In the suburbs, it can feel like most homes in your neighborhood look similar. Fortunately, you can express your personal style by adding simple touches that will set your home apart from your neighbor’s house. The best way to start? A fresh coat of paint on your front door, or any exterior door leading into your home.
Fortunately, you don’t have to invest in a professional painter to refresh your door. Instead, try your do-it-yourself skills and make it a weekend project you can be proud of for years to come.
Prepare Before Painting
When you decide to paint your door, choose a date for your project based on the weather. Find a few back-to-back days that are free from rain or excess humidity. This will ensure you won’t feel stressed or pressured if rain clouds begin to form in the distance.
Next, it’s time to choose the color. This is an important decision, and you need to consider multiple factors in order to make the best choice. Keep in mind that the color of your door should be complementary to your home’s exterior elements like siding, roofing, and shutters. You can also consider the amount of direct sunlight your door receives daily, as that can affect paint fading and even heat absorption. Not sure what color of paint you should choose? Try a few different swatches. Put them on your door and check throughout the day to see which shade could be the best option.
Now that you have chosen your timeline and your color, you can prepare your door. If your exterior door is in good condition, you can likely paint the door without removing it from its hinges. Just be sure to use painters tape to tape off any hardware like hinges or doorknobs. You can also choose to remove hardware if you prefer. Finally, if your exterior door is wood, you will want to do a quick sanding to get rid of any imperfections before painting.
Time to Paint
Once the prep work has been done and you have a freshly sanded canvas, the fun begins. First, apply exterior primer paint to the entire door. You can use a roller to apply the primer and a paintbrush to ensure edges, nooks and crannies are all covered.
Once the primer is dry it is time for the painting to begin. It is important to apply the paint with a paintbrush to get a nice even coat and then go over with a lint-free roller to get rid of any brush strokes. Once the painting is finished, you must let the door dry completely before it can be reattached or closed. Take note of how long it may take to dry and make sure you begin this project early enough in the day so you can be sure to close the door by nightfall.
While painting your exterior door is an excellent DIY project to spruce up your home, you may find your door is too damaged to continue the project. In this case, the experts at Rusco are available to help choose a new custom exterior door to fit your design needs. There are several choices available and our experienced staff can help guide you to a door that suits your home and your budget.