As a professional handyman for over 15 years, I’ve painted my fair share of doors. From front doors to closet doors and everything in between, I’ve done them all. My goal today is to provide homeowners like yourself a helpful guide to painting doors, from choosing colors to prepping and painting. By the end, you’ll see why painting your doors can transform your home.
Painting Doors: Color Selection
The first step is selecting a color. For doors, popular options include shades of red, blue, black, and charcoal gray. But don’t feel limited to darker hues—lighter colors like sage green, navy, or brick red can also work well. For the front door, consider colors that complement your home’s exterior. Look around at neighboring houses for inspiration. And think about the message you want to convey: red is warm and welcoming, blue is tranquil, yellow is cheery.
Once you have some color contenders, buy small samples to paint on your door and view in different lighting. See how the colors look up close and from a distance. For the front door, you want a color that pops but still feels cohesive. For interior doors, aim for a color that flows with the overall decorating scheme.
Should You Paint the Door Jamb and Frame?
When painting doors, an important question is whether you should paint just the door itself or also the door jamb (the vertical pieces on the sides and top of the doorframe) and frame. There are pros and cons to each approach:
•Painting just the door:
› Pros: Quicker, less prep work. Easier to touch up paint in the future.
› Cons: May look unfinished if door jamb and frame are a different color.
•Painting the door, jamb and frame:
› Pros: Provides a more complete, professional look. Easier to clean since there are no narrow edges with different colors. › Cons: Requires more time to tape off the area around the frame. More difficult to touch up paint without affecting the wall color.
In the end, it comes down to personal preference. For a front door, painting the entire door jamb and frame results in a polished look. For interior doors, either approach can work. I often recommend painting it all for a cohesive finish, but for a quick refresh just painting the doors is fine.
Prepping and Painting the Door
With your color selected and a plan for the door jamb and frame, it’s time to start prepping and painting! Here are the basic steps:
Clean the door to remove any dirt or grime. Wipe down with a damp cloth and let dry completely.
Lightly sand the door to rough up the surface. Wipe away dust with a tack cloth.
Apply a primer if changing from a dark color to a light color. Let the primer dry as directed.
Use painter’s tape to tape off any hardware like doorknobs, hinges or locks. Also tape off the wall around the door frame if not painting the frame.
Apply at least two coats of paint, waiting for e
ach coat to dry in between. Use a brush to paint door panels, hinges, and hardware. Use a roller for large, flat areas.
Remove tape and reattach any hardware you detached.
Add a clear topcoat like polyurethane for protection. This is especially useful for front doors which face weather exposure.
Touch up paint as needed.
By following these steps, you’ll end up with a professional looking painted door that gives your space a whole new feel. Let me know if you have any other questions! I’m happy to provide more details about door painting services.