You’ll spend most of this time waiting for the paint and primer to dry.
Cost
$50–$100
Put your money toward future projects.
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What you'll need:
TOOLS
Paintbrush
Paint roller
Paint tray
Drop cloths
Scrub sponge
Rags
Screwdriver
Utility knife
Dust mask
Safety glasses
Dish soap (optional)
Paint scraper (optional)
SUPPLIES
Degreaser
Exterior paint
Sandpaper
Painter’s tape (optional)
Primer (optional)
Wood filler (optional)
Your front door is part of your home’s first impression. After all, front doors are one of the first things people see when they walk up to your home. If your door looks worse for wear and is in need of an update, giving it a fresh coat of paint can do wonders for boosting curb appeal. Before you bring out the paint cans and rollers, check out our guide on how to paint a front door like a pro.
Prepping to Paint a Front Door
Before you begin painting your front door, you'll want to choose the best paint type, paint finish, paint color, and amount of paint for the job. Here's what you need to know to get your project off on the right foot.
Choosing the Right Paint Type
The existing paint on your door can impact the exterior paint type you need to buy in order to end up with a flawlessly painted door. You probably know the old saying that oil and water don’t mix; the same goes for your paint.
If your door has oil-based enamel paint on it already, you’ll either need to remove the old paint or choose an oil paint. Similarly, if you have a water-based paint on your door, you’ll want to choose another water-based paint.
Picking a Paint Finish
There are five paint finishes you can choose for your paint, and the one you select can make a major difference in the appearance of your exterior door.
You’ll want to avoid choosing a flat/matte or eggshell finish because these won’t withstand the test of time and Mother Nature. You’ll also want to avoid a high-gloss finish, which has a way of highlighting the imperfections that naturally come with having an exterior-facing door. Opt for a semi-gloss or satin finish to hide those scratches and scuff marks as the years go on.
There are hundreds of exterior paint colors for front doors, making finding the best one for your home a bit of a rabbit hole. To narrow down your options, start by collecting a few color swatches in the styles and colors you think best complement your home. Research your ideal home aesthetic for inspiration, then compare swatches on your door.
A typical exterior door measures around 21 square feet on each side, or 42 square feet in total. To account for the edges of your door—and to avoid falling short in the case of a spill—increase the square footage by 15% and round up for a total of 49 square feet. One quart of paint should cover roughly 100 square feet, giving you plenty of wiggle room.
If your home does contain lead paint, put down the sandpaper and paintbrush now. Work with a local lead removal specialist to get rid of the lead and avoid the dangers of lead exposure before you paint the door.
Remove the Door From the Hinges
While you can paint your front door on the hinges, we recommend removing it from the frame. You’ll be able to give your door a smoother finish when it’s lying flat as opposed to hanging vertically, where gravity can lead to streaks of drippy paint.
Take the door off the hinges and remove any hardware, like the doorknob, deadbolt, nameplate, security system, and door knocker, using a screwdriver. Keep the items in a container to avoid losing essential parts.
Clean the Door
Photo: Os Tartarouchos / Moment / Getty Images
Cleaning your door will help you see what kind of additional prep work you need to do before you paint while also creating a dirt-free foundation for the paint. You can use dish soap and water with a towel or rag, but a degreasing solution and scrub sponge work best to completely eliminate dirt and grease.
Remove Old Paint (Optional)
Before you get started, you'll want to remove any old paint, if needed. Some doors just need light sanding to remove loose paint, but if your door has a lot of large, loose pieces of paint, you’re better off using a paint scraper. Use as little pressure as you can to get the paint off to avoid gouging the wood, and always work with the grain. Wipe off paint chips as you go.
Repair Any Imperfections (Optional)
If your door has dents, holes, scratches, or other spots in need of repair, a simple sandable wood filler can quickly fix up those spaces and have your door looking good as new. All you’ll need to do is mix the filler, spread it onto the cracks or dents, smooth it out, and let it dry (which typically takes around 30 minutes). Then, you can move on.
Once your door is clean and any wood filler you used has dried, it’s time to sand down the door. Put on your safety glasses and dust mask for this one. Inhaling sanded paint particles isn’t fun; it can cause serious long-term irritation and damage if you don’t protect yourself before starting.
Begin with 180-grit sandpaper if your door is in good condition or 100-grit sandpaper for doors in poor condition. Gradually increase the number up to 220 in intervals of roughly 30. Then, give your door a quick wipe-down with a rag.
If you have glass panes or other parts of your door you don’t want to get paint on, you can use painter’s tape to tape them off now.
Apply the Primer (Optional)
Most doors will need a primer, but if your door is relatively new, has a neutral, light color, is wooden, or has only been painted once before, you might be able to get away with using an exterior paint with primer already included. For most older doors, however, priming before painting can increase adherence, hide the old color, and speed up the project by decreasing the number of coats of paint you’ll need.
To prime your door, use a roller to evenly distribute the paint across the surface. Don’t forget to get the edges, bottom, and top of the door, too. Allow the primer to fully dry according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Paint the Front Door
Once dry, you can finally paint your front door. If your door has panels, you may need to use a paintbrush to get in the recessed sections before going over the entire door with a roller. For flat doors, a roller works well as a standalone. Use a brush to get the surrounding edges of the door. Let this first coat of paint fully dry before moving on to the second coat of paint.
Give Your Door Another Coat
Photo: Malcolm P Chapman / Moment / Getty Images
Repeat the previous step to apply a second layer of paint. A second coat will hide any remaining color that may serve as an unintentional undertone, all while giving your door fuller coverage and ensuring you haven’t missed a spot.
Reattach the Door to the Frame
Once your second coat of paint fully dries, pull out the screwdriver and your hardware again. Reattach the door to the frame by following the steps that you took to disassemble the door and all of its mechanisms. Finally, you can bask in the ambience of your freshly painted door.
DIY vs. Hiring a Pro
Painting a front door is an easy project that you can DIY without the helping hand of a pro. If you only have one or two doors you want to paint, doing it alone is a no-brainer that will save you a ton of money in labor costs. At the same time, if you're planning on doing a larger home makeover, it makes sense to hire an exterior painter near you to paint your door alongside all the other parts of your home's exterior.
Frequently Asked Questions
Painting an exterior door costs anywhere from $150 to $500 if you hire a professional painter. You can lower the cost of your project by painting your exterior door yourself. Most exterior paint costs between $20 and $50 a gallon, and you can usually get by with just a quart of paint. If you need to pay for additional tools, you'll still find yourself saving money by going the DIY route.
If you're hoping to save time by simply painting over your front door, we have bad news. This usually won’t give you the results that you want. You need to fully prep your door so that the paint adheres to the surface. If you don't sand and clean your door, you may find that you need to repaint your door sooner than you would if you had prepared the door properly in the first place.
You can avoid brush marks when painting your front door by painting the door off the hinges and then going over the door with a dry roller after using a paintbrush to smooth out any rough edges. You also want to avoid overloading your paintbrush with paint, as this can create an oversaturated surface where wet paint has nowhere to go.
