how to paint an exterior door

Set the door aside and allow it to air dry for about an hour. Paint can take anywhere from four to eight hours to dry enough to close the door. Karen It took 0 milliseconds to generate this page. | phone}}{{storeData.phone | phone}}. It’s high time for a good before and after isn’t it? For tips on choosing the best primer and paint for your exterior door, keep reading! Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patrick’s Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If you are buying a new door to paint, that cost is going to need to be factored into your budget. Patrick's Company won a "Top Job" award from the American Painting contractor magazine in 2020. Water-based paints tend to dry faster than oil paints, but oil paints will provide better protection for the surface underneath. Use the vacuum with the dust attachment to clean off the door, then wipe it down with a wet rag. Depending on the condition of any old paint, you might need to strip it down too. Paint the door with an exterior-grade paint-and-primer-in-one. Painting a door is a race against time. Then, patch it, sand it, and use painter’s tape and paper to cover any windows or hardware that can’t be removed so they won’t get paint-splattered. It’s important to remove the tape when the paint is still wet, otherwise the paint may dry to the tape and peel off with it. This step is not necessary if you're painting a wooden door. Please consider making a contribution to wikiHow today. Rinse the door and allow it to dry before proceeding. Clean the door by scrubbing the surface with a wet sponge, then lightly sand the surface. One person can hold the door in place and the other can put in the hinge pins. Some products nowadays contain both paint and primer in one. Wait at least a couple of hours or until the primer is dry before you apply 1-2 coats of your paint in the same way. Use sandpaper to smooth the surface, and wipe the dust off with a clean, damp rag. Begin by applying paint to the inside of the top panels. By signing up you are agreeing to receive emails according to our privacy policy. In that case, you’ll need to mask off the hardware or cover it with a painter’s rag. When you're outside, the side where the hinges are will show when the door is open. Give a light sanding to the entire door to give the paint a rough surface to grip. The 60° F guideline is ideal. Once I dipped the paint brush in the chalky finish I made sure to use up all the paint on the brush and blended it in as I went to get a brushed look. Patrick Coye. With over 15 years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. Soak a piece of cloth, or a cotton ball, with rubbing alcohol and wipe it across the painted surface. Step 4 Use a brush to apply the paint to the door, using long, even strokes. Unlock expert answers by supporting wikiHow. Once the door was completed in Romance, I came through with the Relic paint and again used the dry brush to apply to the door. Use the type of primer and paint recommended by the door manufacturer. Generally, when the paint no longer feels tacky to the touch, the door can be reinstalled. Rain can shut down an exterior paint job, but there are other aspects of the climate to consider as well. Protective Concrete Coatings & Waterproofers, How to Create a Starry Night Sky Accent Wall. For one primed exterior door, you'll need at least one quart of paint. The minimum application temperature on the label should be followed carefully. If you still can't figure it out, mix a little water with a little bit of the paint. Gather your supplies. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions for dry time. Paint stiles, the long sides of the door, with the grain, which will be up and down, and the rails, the top and bottom edges, side to side. (0 items) We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Loosen the hinge pins holding the door in place. If painting a wood door, always go with the grain. Can’t wait until this is done and shows off a nice big brass handle and knocker. Your Cart Last Updated: September 15, 2020 The cost to Paint an Exterior Door starts at $95.38 - $218 per door, but can vary significantly with site conditions and options. Make sure the tape or paper covers every surface that you don’t want painted. Wash the surface of the door with a degreasing dish soap and rinse with a clean, damp cloth to remove any soap residue. To date, Patrick and his team have painted over 2,000 houses and stained over 800 decks. Roll the paint onto the door using long, smooth strokes. If so, should the door stay open for 24 hours? Allow the door to dry completely before reattaching the hardware and rehanging the door, if you removed it to paint. Satin Elegant Front Door Modern Masters 1 qt. If you left the door on its hinges, tape adjacent walls, the frame, and the hinges. Step 2: Sand Surface Preparation time will depend on how much you have to do. See professionally prepared estimates for exterior door painting work. For instance, if you have holes to fill, giving the caulk time to dry will add a few hours to the job. If the door has a vertical center stile, paint this next and then blend in the brush marks from the center stile when you paint the horizontal rails. 2 Exterior doors, especially front doors, are often the first thing someone will notice about your house. Did you know you can read expert answers for this article? Wash the surface of the door with a degreasing dish soap and rinse with a clean, damp cloth to remove any soap residue. Start at the corner and use a smooth motion to brush or roll the project area. If you don't want to remove the hardware, mask it with tape. This typically is 50° F for latex paints. If your door is one flat piece of wood or metal, use the roller to paint the entire door. Use sandpaper to smooth the surface, and wipe the dust off with a clean, damp rag. Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patrick’s Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. This article has been viewed 259,824 times. 1 Keep in mind paints dry faster in higher temperatures, lower humidity, and when exposed to direct sunlight. Use a brush for painting in small panels and over the entire surface to avoid the appearance of roller stipple. Our side exterior door is fiberglass, and our new front door is steel, so if you have a wood door, I’d ask at the paint store. What is the minimum temperature at which I can use oil based paint? Sherwin-Williams store. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. When the primer has had enough time to dry (usually a couple hours), flip the door over and paint the other side. Otherwise, cleaning, sanding, washing, and drying the door will likely take a couple hours. [1] X Research source Hit the nail with a hammer until the hinge pin loosens and the top is pushed away from the hinge panels. The best paint for exterior doors: This definitely depends on your door material. This item has been successfully added to your list. Complete the centers of recessed panels first, moving to the larger area of the door last. Formulated with never-fade technology, the color withstands the elements to retain a … wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Modern Masters 1 qt. Follow this order for best results when using SnapDry™ paint on your doors. You can use a brush to paint trim around recessed panels and a roller to paint the panels, themselves. It should say on the tin, and it's easy to tell just by looking. It’s also OK to paint or stain the door while it’s still hanging. A paintbrush will give you a nice “hand-painted” look. A worn-out metal garage gate can drag down the appearance of your entire house, but a fresh coat of paint could help make it look crisp and clean—provided other parts of the exterior don’t need touch-ups. Consider a paint additive to slow down drying and improve leveling. What do I do if my door is sticking to the weather strip? Smooth out the paint, working with the grain. With over 15 years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. Step 5: Dry and Reattach. Press a nail to the base of the hinge pin, which will be right on the point where the door pivots open and closed. Every day at wikiHow, we work hard to give you access to instructions and information that will help you live a better life, whether it's keeping you safer, healthier, or improving your well-being. Step 2 - Applying Paint To Your Front Door. Support wikiHow by If you currently have a water-based paint on your door, you'll have to paint over it with the same type of paint. Once it was completely dry, I did a second coat to finish it off nicely. Just thinking out loud. Finally, let the paint dry completely before you replace the hardware and rehang the door. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Next, apply a coat of primer. Amid the current public health and economic crises, when the world is shifting dramatically and we are all learning and adapting to changes in daily life, people need wikiHow more than ever. If you cleaned a metal door with solvent, wash it with water mixed with a few drops of dish soap. Your support helps wikiHow to create more in-depth illustrated articles and videos and to share our trusted brand of instructional content with millions of people all over the world. You can use a drop cloth, too, if you have one handy. I am painting the exterior and interior faces of the door different colors. 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