Exterior door paint colors
74 Best Front Door Paint Colors
Ingalls PhotographyWhy let your front door be boring when you can make your house the most memorable one on the block by painting it a color you love? If you're looking for front door paint color ideas and inspiration, keep reading to see plenty of designer examples and suggestions from our archives. Whether you take a sunny approach with a cheerful yellow tone, keep things demure with a dove gray color, or get bold with a true red hue, make sure you choose something that sets the pace for what awaits inside. After all, your front door is your home's first impression, so make it a good one.
🏡Love knowing all the latest design trends? We've got you covered.
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The Front Door Inspo: Dark Steel Blue
Ray BoothRay Booth reverses the typical black and white look with white trim and dark siding, giving this home a modern edge. The extra-wide blue door (e013-60 from Fine Paints of Europe) adds a splash of interest and contrast without being too bold of a statement.
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The Front Door Color: Dark Steel Gray
Studio 33Make It Yours: Sherwin Williams Refuge.
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Front Door Inspo: Umbria Red
Eric PiaseckiFor their Millbrook, New York, country house, Peter Pennoyer and Katie Ridder used a punchy shade of red that pops against bright white.
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Paint Color: Umbria Red
Lara Robby/Studio DMake it yours: Benjamin Moore Umbria Red 1316
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The Front Door Inspo: Sage
Annie SchlechterPhilip Thomas chose a pale sage green color to adorn all the exterior trims of this cedar home. The specific shade perfectly reflects the foundation plantings.
and landscape design.
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The Paint Color: Pastel Sage
NCMake it yours: Valspar Sparkling Sage.
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Front Door Inspo: Light Gray-Green
Eric PiaseckiA creamy neutral changes with the light for an always flattering facade at this home designed by Gil Schafer. Here, it appears to have pale sage undertones, perfect for a space with green accents and a historic feel.
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Paint Color: Old White
House BeautifulMake it yours: Farrow & Ball Old White No. 4
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Front Door Inspo: Yellow Gold
Stephen Kent JohnsonA gray monochromatic color scheme, shown here on this charming seaside cottage designed by Juan Carretero, offers a soothing welcome to family and friends. The color contrasts beautifully with the lawn and hydrangeas.
But a fun surprise greets you at the front door: Sunny yellow paint! Sherwin Williams Quilt Gold covers both the interior and exterior of the front door.
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The Front Door Color: Golden Wheat
Lara RobbyMake It Yours: Benjamin Moore St. Elmo's Fire
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Front Door Inspo: Turquoise
Read McKendreeBella Mancini enlivened this front door as well as the screen door frame with a bold shade of turquoise, Benjamin Moore's Santa Clara. This color feels right at home with the cedar shake and hydrangeas, but also sets the tone for what's ahead inside, design-wise.
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Paint Color: Santa Clara
Make it yours: Benjamin Moore Santa Clara 753
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Front Door Inspo: Light Blue
Emily FollowillInstead of painting the front doors, designer Meredith McBrearty colored the dramatic shutters flanking them.
The soft shade of blue, Winter Lake by Benjamin Moore, is used throughout the inside of the home, too.
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The Color: Winter Lake
Benjamin MooreMake it yours: Benjamin Moore Winter Lake 2129-50
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Front Door: Cheerful Orange
KARYN R. MILLETDesigner John Wooden and landscape architect Molly Wood gave this entrance a dutch door covered in a cheerful orange paint to create a seamless flow from the outdoors to the indoors.
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Paint Color: Charlotte's Locks
House BeautifulFor a similar shade, try Farrow & Ball's Charlotte's Locks. "It's a little different—not quite orange, and not quite red. More of a persimmon. It feels warm and inviting when you come in from the cold," says designer John Barman.
Make it yours: Farrow & Ball Charlotte's Locks
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Front Door: Off-White
Brigette Romanek StudioUse a soft off-white with a touch of gray for a cozy shabby bungalow like Romanek Design Studio did for this Southern California home.
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Paint Color: Dove Wing
Lara Robby/Studio DMake it yours: Benjamin Moore Dove Wing OC-18
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Front Door Inspo: Bright Blue
ANNIE SCHLECHTERGary McBournie turned to nature to inspire the color of his front door in Nantucket: "When I did this house thirty miles out at sea, it seemed only natural to include a blue or two in the palette. And, when used against drifts of blooming hydrangea, the effect is magical!”
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Paint Color: New York State of Mind
Lara Robby/Studio DMake it yours: Benjamin Moore New York State of Mind 805
What Are The Best Paint Colours for Your Front Door?
The Top 9 Front Door Paint ColoursDid you know that painting your front door is one of the BEST ways to add curb appeal to your home? And in ONE AFTERNOON, you can take a ho-hum door and turn it into something that gets your neighbours talking – for less than a hundred dollars!
HOWEVER, with thousands of colours to choose from it can be hard to figure out which colour is best.
That’s why you have me (insert happy face here). You can either hire me via my E-design to give you the TOP 3-4 colours for YOUR front door, or you can check out these fab options below…
Burgundy is a great choice if you want visual interest without committing to the intensity of a real vivacious red. Brick red is a slightly more modern take on burgundy, with red coming in as the colour with the most vibrant personality!
Above samples are just approximations of paint colours
- Check out Benjamin Moore Sundried Tomato. It’s close to being red but has enough of a burgundy/grounded base to keep it calm and collected.
- Another fave along those lines is Benjamin Moore Dinner Party, more of a rich, dense red.
- Benjamin Moore New London Burgundy is a more typical burgundy compared to those with stronger brown, purple or orange undertones.
If you’re looking for a more ravishing red (check out my profile photo – wink wink), these next colours should get you on the right path.
Keep in mind, while red is one of the most popular choices, it isn’t always the smartest one. Your home has to actually suit red (or a tweaked version of it) otherwise it will look out of place.
I gave my E-Design client (above) four beautiful front door options to choose from, and Sherwin Wiliams Chinese Red was the winner.
- Benjamin Moore Caliente is a gorgeous, sumptuous red, one of my faves for real personality.
- For a red with a bit more RED, check out Sherwin Williams Poinsettia. It’s not quite primary red, but it’ll give that impression.
And BTW, 99.9% of the photos on my blog are from my E-Design clients; thank you for sending them in; you guys rock!
2. Best Front Door Colour – Navy BlueNavy blue is a wicked choice for a front door. Blue can be rich and classic or fun and fresh, but it’s the more traditional navy blue paint colours that are a hit with today’s homeowners.
Above samples are just approximations of paint colours
- Sherwin Williams Naval is a handsome fellow and the perfect complement to almost any siding. Naval sits on the slightly cooler end of the blue scale (compared to some navies that have a smidge of green in them).
- Sherwin Williams Cyberspace is a dark navy with a decent gray undercurrent.
- Benjamin Moore Newburyport Blue has a bit more gray in it and appears slightly ‘softer’ than Naval.
- Benjamin Moore Hale Navy. Oh haaaale yes! It’s hard to go wrong with the classic look of Hale Navy.
And while there are about half a dozen more navy blues that I could rattle off the top of my head, those are a few of my FAVES.
Benjamin Moore Cheating Heart
3. Best Front Door Colour – Teal / Blue GreenWhether you’re looking for a farmhouse or a beachy look, there is nothing like a fresh, modern teal paint colour for your front door! Teal is a mixture of blue and green – and not always an even mixture.
Some teals lean more on the blue side, while others lean more green.
The above samples are just approximations of paint colours
Today’s popular teals also have gray in them, keeping them a bit more in-check and not so ‘day-glo’.
- Benjamin Moore Wythe Blue is one of my fave blue-green-gray blends. Whether you prefer the lighter version, Palladian Blue, or the darker Stratton Blue, this range of blue-green is a wicked choice for a front door.
- I can also be talked into the likes of Sherwin Wiliams Peacock Plume for a bit more colour.
Looking for something a bit spunkier?
- You’ll find that Benjamin Moore Mexicali Turquoise is a vibrant, lighter, brighter front door colour.
- Benjamin Moore Cool Aqua and Sherwin Williams Aquarium are teals with a bit more spazip to them! (spazip being a super technical term).
- If you like a green-blue with a slightly vintage feel, Benjamin Moore Hazy Blue might be for you!
And of course the darkest of the teals – Benjamin Moore Yorktowne Green.
Not for the faint of heart, Yorktowne Green is a gorgeous blend that’s flexible and easy to live with. It would look stunning in a woodsy environment with a lot of cedar siding.
The Best Blue Green Paint Colours for Your Front Door
4. Best Front Door Colour – GreenThere’s something about a solid dark green that seems to work on a LOT of homes.
The above samples are just approximations of paint colours
The above front door is Sherwin Williams Night Owl. Another beauty is Benjamin Moore Mohegan Sage or even Sherwin Williams Rockbottom for a stronger, striking look.
This next home was oooookay with its blue front door…
But I knew siding colour (Benjamin Moore Dragon’s Breath) would be WAY better suited to a lil’ chartreuse, which also satisfied the owner’s desire for something a little OUTSIDE the box!
Benjamin Moore Chartreuse was the PERFECT choice to take things up a notch!
Let’s take a quick break to talk about paint samples…
Undoubtedly, you’ll be heading out shortly to grab paint samples – stop right there! I want you to check out SAMPLIZE.
Samplize offers peel and stick paint samples that are more AFFORDABLE, EASIER and more ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY than traditional paint pots. Here are just a FEW reasons why I recommend Samplize to my clients…
- samples arrive ON YOUR DOORSTEP in 1-3 business days, depending on location
- they’re more affordable than the samples pots/rollers/foam boards that are needed for traditional paint sampling
- if you keep the samples on their white paper, you can move them around the room
Visit the SAMPLIZE website HERE
5. Best Front Door Colour – Black
Black is bold and is a great way to make a statement on a large or small home. It looks especially fabulous when paired with a crisp white trim.
The above samples are just approximations of paint colours
And while black is a classic in the fashion world, it isn’t a ‘sure’ thing on a front door. Some homes look too intimidating with a black door – particularly ones that don’t have enough natural light around them.
- Benjamin Moore Black 2132-10. Yup, just black – clearly a rocket scientist named it.
- Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black and Iron Ore are beautiful black choices. Tricorn Black is a bit bolder and striking (but not as strong as Black), whereas Iron Ore is slightly softer.
Black doesn’t always suit homes with river rock or ledgestone detail or front doors that are under heavy shadow
6. Best Front Door Paint Colour – Gray & CharcoalGray and charcoal are a hit with homeowners these days and with their varying undertones, suit a HUGE variety of homes.
The above samples are just approximations of paint colours
- I have MAD love for Sherwin Williams Gauntlet Gray, a slightly warmer, deep charcoal. See how it jibes with the black trim and the river rock feature wall in the above photo.
- For a softer look, check out Sherwin Williams Dovetail, the slightly lighter version of Gauntlet Gray.
- You can also check out Benjamin Moore Amherst Gray which is a medium-dark charcoal with a very MINOR green undertone. Kendall Charcoal is also a big hit for a more striking look as it’s kind of like the darker version of Amherst Gray.
I also love the SUPER PASSIVE approach of Benjamin Moore Gray 2121-10, shown on this next front door…
7. Best Front Door Paint Colour – Yellow & GoldYellow and gold can look warm and welcoming on a home. Just remember that yellow reflects much more light than most other colours, so when choosing a yellow make sure its intensity suits your home and your personal style (in other words err on the side of caution when choosing ‘intensity’).
The above samples are just approximations of paint colours
- Sherwin Williams Rayo de Sol is a rayo of sunshine!
- Benjamin Moore Stuart Gold is a rich and stately gold colour. Not too yellow, not too orange – juuuust right!
- Sherwin Williams Classical Gold, Gambol Gold and Bee are also beautiful, brighter choices.
My client Mark was wanting a front door that was a little different from the rest. I threw some beauties at him and he settled on Sherwin Williams Knockout Orange!
And while orange won’t suit MOST homes, it was the PERFECT choice for his home and the palette he decided on (see the whole project here).
This last one is just for fun, as I don’t HAVE a violet-inspired front door section yet, but this one was just TOO pretty not to include.
Before, the rusty red wasn’t BAD, it just wasn’t connecting enough with the stone, whereas Sherwin Williams Darkroom hit JUST the spot…
READ MORE
Painting the INSIDE of Your Front Door
The 12 Best Navy Blue Paint Colours for Cabinets, Feature Walls & Front Door
The 7 Best Teal & Navy Blue Paint Colours for Your Front Door
Not sure which paint colour is best for YOUR front door?
Let me help with my Online Paint Colour Consulting services!
ORIGINALLY WRITTEN IN 2021, UPDATED FOR YOU IN 2022
What paint to paint a metal door
Metal doors are considered the most reliable and burglar-resistant.
It is not without reason that they are preferred to be used as entrance structures - they ensure the safety of the house for many years. However, even metal doors can lose their aesthetic appeal, because being under direct sunlight, experiencing all the aggressive influence of the environment, the doors can lose their original saturated color.
To increase the service life of metal doors, they are often coated with protective compounds. Their task is to improve weather resistance and enhance visual appeal.
But when choosing a coating composition, understandable difficulties can arise - the market offers several types of paint, each of which has its own characteristics. What - we will understand in this article.
Contents:
- How to choose paint?
- Oil paint
- Graphite Paint
- Acrylic paint
- Powder coating
- Alkyd paint
- Nitrocellulose Enamel
- Epoxy enamel
- Hammer enamel
- A few subtleties of paint application
The choice of paint should be taken seriously, because the wrong coating will not be able to provide proper protection to the door surface.
Properly selected paint will not only give an attractive appearance, but also:
- will hide some defects of the metal surface, if any;
- will protect against moisture;
- will prevent corrosion;
- will fill the voids in the material.
The right type of paint should always be selected on a case-by-case basis - only corrosion resistance or a sufficiently bright saturated color may be required.
Consideration should also be given to the surface on which the paint is to be applied, whether it be the previous coat or bare metal. Some paints cannot be applied over a previous coat as the new coat may peel or show through.
Oil paint
The best known oil paint for front doors. It has the perfect set of features needed for a simple household floor:
- affordable price and available at any hardware store;
- wide choice of colors;
- ease of application;
- anti-corrosion properties.
This type of coating has undeniable advantages over other paints. It reliably protects metal from corrosion. In addition, even a thin layer of paint gives a durable sealed layer. But good tightness is also a disadvantage, because if the layer is dense, then air does not penetrate under it. Over time, the paint begins to dry and peel off. To prevent this, or at least delay it, even at the stage of choosing a color, you should think about pre-applying a primer to the door.
Graphite paint
The graphite on the basis of which this type of paint is made is highly electrically conductive. Thanks to this, graphite paint has a number of advantages. The anti-corrosion properties of this coating are of a dual nature: not the coating itself, which has the standard properties of paints and varnishes, but also cathodes is responsible for protecting the metal from rust. When the metal comes into contact with the carbon present in graphite, gaseous oxides are released.
One of their properties is to actively prevent the spread of rust.
Graphite paint has the following characteristics:
- rough, pleasant to the touch;
- resistance to mechanical damage;
- high temperature resistance;
- immunity to household chemicals;
- environmental friendliness and safety for health.
Acrylic paint
Due to the flexible polymers, acrylic paint can maintain its integrity (and therefore an attractive appearance) for up to 7 years. All this time, the acrylic-based coating perfectly protects the metal from water. In addition, the paint has the following properties:
- wear and mechanical resistance;
- resistance to high temperatures or temperature extremes;
- lack of harmful impurities and safety for health.
But acrylic paint has some peculiarities in application. This type of coating should be applied in several layers to obtain the desired color saturation.
This means that the consumption of the composition and the cash costs for painting increase. To appreciate the resulting color, you need to let the paint dry completely - the tone of the dried paint is slightly darker than the raw one.
Powder coating
This type of coating is reliable and effective in protecting a metal door from environmental influences. However, powder paint has a significant drawback - it is possible to cover the door with it only in industrial conditions, because the final stage of the coating is the heat treatment of the product in the oven.
A special chamber is required for the application itself. A grounded metal surface attracts powder particles. The dried paint forms a monolithic coating. Thanks to this, a perfectly even coating is achieved and certain characteristics are acquired:
- paint is completely environmentally friendly and safe for humans;
- coating is resistant to mechanical damage;
- tolerates sudden temperature changes and temperature changes;
- service life exceeds 10 years.
Alkyd paint
Special enamel based on alkyd lacquer of glyptal, pentaphthalic or melamine type perfectly protects metal from various harmful factors: bright sun, rain, snow.
After application and complete drying, a high gloss finish is obtained. Such enamel is able to protect the metal from rust. It also perfectly tolerates temperature fluctuations (in the range from -50 to +60 about C).
However, enamel has a significant drawback - it contains toxic substances. These are dyes, solvents and antiseptics that have certain necessary protective properties. Therefore, alkyd enamels are very flammable. Before applying enamel to the door, be sure to study the safety precautions, and during the work itself, exercise increased caution.
Nitrocellulose Enamel
A specific cellulose-based paint allows you to quickly and inexpensively cover a metal door and give it brightness and increase its strength. The paint dries quickly enough, forming a smooth shiny surface.
Despite the availability and ease of use, enamel has some drawbacks. The main one is its weakly expressed protective properties. This is due to some characteristics:
- paint particles do not adhere well to the metal surface. Good, high-quality adhesion is achieved only by pre-treatment of the surface with soil;
- low enamel resistance to sudden changes in temperature and various weather events;
- coating can be easily cracked, which indicates poor resistance to mechanical stress;
- soft color - to get the desired saturated shade, more than five layers of enamel should be applied;
- high fire hazard;
- the need to pre-clean the door - if you apply enamel over the old coating, then there is a high probability of complete peeling of the paint.
Epoxy enamel
All epoxy enamels are based on an epoxy resin and an oxidizing agent. This combination provides:
- high strength and wear resistance;
- elasticity;
- waterproofing and rust resistance;
- resistance to chemical and mechanical influences;
- long life paint.
However, it is not always convenient to coat metal doors with epoxy enamel on your own, because before applying enamel on the door, you need to mix several necessary ingredients, and then carry out a special hot drying.
Hammer enamel
Such enamels include compositions with an alkyd or epoxy base, additionally reinforced with metal flakes or powder. These components provide protection to the metal. Thanks to the same additives, the surface acquires a beautiful relief, which makes the door unusual and attractive. At the same time, all properties of the enamel are preserved.
It should be noted that no preliminary preparation and processing of metal is required for application to the door. The paint perfectly lays down on any surface, even subject to corrosion. Moreover, if you apply several layers of hammer enamel, it can hide minor defects, even rust.
More recently, the application of powder enamel required industrial equipment - the final application of heat treatment was required.
Now paint can also be used at home, since modern technologies have made it possible to exclude this stage.
When applying, do not forget about safety. Enamel is not recommended for use in rooms with high humidity.
A few subtleties of applying paint
Whatever type of paint you choose for your front door, it is important to produce a quality painting. To get a flat, smooth surface, you need to follow a few simple rules:
- each applied layer must be the same thickness, do not allow gaps and streaks;
- it is better to start painting the door with small details, and after they dry, proceed to the canvas itself;
- it is better to paint the removed door, in the supine position;
- in the room where the painting takes place, there should be no drafts, dust and sudden changes in temperature.
How to paint a street door - read the blog of the entrance door manufacturer Medver
Entrance doors to a private house put a variety of.
Most often choose metal or wooden doors. Each consumer has his own reasons for choosing a particular material. After installing the door, the question of painting it often arises. How to paint a street door? Does the type of paint depend on the door material? Owners of private houses are looking for answers to these and many other questions.
How to paint a wooden outdoor door: choose the paint
The ecology of your home will be at risk if the selected wood paint contains petroleum products. The most toxic of them are toluene and xylene. These aromatic hydrocarbons should not be in the paint composition. Therefore, carefully study the composition of the paint on the package.
- Nitro enamel - nitro paint on wood that exudes a suffocating smell. This paint is applied with a brush quite easily, dries quickly, in just one hour. But to be honest to the end, such a coating is not very functional. When applying nitroenamel, the solvent evaporates. The result is a coating that practically nothing holds: neither acetone nor water.
Plus poor stain resistance. - Alkyd enamels are traditionally popular with consumers. They outperform all solvent based paints in abrasion and durability. By carefully preparing the surface of the coating, following the technology of applying paint, you can achieve excellent results: a beautiful glossy surface. However, alkyd enamels also have disadvantages. They can be called as paints for the patient: they dry from 12 to 24 hours.
- Acrylic water-dispersion paints are aqueous emulsions, one of the best options for painting wood. They dry well and have no smell. They are easily applied to the surface, have good adhesion and form a perfectly even coating. Acrylic paints are durable and resistant: filling the smallest gaps can form a durable surface.
If you want to live in an environmentally friendly home, choose paints that contain funcides and biocides. These are environmentally friendly compounds that can protect the wooden surface from mold and fungi.
Stages of painting a wooden door
The process of painting wooden doors is carried out in several stages:
- Removal of old paint or varnish. There are many ways to clean a surface. This includes sanding, brushing with metal bristles, and removing paint with a building hair dryer. There are also many solvents on the market - chemical compounds for removing old paint.
- Repair of defects. Small cracks, gaps or chips can be covered with ordinary putty. More significant defects are sealed with furniture wax. The compositions are applied in small flows, which, after hardening, are removed by grinding.
- Grinding. Both a new door and a door that is being restored must be sanded well before painting.
- Door painting. Remove doors before painting. If this is not possible, then paint must be applied from top to bottom. Corners and small details are best painted with a brush, large areas with a roller. Painting takes place in several layers.
The first layer is a primer, where the paint itself acts as a primer. The primer must be well absorbed so that the remaining layers lie evenly. After the primer has dried, it must be sanded with paper. Then we apply the main layers. Experts recommend applying at least 3 more layers.
What and how to paint a metal door
Many consumers prefer metal doors. The metal door structure is strong, durable and can be painted. The best option for updating doors is hammer paint. Hammer paint is distinguished on an epoxy, alkyd and acrylic basis. Modern manufacturers offer a fairly wide selection of color palettes.
The advantages of hammer paint include:
- High operating temperature range. Withstands operation at temperatures up to 80 °C.
- Fast drying time. When using a quick-drying composition, the paint stops sticking after 2 hours.
- Weather resistant. The paintwork is not afraid of moisture, temperature changes, or vibration fluctuations.
- The ability to protect metal structures from corrosion for 8 years.
- Environmental safety. It contains the minimum amount of harmful substances that erode during the drying process.
- Odorless. The paint coating can be applied both from the outside and from the inside of the door: there will be no smell in the room.
- Color fastness and rich color palette. The color shade remains for several years.
- Virtually non-contaminating surface.
In order not to remove the doors, you can use other paints for metal or cans with nitro enamels. When choosing these painting methods, pay more attention to cleaning and priming the surface.
Technology for painting metal doors with hammer paint
The technology for painting metal doors with hammer paint is simple. It goes through several stages:
- The metal door can be removed and placed on a horizontal surface. Recommendations for choosing a place must be followed: without flying foliage, insects, there should be no dust, the operating temperature range for painting is +10-+25 degrees.
- The surface is pre-cleaned and blown to remove the dust formed after cleaning.
- The surface is wiped with a degreasing solvent.
- Open a can of paint and stir it.
- Paint can be applied to the prepared surface with a spray gun, brush or roller. Layers are applied and rolled out carefully on the surface of the door, including all hard-to-reach places.
- The paint is applied in several layers. To achieve the so-called "hammer effect" it is necessary to apply 5 layers at intervals of 8 hours. Hammer paint has good adhesion: it does not float, but clings to the surface.
- After the hammer paint is completely dry, the door coating is visually perceived as uneven.
A properly painted front metal door will decorate a private house. In addition, hammer paint can extend the life of the door, while maintaining its appearance presentable.
You can buy new metal or wooden street doors at the Medver company.
