topic Re: Painting a Front Door in Home

Painting a Front Door

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 17:48:14 GMT

If you've painted the front door (mine is steel), did you prime, did you take it down or leave it up, and did you brush or roll?

I'm still trying to figure out the whole "keeping the dog in the house" issue!

Thanks.

Re: Painting a Front Door

On It — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 17:53:15 GMT

The painter we used left it up and painted with a brush. The door could not be closed for a while until the paint cured and it wouldn't stick. I left it open 3 or so inches all day. (He painted it first thing in the morning.) I don't know if steel needs a primer, but our wooden door was just painted.

Re: Painting a Front Door

SilleeMee — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:00:34 GMT

I believe most steel doors come primed when you buy them so all you need to do is paint them.

My front door is wood and I had it primed first then painted. The painter did not take the door down. He used a brush because my door is not a flat surface. Had to leave the door open for a few days. I just locked my storm door so that wasn't an issue.

Re: Painting a Front Door

Kachina624 — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:00:02 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia Lock the dog in a bedroom. Everything I've ever read recommended removing the door and hardware, which is why my door has never been painted.

Re: Painting a Front Door

sydsgma1 — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:10:01 GMT

we just painted our very tall front door using a sprayer. It worked well and the door looks great.

Re: Painting a Front Door

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:15:32 GMT

For clarity, the door has been painted before, and is peeling in some spots.

Should I sand? (I'll have to scrape.)

Planning for a low humidity day for quick drying. I think I'll paint around the hardware and keep the door up. Unfortunately we don't have a storm door so the dog will have to be carefully monitored!

Re: Painting a Front Door

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:17:03 GMT

The sprayer, @sydsgma1 - I'm envious. When I've bought a brand new door (in a past home) the finish was glorious. They used a technique like when cars are painted. Nearly flawless.

Re: Painting a Front Door

BirkiLady — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:41:14 GMT

Peeling paint certainly needs to be sanded. Without a storm door, I would consider oil paint to protect and preserve the paint job longer. Sorry, but I know nothing about the painting aspect; always hired that done.

Re: Painting a Front Door

itsmagic — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 18:43:34 GMT

I painted just the outside of my steel front door last year. It had been painted before but it had been 15 years and had a few nicked paint spots (not peeling) which I first sanded only those spots. I then took a clean wet cloth to wipe the dirt off the door and let it dry really well. I then painted it using a mini roller and a brush where needed. I decided to leave the door up and taped around the door handle and lock. It turned out good.

Re: Painting a Front Door

SilleeMee — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 19:24:52 GMT

If you sand and scrape then you'll need to prime it again if you get down to the metal. Another thing, though a bit more expensive, is using a paint and primer in one.

Re: Painting a Front Door

fthunt — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 19:27:18 GMT

Painters I've had left the door up and painted around the hardware.

Don't paint the hinges if they don't need it - slow to dry and too many layers of paint makes them peel terribly with use. (with repeated open - close motion)

different color paint - then you have to - I guess.

Re: Painting a Front Door

Kitlynn — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 20:06:38 GMT

Ours was just painted a navy blue and it was left hanging. The painter used a roller and a brush. It was painted eight years ago and still looks like it was just painted.

Re: Painting a Front Door

AuntG — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:30:07 GMT

I looked into wood graining ours and thought it was too expensive for just a basic door. A painter painted ours, covering a cranberry color with deep green. Cost only $75 and is fine by my standards (we're not fussy people by any means).

Re: Painting a Front Door

jannabelle1 — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:33:56 GMT

Prime it! We had a white steel door installed a few years ago. Our HOA requires brown doors, so I bought a can of the paint I needed. Big mistake because the door would not hold the paint. As soon as I started painting and saw what was happening, I went back out and bought a primer....that worked although I think it took two coats of paint for better coverage.

Re: Painting a Front Door

Sweetbay magnolia — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:36:28 GMT

I think, @jannabelle1 , that is why the door paint is peeling now. It was not prepped correctly.

Re: Painting a Front Door

ceekay — Sat, 03 Apr 2021 23:36:31 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia - about four years ago I painted a wooden exterior door. It had peeled and the finish on the panels was all alligatored. I scraped and sanded and then used a self leveling primer. I fiddled around with primer and sanding and spackle for a while until the finish looked fairly smooth. Then I painted it and it turned out pretty well. It is under cover at the back of our carport so not as exposed as a front door would be, but has held up really well. I was looking at it the other day and thinking unless you knew how bad it looked before you would never know. It still looks like a 52 year old door just not a beat up 52 year old door. Good luck!

Re: Painting a Front Door

Drythe — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 04:15:20 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia

I have repainted several steel doors.

Removed from hinges, sanded, use rust killer if you have peeling, (buy it from hardware store - Clear liquid that brushes on.

Then rust-o-lium or the like, and paint. I used rust-o-lium high gloss in a can.

If you didn’t have peeling the rust rust killer step could be skipped.

These are a lot of steps, however if you have rust, it is the only way to make sure it doesn't return. I learned the hard way...

As to the dogs, I sent them to grandpas for a few days.

😕😡🙁

Re: Painting a Front Door

Lilysmom1 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 10:10:27 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia , borrow a child's gate and insert it in the doorway to keep the dog away from the paint. Every time we get a new puppy we use one in the kitchen doorway. S

Re: Painting a Front Door

Mimi 1883 — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 12:00:40 GMT

@Sweetbay magnolia - My husband repainted our steel front door and removed it (the preferred method,) sanded, and painted using both a brush and roller.

To keep your dog inside, you could rig a piece of lattice on the inside creating a barrier.

You could also search on YouTube, "Repainting a steel door" - a lot of videos on the subject.

Re: Painting a Front Door

Sweetbay magnolia — Sun, 04 Apr 2021 12:01:31 GMT

Oh, @Lilysmom1 , excellent, thank you! Never even ocurred to me and this has been the biggest source of consternation over the door painting project!!!