Does the exterior of your home need a bit more kerb appeal? Do you want to know how to paint your front door? Giving the front door a lick of paint is one of the quickest and easiest ways to bring a new look to your home, and set the mood for visitors before they even step over the threshold.
We’ve enlisted the help of Pam Gruhn, founder of Frenchic Paint, who has lots of top tips for exterior door painting. ‘Now is the perfect time to upgrade your outside area and your front door is a great place to start,’ she says. ‘It can give your home such a ‘lift’ and is of course much cheaper than buying a new front door!’
Want more outdoor paint ideas? READ: How to use paint in the garden to add a dose of colour and vibrancy
‘We’ve seen nearly a 500 per cent increase of sales of our Al Fresco Inside/Outside Range in the last six weeks,’ she adds. ‘We think this is – A – because more people are at home doing DIY and upcycling projects and – B – because people are outside in the sunshine and want to improve their outside living areas.’
‘The front-door painting trend in particular has really taken off recently. Our most popular colours at the moment for doors are greys such as Smudge, Stormy, Greyhound, and cream shades such as Cream Dream or Cool Beans. Bright pastel shades are becoming more and more popular such as Parma Violet, Dusky Blush and Wise Old Sage.’
You can paint your door if it’s PVC, UVC, wooden, composite – the Frenchic Al Fresco range works on any of these materials. And here’s how to do it.
Image credit: Dan Duchars
How to paint your front door
You will need:
- Flat scraper
- Filling knife
- Sandpaper
- Exterior multipurpose filler
- Paint brushes
- Exterior paint – we recommend Frenchic’s Al Fresco Inside/Outside paint
- 40mm or 50mm brush
1. Remove your furniture
Image credit: Robert Sanderson
Unscrew any handles, letterboxes, etc, before giving the door a good clean using diluted detergent. Rinse with clean water.
2. Prepare the surface
As Pam explains, it’s ‘It’s all in the prep!’
Use a flat scraper to scrape off any blistered or flaking paint. Use an exterior multipurpose filler to fill any cracks or holes on the door’s surface. Once dry, sand the whole surface of the door with medium grade sandpaper, then repeat with fine sandpaper.
3. Give the door a good clean
‘Make sure you clean down the door to remove any dirt and dust,’ says Kim. ‘Give it a clean – an all-over wash! Sugar soap is best for this.’
4. Paint the door
Image credit: James Merrell
Paint the first coat, focussing on any raised door panels first, and then paint the rest of the door. If you are using Frenchic paint, leave two hours then paint the second coat.
Once dry, refit the door furniture.
5. Enjoy your new front door
‘Be careful with the door for 2-3 weeks for obvious reasons,’ advises Pam. ‘But you won’t need varnish or sealant.’
Want more DIY advice and tips? Visit our dedicated DIY and decorating channel for all the inspiration you need
Will you be painting your front door using this handy guide?
