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Your home’s front door is one of the first things you notice.
When we moved into our home 5 years ago, I painted the front door red. I had always wanted a red door because I liked the way it popped.
If you know me, you’ll know that I’m always looking for ways to change something or update it. Our front door is no different. For me, the red door had run its course, and it was time for a change – black!
We recently got our front steps redone, and we wanted a new front door to go along with this upgrade. However, this would have cost us $5,700 (not including a new storm door). We didn’t want to spend this much money, so I decided to give our existing door a facelift. I spent just under $75 on this project and I had it done in one day.
Our home was built in 1986 and the door isn’t in the best condition. Even though it looked fine when it was red, I’ve gained a lot of experience through my DIY and painting projects, so I knew how to improve the finish this time. Side note – my husband and I painted THE ENTIRE house when we first moved it. I’m talking trim, wall, ceiling, baseboards – EVERYTHING.
What you need
- Flat-head screwdriver
- Hammer
- Phillips-head screwdriver
- Saw horses (2)
- Electric sander
- Sanding discs (most electric sanders come with a set)
- Sandpaper (P180 or P240 are safe choices)
- Microfiber cleaning cloth
- Exterior paint
- Paint stirring stick (free when you get your paint)
- 1.5-inch paintbrush
- 4-inch flock foam roller
- Mini paint roller frame
- Paint tray
- Quick setting steel reinforced epoxy (optional)
- Plastic drop cloth (optional)
- Painter’s tape (optional)
Steps
- Remove door hardware and detach it from the frame
- Fill any holes with the quick setting steel-reinforced epoxy
- Sand using the electric sander and the sandpaper
- Clean the door with a microfiber cleaning cloth
- Paint
- Let the paint dry thoroughly
- Hang the door back on the frame
- Attach existing or new hardware
Step-by-step
1. Remove door hardware and detach it from the frame
Use the flat-head screwdriver and the hammer to remove the pins from the door hinges. Then, use the Phillips-head screwdriver to remove the hinges from the door and/or frame. Remove all the hardware on your door; the door handle, lock or deadbolt, doorknocker, peephole, etc.
Lay the door on 2 saw horses. If you plan to sand your door (which I highly recommend), I suggest you set this up outside if possible. You can lay a plastic drop cloth under the door to avoid paint dripping onto the ground.
Note: It’s possible to paint your front door without removing it from the frame and without removing the hardware, but I don’t recommend it. Painting around these obstacles is challenging, and it won’t look as good. The paint will also adhere to the hardware and make it difficult to remove it in the future.
2. Fill any holes with the quick setting steel-reinforced epoxy
This epoxy is amazing to work with. I used it to fill in the doorknocker holes from the previous owners the first time I painted the door, and I used it again to fill our own doorknocker holes.
You mix the steel and the hardener together using equal parts and apply it to your surface. It only takes 6 minutes to set. I actually had to refill a tiny bit of the hole in between paint coats, and I was able to finely sand it before my next coat.
3. Sand using the electric sander and the sandpaper
This is an important step. Sanding your door will make the surface nice and smooth, and it will give your door a much more finished look.
I started by using the electric sander and sanded the outside border and then did the sections in between the panels. I used a P80 grit sand disc because I wanted to remove the brush strokes from my previous job as much as possible.
Once I was satisfied with the larger parts of the door, I used P240 grit sandpaper to sand the nooks and crannies.
4. Clean the door with a microfiber cleaning cloth
I used a dry cleaning cloth to remove all the dust from the sanding. Then, I used a slightly damp cloth to wipe down the whole door to make sure I had removed all the dust and debris. There’s nothing I hate more than seeing specs of dirt mixed into the brush and paint.
5. Paint
I recommend using this exterior paint. They can make it the color of your choice at the store. We got ours from Lowe’s and have used it for other outdoor paint projects.
I used Sherwin Williams Black Magic for our door and I am SO happy with the way it came out. I had freaked out for a brief second when I opened the paint can (the black I had chosen looked more like my daughter’s favorite color), but after mixing the paint thoroughly, I saw the warm black I was hoping for.
When painting doors, cabinets, or anything that has some sort of paneling, I like to start by using the paintbrush around the edges of the panels (step 1 in the image below). I make sure to get all the spots that the roller can’t. I also avoid applying too much paint on the brush to prevent paint drips or puddles. These are a pain to remove if they form because they need to be sanded.
After painting the paneling and trim around any windows you may have on your door, switch to the mini foam roller. I love the smooth finish this 4-inch flock foam roller left on my door. Then, paint the vertical sides of the door (step 2 in the image above) and then the horizontal sides (step 3 in the image above), making sure to move the roller in long strokes that follow the long length of the door.
6. Let the paint dry thoroughly
If you’re like me, you’re probably itching to see your finished product, but resist the urge! Even if the paint feels dry to the touch, it can still smear and smudge in the installation process.
Both times I painted our front door I aimed to have the last coat of paint applied by noon. We didn’t hang the door back up until 11 pm that night to give it as much time to dry as possible.
Don’t forget that you will have to close the door, and the paint can stick to the inside of the door trim. I recommend putting painter’s tape on the edges of the door that will touch the frame to avoid it sticking.
Our front door needed 3 coats of paint. I waited about an hour in between each coat in order to allow enough dry time after the final coat.
7. Hang the door back on the frame
We like to hang the door before reattaching the hardware. This step is much easier to do with 2 people if you can. Use the Phillips-head screwdriver to screw the hinges back onto the door and then screw the hinges into the frame.
8. Attach existing or new hardware
This is the most satisfying part because you can start to see the finished look! Even if you are reusing existing hardware, a fresh coat of paint or a new color altogether can make your old hardware look new, as well. We used our old hardware since we replaced it the first time I painted it, and I am very happy with the way it looks!
Tips
- Mix the paint very well with a paint stirring stick before using it.
- Let the paint dry for as many hours as you can before hanging the door back up.
- If you are painting both sides of your door in 2 different colors, paint the hinge side of the door the same color as the exterior side and paint the opposite side of the door the interior color.
- Apply enough coats. You don’t want to overdo it with paint because the paint can start to look too thick. However, make sure you can’t see the old door color underneath the new one. It’s tempting to skimp out on a final coat but trust me, it will look much better if the color is evenly applied.
Add decor!
Show off your new front door! An updated front door helps give your home curb appeal, so show it off!
Replace your doormat if yours has seen better days, layer it with an accent rug, and add some floral arrangements to your steps – get creative!
You can even replace your front lights if you think they could use an upgrade. Use this opportunity to dress up your new front door. It’s the first thing people see when they arrive, and you want it to welcome them.
