Our exterior metal side door was looking rough. Here’s how I gave the entire door a fresh coat of paint in the perfect shade of blue.
Now that most of the big projects in our house are done, I finally have the ability to deal with those pesky little things around the house.
For example, I’ve been wanting to paint our exterior door for years. It’s old, rusty, and full of blemishes, and it’s a real eyesore on the side of our house. I’ve painted many doors over the years from DIY projects (all the interior doors in our basement, the front door, even the metal garage door), so I knew I could get this done pretty quickly.
Our front door before
Here’s a look at the door before I got my hands on it. I told you it needed some attention! It’s technically supposed to be bright white, but it was covered in a lot of rust and was very dirty.
This is the door on the side of our house that leads to the basement storage area. It’s not a door we use very often, but we sure do have to stare at it a lot. I’ve been staring at those rust spots for over four years now and have been dying to finally add some color to this old door.
Choosing a paint color
It was very easy to choose the paint color because I wanted it to match the color I used to paint our front door and garage door.
For these, I chose Benjamin Moore’s “Blue Note” paint in a satin finish. Our navy front door complements our red brick exterior and when we painted it, it dramatically increased the curb appeal of our home. I think it’s the perfect front door paint color.
While I was pregnant with Ellis, I had our garage door refinished. This was the first time I had ever painted a metal door and it wasn’t much different than painting any other material. You can find the painting tutorial here.
I thought it would be weird to paint all three doors different colors. Can you imagine a blue front door, a green garage door, and a red side door? No. If you want your home to look cohesive, it’s best to repeat colors throughout the house. So, I knew I would use that gorgeous blue paint color again. Plus, I actually had leftover paint from last time!
Drawing Tools You’ll Need
Here are supplies you may want to have on hand for this DIY project.
Tips for painting an exterior door
I set aside a morning to complete this easy project and got to work right away. It took me half a day to complete, including drying time between coats. This is a project you can do in a day!
It was a very hot, sunny day when I painted. I usually recommend painting on a cloudy day because paint can sometimes dry too quickly when in direct sunlight. I was able to do this, but it would have been helpful to have more clouds.
Tip #1: Use the right paint.
This door is made of metal, just like our garage door. When it came time to buy paint for the door, I went to my local Benjamin Moore store to talk to a pro about what type of paint to use. Since the door is metal and is on the outside, I didn’t want to use the regular paint you’d use on interior walls.
The helpful salesperson at Benjamin Moore said it’s best to use their Ultra Spec paint in a low-gloss finish, which is a kind of gloss paint in traditional terms. It’s a paint and primer in one product and provides rust inhibition and control. It’s the best paint for exterior and heavy-duty use.
If you have a wood door, you can use a regular exterior door paint. Most of these paints already have a primer, so you can skip this step. However, if your door is new, you may want to paint it first to save on the cost of applying multiple coats of paint. As for the sheen, exterior doors do best with a satin or semi-gloss paint.
Tip #2: Remove the door sweep.
The lower door trim was barely able to hold up for life. It was rusty, falling off and looked absolutely horrible. I used a drill to pry it off and then threw it away immediately.
Tip #3: Keep the door in place.
When painting, you don’t want your door to swing all over the place while you work. Invest in a cheap door wedge to keep your door in place. For me, I ended up using a roll of paper towels taped under the door to fill the large gap between the floor and the bottom of the door. It worked!
Tip #4: Take your time preparing and sanding the door.
As with all painting projects, it’s all about the prep work. Since this door had a lot of rust and dirt, I used my palm sander to create a smooth finish.
I often get asked what type of sandpaper to choose. The lower the number, the rougher the sandpaper. You should start with a lower number and work your way up. For this door, I started with 90 grit sandpaper and then moved up to 150. It got most of the rust off and left a smooth door.
Once I was done sanding, I used a Krud Kutter cleaner to get rid of any remaining dust or dirt. Just wipe everything down so it’s ready to paint. Also using a tack cloth is a great way to give the door a good clean.
Tip #5: Clean the inside of the boxes first.
When painting a panel door, you will need to clean the interior boxes first. I like to use a 2″ paintbrush so I can get into the nooks and crannies.
I decided to keep the door handles in place and use painter’s tape to cover them. You can always remove the door handle if that suits you. I used my paintbrush to paint around the handle and the metal parts.
Tip #6: Wrap flat panels
Then I rolled the panels flat with a 1/4″ soft roller. Doing this after brushing is always a good idea as it removes any brush marks and gets rid of any drips. The first coat of door paint went on quickly.
Tip #7: Paint two or three light coats.
Light coats of paint are much better than heavier coats. As you can see, this was after one coat of paint. It definitely did not give me full coverage and I knew I would need more coats in the future. I waited until the paint was dry to the touch (about 30-45 minutes) and then applied a second coat. I waited again and applied my final coat of paint for full coverage.
Tip #8: Paint the edges properly.
Here’s a painting tip that I see people get wrong a lot. Make sure you paint the edges of the door correctly. For example, my door swings outward, so I painted the edge of the door blue. The other edge (on the inside hinge) should be the same color as the back of the door.
If your door is open, you’ll do the exact opposite. Basically, you want to be able to see the same color when the door is open.
Tip #9: Install a new door sweep.
I bought a new door sweep from Home Depot for $10 and it was very easy to install. The hardest part was using a hand saw to cut it to size.
Once cut, I used a drill to hold it in place.
Tip #10: Don’t Wait for These Easy Projects
My final piece of advice? Don’t wait for these easy projects! I’ve been putting this off for far too long and the end result brings me so much joy. Is that weird?!
When Rory came home from school the day I painted, she immediately noticed the new “pretty blue door.”
Frequently Asked Questions About Drawing
Here is a quick summary of some of the common questions I receive about drawing.
What is the best gloss for exterior doors?
I suggest using a gloss or semi-gloss paint. This post will explain everything you need to know about choosing the right gloss paint.
What type of paint do you use on the exterior door?
Make sure to use exterior paint. Do not use regular interior wall paint. Then the exact type depends on the door material.
Can I paint over old paint?
Yes, just make sure to prepare the door first.
Do I need to sand the door before painting it?
If your door is old, it will need to be sanded before painting. If you don’t have a hand sander, you can use a sanding block. If it’s new, you can skip this step and go straight to the preparation stage.
Do I need to prepare the exterior door before painting?
Most high-quality exterior paints already have a primer coat. If your door is new, you should prime it first.
What type of paint is best for metal exterior doors?
This is the paint I used, it worked great and prevented rust.
Is it better to use a brush, roller or spray?
You will need to use a brush and roller or a paint sprayer. A paint sprayer may be a faster option, especially if you have multiple doors to paint. But you can never go wrong with a good paint brush and roller. Just be sure to use the roller after cutting to prevent any brush strokes.
Take a look at our previous drawing projects.
Do you have other painting projects you want to do in your home? Here are some other projects I’ve done over the years…
