How to Paint a Front Door

From homes to businesses, the front door is the first thing visitors see, so it’s essential to keep it looking its best. Over time, paint can crack and peel due to wear and tear, so it might be time for a refresh. Alternatively, a colour change is a budget-friendly way to transform any building’s exterior and boost curb appeal. Our guide has plenty of tips for repainting an exterior door – read on to find out more.

When to paint a front door

Like any exterior paint job, the best time to paint a front door is on a dry day. Extreme hot or cold temperatures can affect the paint’s drying time, so spring and autumn are the ideal seasons to paint outside.

Why paint a front door?

The main reason to paint a front door is to enhance the building’s aesthetic appeal and create a good first impression for visitors. This is particularly important if you’re planning to sell the property. We surveyed 321 professionals in the property and construction industry, with 52.65% of survey respondents saying first impressions are very important when viewing homes.

In addition, 90.97% said that a poorly maintained front door could put off potential buyers, and 91.9% believe a well-decorated front door positively influences prospective buyers.

The best paints for exterior doors

At Dulux Decorator Centre, we stock quality exterior paints for different types of doors, including wood and uPVC. Discover the best products for each type below.

uPVC doors

The Dulux Trade Weathershield range is the ideal choice for painting external uPVC doors, offering a durable and long-lasting finish for up to 6 years. Alternatively, Zinsser Allcoat Exterior Water-Based Satin Paint is an excellent option for uPVC doors.

Wooden doors

Dulux Trade Weathershield Quick Dry Exterior High Gloss is an excellent choice for front doors, offering up to 8 years of all-weather protection. For a satin finish, try Dulux Trade Weathershield Quick Dry Exterior Satin.

The quick-drying formula of these paints makes them an excellent choice for exteriors, letting you recoat in 4-6 hours. Explore the complete range of exterior wood paint to find the perfect solution for wooden front doors.

Tips for painting exterior doors

Whether you’re painting a uPVC, wood or metal exterior door, these are some of our top tips to ensure professional results:

Use masking tape to protect the surrounding masonry, letterbox, and any glass panels within the door if you’re painting the door in situ, rather than taking it off its hinges.

Repair cracks or holes in the door with filler (wooden doors only).

Only use suitable paint for the material you’re working with.

What you’ll need

Preparation is key when decorating. Here’s what you’ll need to paint a front door:

• PPE (overalls, mask, gloves)

• Dust sheets

• Paintbrushes (various sizes)

• Paint roller and tray

• Exterior paint in your chosen shade and finish

• Primer

• Masking tape

• Screwdriver

• Sandpaper or electric sander

• Hard-bristled brush

• Cleaning cloth or sponge

• Sugar soap (or mild household detergent)

A step-by-step guide to painting a front door

Once you have the right preparation products, tools, and your chosen paint, you’re ready to start. Follow these steps for the best results when painting exterior doors.

Step 1: Remove door hardware

• Unscrew letterboxes, door handles, knockers, numbers, nameplates, and draught excluders to prevent paint splashes.

• Keep them and their fixtures somewhere safe while painting (you need the screws to re-install the hardware when the paint has dried).

• Lay dust sheets under the door (inside and outside) to protect the doorstep and floors.

Step 2: Prepare the surface

• Brush the door with a hard-bristled brush to remove any cobwebs or debris.

• Use sandpaper or an electric sander to remove old paint, smooth over bumps in the material and create a textured surface for the paint to cling to.

• Clean the door using sugar soap and water to remove dust after sanding.

• Rinse thoroughly with clean water and leave to dry.

Step 3: Apply primer

• Apply a primer or undercoat for the material you’re working with to help your paint last.

• uPVC doors will need a primer and can only be painted with water-based paint, as oil-based paint won’t stick.

• Explore our range of exterior woodcare for wooden front doors.

Step 4: Paint the door

• Start by painting any intricate areas with a small paintbrush (around glass windowpanes, door handles or letterboxes).

• Use a paint roller over larger areas to get an even application and speed up the process.

• Let the first coat dry for 4-6 hours.

• Recoat and leave to dry.

Step 5: Replace door hardware

• When the door is completely dry, you can replace any hardware and admire your handiwork.

Painting doorsteps

When the front door is painted, the doorsteps may need some TLC to get the whole exterior looking like new. However, you’ll need to use different paint for doorsteps and take a slightly different approach – learn more below.

The best paint for doorsteps

Most doorsteps are made from concrete or brick, so you need to use a specialist paint. To enhance the appearance of a newly painted front door, find durable masonry paint for doorsteps at Dulux Decorator Centre.

Tips for doorstep painting