Steps To Painting Your Exterior Door For Lasting Finish

Painting your exterior doors is a great way to add charm and character to your home. In this post, I’ll guide you through the steps to ensure your paint adheres properly and lasts for years, along with some tips and tricks I’ve learned from my own experience. So let's dive into the steps to painting your exterior door for a lasting finish!

Tools You’ll Need:

• 120 and 220 grit sandpaper
• Magic Eraser or cleaner (I like Spray 9 or TSP Alternative by Fusion)
• Painter’s tape
• X-Acto knife
• Paint brush and roller
• Paper (to protect surrounding areas)
• Extreme Bond Primer by Sherwin Williams
• Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel by Sherwin Williams

If there’s one thing that can’t be stressed enough, it’s the importance of prep work. Prepping ensures a professional finish and, most importantly, helps the paint adhere to the surface properly, preventing chips and peeling over time.

Start by thoroughly cleaning the door to remove dirt, scuffs, and grease. I recommend using a Magic Eraser, followed by a cleaner like Spray 9 or TSP Alternative. After cleaning, use sandpaper (120-220 grit) to lightly scuff the surface, creating a texture for the paint to grip. Be sure to wipe the door down afterward to remove any dust.

Even if your door has been previously painted, it’s still essential to clean and scuff the surface before applying new paint. While you can remove the door from its hinges, I prefer to tape off the hinges and remove just the hardware (though you can tape off the hardware as well).

If your door has already been painted with water-based paint and you’re applying the same type, you might not need primer unless the previous paint job was poorly done. If that’s the case, sand off as much of the old paint as possible before priming.

For unpainted doors, priming is essential. My go-to primer is Extreme Bond by Sherwin Williams. Use a paint brush for small or detailed areas and a roller for a smoother finish wherever possible. One coat of primer is usually sufficient, but make sure to wait 24 hours before moving on to the paint. Using high quality primer is key to long lasting finish.

While sanding between coats is optional, it’s key to achieving a smooth, professional finish. Use 220 grit sandpaper to lightly sand the primer coat, then wipe away the dust.

When it’s time to paint, I recommend Sherwin Williams' exterior paint. It’s a high-quality, self-leveling paint that’s durable and long-lasting. Apply your first coat, let it dry, then sand and apply a second coat as needed. For my project I used the color Urbane Bronze by SW.

I like to use a roller wherever I can and only use a brush in hard to reach areas. Again, if you get brush stroke marks after the paint dries, just give it a light scuff to sand it down before doing your next coat. What I love about Sherwin Williams paint is that is self levels and dries with an incredibly smooth finish!

Typically, you’ll need to go back with a brush for minor touch-ups. If your door has glass and you get paint on it, just take your knife and score it then scrape it off. Once you’ve completed the project, you’ll be left with a beautifully refreshed door that will stand the test of time.

Tips For Success

• Taping Hinges: Extend the tape past the hinge and use an X-Acto knife to trim away the excess. This avoids the challenge of trying to line up the tape perfectly. Check out one of my video here for more details on this technique.
• Using Paper: I like to use paper around the edges to protect nearby surfaces from the roller or brush.
• Sanding: As mentioned, don’t skip the sanding between coats if you want a truly smooth finish!
• Removing Hardware: For a more professional look, remove the door handle and lock. This allows you to use a roller in these areas for a smoother finish. Plus, if the hardware shifts over time, you won’t see any unpainted patches.
• Choosing Paint Color: Select a color that complements the existing palette of your home. If your home has vivid, saturated colors, pick something equally bold. For a more muted color scheme, choose something softer to maintain a cohesive look.

Conclusion for painting your exterior door for a lasting finish

I hope you found this guide of steps to painting your exerior door for a lasting finish helpful for painting your exterior door! If you give this project a try, let me know how it turns out and if these tips helped. Here is a video from behind-the-scenes of me painting the door from this blog post. Happy painting!

Check out my post on how I transformed my exterior home for under $500!