Freshen Up Your Curb Appeal: 7 Steps To Paint Your Front Door
Painting your front door will make a world of difference and will boost your curb appeal. This is true regardless of whether you choose a bold paint colour or a neutral one.
If you’re ready to give your front door a new look, the following steps will help:
Remove Any Accents
This will allow you to achieve better results as it will provide you with an even surface to work with. Additionally, this step will protect your hardware from any damage or paint drips, which can happen during the painting process.
Clean Your Door
Front doors can get very dirty as they face the exterior and are a source of traffic in and out of your home. It is a must that you clean your door before you start painting; otherwise, dirt will get in the way and will show through the paint. Scrub it down and get rid of any dirt buildup and make sure your door is completely dry before you move on to the next step.
Scrape
Front doors are used daily, and such high use can lead to peeling or flaking of the previous paint. You need to remove these before you apply a new coat, so use a paint scraper to chip off any old paint.
Sand
This, too, is a very important step, but before you do this, you need to know what kind of paint is currently on your door. The best way to figure this out is to dab some denatured alcohol on a cotton ball, after which you need to rub it on your door. If the old paint comes off, that means its water-based, and if it doesn’t, it means it’s oil-based. Water-based paint will need to be sanded with a fine-grit sandpaper, whereas oil-based paint will require medium-grit sandpaper. Denatured alcohol is not the same as rubbing alcohol, so don’t apply the wrong type.
Tape Your Door
Use painter’s tape for this step and tape along any existing hardware like your lock and doorknob, for example.
Apply Primer
This will help hide the old paint on your front door and will also provide you with a surface that will hold the new paint. Primers create the ideal base, and once you’re done priming, you need to let the surface dry for at least 24 hours.
Paint
Use high-quality brushes or rollers and apply two coats of the right paint. An angled brush will help with small creases and if you are using a roller, make sure you go back over any uneven spots to smooth out the finish. Let your door dry for at least 24 hours before applying the second coat, and once that layer dries, you can then remove the painter’s tape and reattach your hardware.
If you’re looking for paint stores in Toronto, Monarch Paints is the answer. We will help you select the right paints or wallpaper for your next project, so contact us today!