Why front doors need repainting
The front door takes more abuse than almost any other painted surface: rain on the bottom rail, sun on the panels, hands around the latch and keys scraping past the lock. Once the paint cracks or lifts, water gets into the timber and the problem speeds up. Repainting before that happens protects the door as well as improving how it looks.
Preparing the door
Good preparation is most of the job. Letterplates, knockers, numbers and handles are taken off where possible rather than painted around. Loose and flaking coatings are scraped back, sound paint is sanded to give a key, and dents or open joints are filled with an exterior filler. Bare timber is spot primed so the new coats bond evenly.
Where layers of old paint have built up so much that the door sticks or the mouldings have lost their shape, stripping back may be worth considering. Thresholds, the bottom edge and the top edge are easy to forget, but sealing them helps keep moisture out of the timber.
Best paint for a front door
There is no single best paint, only the right system for the door. For timber, an exterior gloss gives a hard, wipeable, traditional finish, while an exterior satin or eggshell is a little softer in appearance and shows fewer brush marks. Oil-based paints level out well and have long been used on doors; water-based exterior paints dry faster, stay more flexible as timber moves, and tend to keep their colour.
Composite and uPVC doors are a different case. Their smooth factory surface will not hold ordinary paint, so they need cleaning, light abrading and a primer made for that material before any top coat. We look at the door and its existing finish before recommending a system.
What affects the cost to paint a front door
Every door is priced on what it needs. The main things that change the time and materials involved are:
- The condition of the existing paint and timber
- Whether full or partial stripping is needed
- The amount of filling and repair
- Removing and refitting door furniture
- Whether the frame, sill and any side panels are included
- The number of coats needed, especially for a big colour change
Weather and timing
Exterior paint needs dry conditions and mild temperatures to cure properly, so late spring to early autumn is usually the best window. Early starts are avoided on dewy mornings, and work stops if rain is due before the paint is touch dry. Doors facing full afternoon sun are often better painted in the morning.
Doors, windows and the rest of the outside
Many homeowners paint the front door at the same time as nearby woodwork. Timber sashes are covered on our sash window painting page. If paint is lifting inside as well, our guide on paint peeling from walls and ceilings explains the usual causes.
To arrange a visit, ask for a free quote with a photo of the door and a note of the colour you have in mind.