3 Tips For Painting a Front Door
Posted on January 25, 2022
In the minds of many homeowners, the front door of a home makes a statement. Often the eye is drawn towards a front door, as they are usually decorative and a focal point of the exterior. Today we will offer three tips for painting a front door and why you may want to use them.
Use a Foam Roller
Insulated metal doors are typically the most common found in modern residential construction, however, painting these doors may not be as simple as it appears. Metal doors have a very smooth surface, which will usually show roller and brush marks when using regular house paint. This is primarily due to the viscosity, or thickness of the paint. In most cases, spray painting the door is the obvious solution to reduce or eliminate this problem, but this can be difficult to control. One way to avoid this problem is by using a small foam roller. These rollers have no bristles, so they typically do not leave marks on a smooth surface. These rollers are small and malleable enough to get into small crevices, yet large enough to paint an entire door before the paint dries.
Seal the Grain
Wooden doors are typically painted just like metal and fiberglass doors, with the exception of sealing. In most cases, wooden doors in need of paint will require a sealer or primer before applying paint. This seals up the grain on the door, reducing the amount of paint required for complete coverage. The primer also forms a chemical reaction with the paint, allowing it to form a better bond between the two.
Be Careful Around the Edges
When painting a door, you definitely want to paint all around the edges of the door. However, care should be taken not to apply too much paint. We tend to think more is better when painting a front door, but applying too many coats around the edge of a door can cause the door to drag. This is often because doors are installed with precision to reduce or eliminate drafts from entering the home. Applying too much paint essentially makes the door too large for the opening, causing it to drag. The solution is to apply a couple of thin coats along the edge to ensure complete coverage, and then check the fit. The goal is to apply just enough paint to protect the door, without allowing it to accumulate.
