in specific directions and I was absolutely no difference in the finish by doing that. So in my experience it really doesnt matter what order you paint the door in.
Once the first coat of paint is dry, add another coat in the same way. For the type of paint I used I needed to wait 4 hours in between coats.
I used less than 1 quart of paint. The paint color I chose is called Adonis by Behr in exterior satin.
Choosing The Best Front Door Colors
First things first: If youre wondering What color to paint my front door? or What paint to use on my front door?, heres how to decide.
Look at the color of your house and the style of your home. Youll want to choose a color that goes with the rest of the house.
For example, the below shows a warm tone house with a bold nature brown-tan-orange rock face The last thing it would need is a layer of brown front door paint!
That said, its important to know that there are no best front door paint colors, it is a matter of personal interest!
Visiting a Sherwin Williams or paint store near you is a start. You can gather paint chips in varying shades and tape them to the door to review.
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When To Call A Pro
If you discover that the surface of your door is not suitable for some of the earlier steps like scraping or sanding, or if you need guidance on what paints or finishes would work for your particular situation, it might be time to consult a professional. Many painters will quote a price over the phone.
How To Paint A Door And Refresh Your Home Instantly
Painting a door may seem daunting when actually it can be easily done and it’s one of the quickest ways to give your home a fresh new look.
Learn this skill and you’ll be able to copy the latest front door ideas in no time. All you need is the right paint for the job, as well as a little time and space but otherwise, it’s not an overly complicated DIY and you will save a ton of cash by doing it yourself.
There’s no better way to inject color and vibrancy, not to mention curb appeal into your home than with this simple home improvement job. From correctly prepping and priming the door for painting, to drying time and different effects, you can guarantee a professional finish throughout your home with our guidance. Next you’ll be painting the outside of your house too..
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Tips For Painting Your Front Door
MAKE SURE YOU DO IT ON A COOLER DAY | Because the door will have to remain open for most of the day, make sure you choose a day where its not too hot or cold. We started our project in the morning so that we would have plenty of time to allow for drying between coats. It also gave the door plenty of time to dry before closing it for the evening.
CLEAN YOUR DOOR BEFORE PAINTING | Its important to clean your door very well before starting your paint project. Since its an exterior door there is plenty of build up of dust, debris, etc. on the door. We cleaned our door with an all-purpose cleaner first. I followed with a wet cloth and dried it with a towel before we began to paint. I also sanded a few spots on the door where there were imperfections.
DONT FORGET THE PAINTERS TAPE |We kept the door on the hinges while painting it so we used painters tape to cover the hinges. We took off all of the hardware since we will likely be switching it out soon & filled the holes with painters tape. If you arent planning to remove your hardware you can easily put tape over it to protect it.
USE AN EXTERIOR PAINT & PRIMER |We chose to use an exterior paint that had primer already in it for a few reasons. We werent sure what kind of paint was currently on the door. We wanted to prime the door to make sure the paint would stick to it properly. Having to prime adds additional time and steps to the project, so having a paint & primer combo easily saved an hour or more!
Best Exterior Paint For Doors And Trim
Here’s why semigloss is your best betplus, the top four exterior paints from CR’s tests
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Painting your front door can be a big decision, with several color and finish options to choose from. The aesthetics of the main entryway are so important, in fact, that studies have found when the front door is painted the right hue, homes can fetch upward of $6,000 more in resale value. But despite the shade you ultimately select to heighten your homes curb appeal, theres only one real option for the finish.
It has to be semigloss.
The same goes for exterior trim. Semigloss paint gives you a smoother surface than lower-sheen finishes and has a degree of shine, providing a visual contrast.
Semigloss finishes are usually easy to clean, so theyll continue to look good for years, says test engineer Rico de Paz, Consumer Reports resident paint pro. He also recommends a semigloss finish for porch railings, adding that you should use a porch-and-patio paint for the porch floor and stairs.
Once you have the right conditions, you can take on repainting your front door. Its a very doable job if you follow the right approach. Here are de Pazs three key tips:
If youre debating which color to paint your door, gather a little .
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Do I Need To Prime My Front Door Before Painting
Generally, a front door should be primed before painting. For the paint to adhere to the surface, use an appropriate primer applying an undercoat will provide a medium film to give the new color opacity and help to cover over previously painted surfaces, says Matthew Brown, Sadolin and Sandtex technical consultant.
James Greenwood, paint expert at Graham & Brown agrees. If you are painting your door a lighter color, then a primer can cover up the existing color meaning you will need less coats overall, he says. A primer is important for ensuring the longevity and durability of the paint as well.
Be aware that some paints are designed as an all-in-one with a separate primer not required. However, this typically works best when painting a new bare wood door, or for painting the door in the same or a darker color.
How To Paint A Metal Front Door
Lee has over two decades of hands-on experience remodeling, fixing, and improving homes, and has been providing home improvement advice for over 13 years.
Deane Biermeier is an expert contractor with nearly 30 years of experience in all types of home repair, maintenance, and remodeling. He is a certified lead carpenter and also holds a certification from the EPA. Deane is a member of The Spruce’s Home Improvement Review Board.
Eyecrave / Getty Images
- Working Time: 2 – 4 hrs
- Total Time: 1 – 2 days
- Skill Level: Beginner
- Estimated Cost: $50 to $100
Metal front doors are weatherproof, resistant to insects and rot, and a serious deterrent to intruders. Yet even the strongest metal front door will lose some of its sparkle over time. Painting your metal front door helps it regain its luster and charm for a serious curb appeal boost.
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The Best Tip For Painting A Front Door
The best advice I found for painting the front door was to use a foam roller to go over parts of the door that were painted with a brush. Using the foam roller in this way totally eliminated brush strokes and gave me a super smooth finish!
It also helped to soak up extra paint where I got too much on my brush and prevented drip marks where I applied too much paint.
This was such a helpful, amazing tip and it made a huge difference in the end appearance of my painted front door. It looks like such a professional paint job!
Tape Off The Hinges And Windows
Since were not removing the door youll want to tape off the hinges and any other areas you dont want to paint with painters tape. You might want to tape off the weather stripping at the bottom of the door if you dont want to get paint on it.
If your door has a window dont forget to tape that off using painters tape too.
The window on my door is curved so getting the tape around the edge was a little difficult. I ended up lining the inside of the window with a bunch of small pieces of tape around the edge. Then I took a box knife and ran it around the edge of the window, under the trim, to cut off any tape that was on the trim.
This worked great to protect the window, but was a pain to remove the tape. I really got it securely between the window and trim! I had to use the box knife again to remove the tape that was wedged under the trim after I was done painting.
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How To Paint A Door
I decided to paint the front door without taking it off the hinges or even removing the hardware because that is the fastest and easiest way.
Also, if I did, the title wouldnt say the lazy way.
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Determine Color And Type Of Paint
Select and purchase a type of paint in the color and finish of your choosing. Youll need at least one quart of paint for this project if the door is of average size, and if youre planning to leave any portion of the door the color that it currently is, you will also want a small amount of paint that is matched to the doors color for back-filling on masked areas.
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How To Paint Your Front Door
Looking for a low-effort, high-impact project to do this weekend? Consider this your cheat sheet. Below, youll find our three simple steps to a front door you can be proud of, plus a little colour inspiration from our crafty followers.
What youll need
- The front door paint of your choice choose Exterior Eggshell for a mid-sheen finish or Full Gloss for an ultra-reflective finish
- Exterior Wood Primer & Undercoat in the recommended tone for your paint colour youll find this on the colour page for your chosen topcoat
- Paint brush try our 2-inch angled brush
How to Paint Your Front Door
Remove all hardware, then sand the door, making sure its clean and dry. If your door has glass, use masking tape around the edge of each pane to keep splatters at bay.We recommend starting this project in the early morning, or even the night before, to ensure you can give the paint all afternoon to dry.
Apply a layer of Exterior Wood Primer & Undercoat using a 2-inch angled brush, one section at a time. Then leave to dry.We recommend following the sequence below when painting your door:
Best Rated Paint For Exterior Door 2022
Painting your front door can decide the attractiveness of your home, and there are a number of different paint and finish options available. However, it’s important to consider how the color will look on different exterior door types and trim. In addition, some finishes may be better than others for certain types of door frames. So, before you start painting, be sure to research which option is right for your home.
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The Advice For Painting A Front Door That I Decided Not To Follow
I read on many tutorials that the door needed to be painted in a certain order with brush strokes going in specific directions for each section of the door. There were a bunch of complicated, 14-step charts about how to paint the door that really made me nervous I was going to mess up painting my front door and make it look awful.
All of that detailed instruction was too overwhelming for me its just not how I work so I completely ignored that advice and chose to just paint it without following a chart or graph.
And guess what?
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