Front door paint to give your entrance a makeover

From your postie to your neighbours, your front door or front porch is often the first thing someone will see before entering your home, so it's understandable why you might want to give it a makeover with some front door paint.

Whether you're in the mood for a splash of colour or you want to refresh your current colour, there's a few things you should know before buying your paintand getting out your brushes.

The kind of paint you buy will depend on the material your door is made from. For example, front doors these days can be made from a variety of things including wood, UPVC and also composite too.

If you want to have a go painting your front door, we've rounded up some of the best front door paints on the market depending on the kind of door you have. We've also put together some front door ideas to get you inspired.

Read more: Front garden ideas for a warm welcome

What to consider when painting your front door

The first thing you need to think about before you paint your front door is what material it's made of. Make sure you choose a brand of paint that is compatible with your door type or, opt for a paint that is suitable for all door types.

Many of these paints will not require a primer before you start to paint, but always read your paint instructions before you begin and get some advice from your local DIY shop when shopping for the paint if you're unsure as to whether or not you'll need a primer.

Of course, the colour is one of the biggest things you'll be thinking about. Do you go bold? Or do you go for something more calming like a pastel colour? We've popped some inspiration at the bottom of this page to help give you some ideas.

How to paint a front door

Once you've found the perfect paint and colour, it's time to get started with our simple instructions.

Prepping your door

1. Give your paint a test on an old roll of wallpaper and hang up against your door to make sure you're definitely happy with the colour against the rest of your house before committing to the whole door. There's still time to change your mind on the colour if you're not sure.

2. Remove any hardware you have on your door including the postbox, number and door handle. These should unscrew pretty easily. If you have glass panels on your door, use decorator’s tape to stick newspaper over the top so you don’t accidentally get anything on the glass.

3. If you're wanting to strip off the current paint, now is the time to get on your protective gloves and goggles and apply the paint stripper to the door with an old paint brush. Leave for the recommended time.

4. Scrape back the paint to reveal the bare wood (if there's been a few layers of paint on the door, you may need to add another layer of paint stripper). If you're struggling to get the paint out of the crevices, use a shave hook to scrape the paint out. You'll then want to remove all traces of the paint stripper by wiping the door with either white spirit or water.

5. Fill in any cracks or holes with a multipurpose filler and once dry, give your door a good sanding with a medium grade sandpaper then repeat with a fine sandpaper. You might want to wear a dust mask for this part. Your door is finally ready to be painted.

Painting your door

1. Wedge your door open and place some old paper or dust sheets on the floor so you don't ruin your floors with paint. If you notice there are still some imperfections on your doors surface, you may want to begin with a primer to make sure your paint will apply better.

2. Once you're ready to start painting on the colour, begin by painting the smaller detailed parts like the panels before moving onto the bigger areas. If you're painting over an existing colour, you might want to add a second coat once the first has dried.

3. When you're happy with the colour, remove any decorators tape while the door is still wet. You'll want to leave the door open until it's fully dry. This may be quite a few hours, so it's best to paint your door on a day when you know it won't be raining or too cold.

4. When your door is fully dry, you can add your fixtures back onto the door.

Equipment you’ll need

Read more: The best paint rollers for a flawless application

Best paints for your front door

Finding inspiration for your front door

We've scoured Pinterest to find some of the best looking front doors in the UK to inspire your project, from bright and bold ideas to more subtle doors.

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