Q&A for How to Paint an Exterior Door

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What kind of paint do you use on a front door?

Patrick Coye
Painting Specialist
Patrick Coye is the owner and operator of Patrick’s Painting & Home Improvement in Alexandria, Virginia. With over 15 years of experience in residential construction, Patrick specializes in painting, wallpaper removal/installation, drywall, staining decks and fences, and kitchen cabinetry painting. To date, Patrick and his team have painted over 2,000 houses and stained over 800 decks. Patrick's Company won a "Top Job" award from the American Painting contractor magazine in 2020.

Patrick Coye

Painting Specialist

Expert Answer

Obvious as it sounds, you should use exterior paint on exterior doors. Exterior paint has antimicrobials to prevent the growth of mildew, mold, and algae. Plus, it holds up better against UV rays. That's most important when painting front doors.

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Question

Do I have to take the door off of its hinges to paint it?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

No. In fact, it's better to paint while the door is hanging.

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Question

Is it possible to paint the exterior of the door with alkyd paint and primer while it's still hanging? If so, should the door stay open for 24 hours?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

Yes. It's best to paint the door while hanging if you can.

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Will a new door need sealing before applying primer, or does the primer do this?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

The primer also a sealer.

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Question

What do I do if my door is sticking to the weather strip?

Mark Spelman
Construction Professional
Mark Spelman is a General Contractor based in Austin, Texas. With over 30 years of construction experience, Mark specializes in constructing interiors, project management, and project estimation. He has been a construction professional since 1987.

Mark Spelman

Construction Professional

Expert Answer

You'll have to remove the door and sand, prime, and repaint it.

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Question

I am painting the exterior and interior faces of the door different colors. What color should I paint the sides of the door?

Community Answer

When you paint the inside and outside of a door different colors, you typically paint the sides based on what shows from the side of the door you're on. When you're outside, the side where the hinges are will show when the door is open. Therefore, paint the hinge edge the same color as the outside. When you're inside, the lock side of the door shows, so you'll want to paint the latch side of the door the same color as the interior.

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Question

How do I know if a door I want to repaint was painted with an oil or water based paint?

Community Answer

Soak a piece of cloth, or a cotton ball, with rubbing alcohol and wipe it across the painted surface. If some of the paint rubs off, then you know that it's latex, a water based paint.

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Question

What is the minimum temperature at which I can use oil based paint?

Community Answer

The 60° F guideline is ideal. The minimum application temperature on the label should be followed carefully. This typically is 50° F for latex paints.

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Question

How long will it take to prepare doors?

Community Answer

Preparation time will depend on how much you have to do. For instance, if you have holes to fill, giving the caulk time to dry will add a few hours to the job. Otherwise, cleaning, sanding, washing, and drying the door will likely take a couple hours. The longest part will be waiting for the door to dry after you wash off the dust and excess cleaner.

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Question

How do you determine whether paint is oil-based or water-based?

Community Answer

It should say on the tin, and it's easy to tell just by looking. If you still can't figure it out, mix a little water with a little bit of the paint. If the paint and water won't mix, then the paint is oil-based.

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Question

Should I sand a new door?

Community Answer

If the door has already been sanded, then you can proceed to priming and painting. But if the door hasn't been sanded, or you don't know if it has, you're best to sand beforehand. This will ensure the best results, and it won't hurt the door to be sanded twice if it's already been done.

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Question

My wooden door was previously varnished. What preparation do I need to do before I paint it?

Community Answer

Sand it down and use a primer - gray for normal colors, or white if you're going to go with a light color such as yellow. Then paint the top coat.

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