With everyone spending so much time at home these days, DIY home projects are becoming very popular! An easy one day project that can help you spruce up your home is painting your front door. This is one of my favourite ways to change up the look of the front of our house. And since I really don’t love our pink brick exterior, I’m always looking for ways to improve our curb appeal. This week we decided to paint our front door black! Below we share with you how to paint a front door without removing it.
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The before – front door in need of paint
Here is our front door before we painted it black. As you can see, it kind of just blends in and doesn’t really stand out.
The beautiful thing about a front door is that it is already hung for you and ready to paint. No need to remove it! The only real trick is to pick a day that is not too cold or too hot so you can leave the door open to dry between steps.
The process – how to paint a front door without removing it
Step 1 – clean your front door
If you are replacing your front door handle at the same time as painting, you’ll want to start your project by removing it. If you’re keeping your existing door handle, you do NOT need to remove it for painting.
Since your front door is exposed to the outside, it will need a good cleaning before it can be painted. This is not a step to skip! If paint is applied over dirt and grime it will not adhere properly and your paint finish will be much less durable.
Step 2 – prepare your front door for painting
Next you will need to scrape off any bits of loose or flaking paint. We have a handy little scraper we use to remove old finishes.
Sand the door with a medium grit sandpaper. If you notice any inconsistencies, scratches or gouges, you will want to repair those before painting your front door.
We use Bondo to make these kinds of repairs. It is easy to use and dries super quickly so you can get on with your project. You can read more about using Bondo here.
Step 3 – tape (optional)
Stuart hates using painter’s tape so he will freehand the edges for most paint jobs. If you’re less confident about how steady your hand is, you can use painters tape to tape off any windows or around door hardware if necessary. We like to use this brand. It’s actually a great project to try going tape-free because paint will scrape off any glass or metal you accidentally get it on pretty easily.
Step 4 – paint your front door
There is no “best” paint for a front door. Any paint you choose should hold up to the elements just fine with the proper top coat to seal it.
We chose to use Cottage Paint Serenity Silk in Black. We love mineral paint for many reasons, which you can read more about here, so it was a natural choice for painting our metal front door.
To get the best paint coat possible, use a good brush or roller and apply the paint to your door in thin coats. Leave the door open to dry. You want to avoid letting the door close during the entire project so the seal doesn’t ruin your paint coat around the edges before it has time to dry.
Wait until your first coat dries completely before applying the second to minimize brush strokes or roller marks in your paint. How long you’ll need to wait depends on the type of paint you use, so be sure to read the instructions for the correct dry time.
Since mineral paint has such amazing coverage, it only took us two coats to get the perfect finish in black.
Step 5 – seal your painted front door
Unless you used exterior grade latex paint, you should put a protective sealer on your freshly painted front door. We recommend a water-based poly or acrylic varnish. We used Cottage Paint’s flat acrylic varnish to protect our painted front door.
The after – black painted front door
As you can see, painting a front door in a bold colour really helps it stand out and adds charm to your exterior. We hope we’ve given you the confidence to paint your front door! Painting a front door is really an easy project you can tackle in a day. And in these times of social isolation, the sense of accomplishing something so visible can also really lift your spirit!
We’d love to hear about your front door painting adventures in the comments below!
Did you replace the door handle or paint over it?
They look different…. so probably replaced
Yep 🙂
Hi Susan, sorry for the late response! We replaced it handle because we wanted to switch to a digital lock system. But you can paint hardware with the right prep and a good top coat. Thanks for asking!
The black door is much more attractive. I’m not really sold on using a paint that I have to varnish over since I really don’t want to have to re-seal any time soon. That said, I’m worried about using an exterior paint because of working around humidity and not wanting the door to stick when we have to close/lock it for the night.
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Awesome choice!!!!!
Thanks so much Vicky!
While you repaint the door jams? Highly recommended.
Hi Michelle, always an option! Thanks for commenting!
After the paint has dried completely, carefully remove the painter s tape and replace any hardware or weatherstripping you removed. Finally, rehang the door.
too bad you didn’t use the Bondo to repair the dents on the right side of door as well
I love it ❗️Great choice of color it really looks nice❗️
Thank you so much!
I am one your reader and always wanted to strart my own Cleaning Service. This is something that could be a great refference
I am one your reader and always wanted to strart my own Cleaning Service. This is something that could be a great refference
Thank you for sharing this helpful tutorial on how to paint a front door without removing it. As someone who has always been intimidated by the idea of removing the door to paint it, I found your step-by-step instructions and tips very informative.
I appreciate that you emphasized the importance of preparation, including cleaning and sanding the door before painting. Your suggestion to use a high-quality paint and brush is also valuable, as it can make a significant difference in the final result.