# Painting a front door.



## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

My house was built in 2010 and the front door has a white wooden frame and a 6 panel white front door. The door feels/looks like it is made up of metal with either timber in the middle or foam. 

I want to paint the door in a Duck egg colour but don't know were to start i.e. do i need to rub the door down and use a primer and then go on top with the paint? Im looking to do the door whilst in place.

Thanks:thumb:


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## WHIZZER (Oct 25, 2005)

Can you put a picture up ?


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

Would I be right to assume I prep the outside wooden frame the same as any other woodwork in the house rub down then undercoat and top coat?


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

I have a similar (half glass) door, I'm reluctant to change it as it's a great sturdy door. Mine like yours looks is metal and has a magnetic seal along the edges that pull in when closing. I prepped mine last year as you would a car, just rubbed it down and filled a couple of small ding's then used a gloss roller and some smooth metal paint. New chrome door furniture and weather strip and it looks like a new door imo.


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## Juke_Fan (Jul 12, 2014)

These are 'steel security doors', prep the paint as you would any metal or wood (light sand down to get rid of any defects) and then paint with a paint suitable for metal.


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## robertdon777 (Nov 3, 2005)

Go to somewhere like Brewers for the paint, light years ahead of b&q etc. In both quality and service.

Tell them what the project is and you will come away with all the correct items.


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

I took some pictures of the door after removing the spy hole as replacing all the door furniture. As you can see the foam centra and metal sheet that is then poorly painted



Also a neighbour said he used the attached and never did anything just gave it 2 coats what's your thoughts? Personally I would rub down as a minimum


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

As with all painting, the finish is totally dependant on the prep, a quick flatten and fill of any imperfections will serve well.


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## JordanE (Jun 26, 2013)

These are cheap ass doors. I have the same from persimmon. Just buy a proper rated security door the colour you need. Well that's what I will be doing anyway


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

i would give it a good scrub over with a red scotch pad and soapy water to make sure it has a good key and stop it peeling up in years to come

biggest hassle is closing the door before its dry


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

JordanE said:


> These are cheap ass doors. I have the same from persimmon. Just buy a proper rated security door the colour you need. Well that's what I will be doing anyway


HAHA its a Persimmon house that i own but i have to say its not a bad door. in a few years i will look to replace the door but for now i just want to freshen up the look :thumb:


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

steveo3002 said:


> i would give it a good scrub over with a red scotch pad and soapy water to make sure it has a good key and stop it peeling up in years to come
> 
> biggest hassle is closing the door before its dry


Yea thats my biggest worry i was going to do it this weekend which looks nice and warm, was thinking of rubbing down the Saturday and painting Sunday morning early and leave the door on the door chain left open till 10/11pm at night,


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

i think it will still be soft for days ....what i would do is paint it early and leave it until bedtime , but put some parcel tape on the frame where it touches so that it doesnt stick


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## sshooie (May 15, 2007)

I painted mine am and by early evening it was fine to close.


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

Door all painted and new furniture fitted, need to paint the outter frame as looks a bit tatty. The paint is peeling to bare wood at the bottoms were it joins the Cill can I use a simpler process to how I paint my woodwork in the house rub down and then paint?


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

Please can someone help. 

I have rubbed the wooden frame down with p80 sandpaper. I was going to use the gloss paint that I used on my skirtings in the house will this be ok or is there something else better


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

You need exterior paint. Ronseal do a 10 year weather coat exterior paint for wood which is your best choice.


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## dholdi (Oct 1, 2008)

shane_ctr said:


> Door all painted and new furniture fitted


Piccies ?


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

My inner front door has been a love hate affair. I've spent literally 6 hours sanding and scratching all the paint off around around the edge of windows as the previous owner did an awful job. I've filled tiny splits and tidied all the window putty as well by trimming it with a stanley knife.

Got new chrome hardware and I'm going to make the door a bit of a feature by painting it bright gloss red.


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

LSherratt said:


> My inner front door has been a love hate affair. I've spent literally 6 hours sanding and scratching all


Nice work so far ! I'm on a similar project at the moment ... trying to remove layers of paint and varnish from an inner door. Tried b and q own brand paint stripper but it's not really up to the job :-/ also using a mouse sander but the dust created is ridiculous. 
What did you use to strip the paint from yours ?


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

I didn't use any paint strippers. The top colour of that door is the brown oatmeal colour that you see. The bits of blue is a layer of paint underneath the oatmeal colour. 

I just used 80 grit sandpaper to key the paint and a scraper to remove all the flaking paint. I also used a stanly blade to scrape all the paint off around the windows. The door was a complete mess before! Haven't painted it yet.


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

Gotcha &#55357;&#56397; Thought the oatmeal was the raw wood and blue paint left to be removed q


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

It's not necessary to strip it back to bare wood. That would be impossible with sanding and you'd be better off having the door professionally dipped, or simply buy a new door! Giving it a very thorougher sand and scrape is all that's required to get it nice and smooth.


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## dchapman88 (Mar 17, 2016)

Nitromors is one of the best paint strippers around. 
Brutal stuff and will rip the paint right off if you follow the instructions right! 

Although unless you really wanted to take it back to bare wood, it's not necessary!


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

dchapman88 said:


> Nitromors is one of the best paint strippers around.
> Brutal stuff and will rip the paint right off if you follow the instructions right!
> 
> Although unless you really wanted to take it back to bare wood, it's not necessary!


When was the last time you used nitromores ? Today's water based formula would struggle taking the skin of rice pudding ... It ain't what it used to be


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## dchapman88 (Mar 17, 2016)

I use it at work all the time. 

Granted it's an oldish tin, but don't think it's that old to be a different formula 

I never struggle when it's used. After applying and leaving it to bubble, a light sand normally leaves the wood pretty clear!


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## James_R (Jun 28, 2007)

I use Dulux Exterior Weathershield on the wood and metal - its been brilliant for me.

I rubbed the door down with a scotch pad, metal primered the whole door, then top coated.

Changed it from white to black which is why I used a grey primer after sanding.
Holding up nicely and been 2 years since painting now.
Still looks new, but then again its got several coats of Gtechniq C2v3 on it LOL


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

We used nitromors on our door frame. About 50 years of gloss paint aaaannnd it did....
F all, apart from taking the paint off the wall were some old woman splashed it. It took about two layers off per bottle. So after wasting around £20 we ended up borrowing a gas torch and burning it off. Bit smelly but it got the job done.

Sent from my Vodafone Smart ultra 6 using Tapatalk


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## Rollinlow (Sep 25, 2013)

PugIain said:


> We used nitromors on our door frame. About 50 years of gloss paint aaaannnd it did....
> F all, apart from taking the paint off the wall were some old woman splashed it. It took about two layers off per bottle. So after wasting around £20 we ended up borrowing a gas torch and burning it off. Bit smelly but it got the job done.
> 
> Sent from my Vodafone Smart ultra 6 using Tapatalk


Nitromorse is really week now it used to work well but it's awful now, I used the screwfix one last time it's abit better but still not like the old nitromorse.


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

I picked this up on the bay of flea ... its proper old school and burns like fook if it splashes you ..


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

In action ...


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## enc (Jan 25, 2006)

Getting there ...


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## Titanium Htail (Mar 24, 2012)

Our Forman painter would take his doors off to paint flat, tack rag between coats, we used a curtain coater to put 40g of Porters gloss paint on 35000 kitchen doors a week.

John.


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## shane_ctr (Dec 17, 2006)

I have only just got round to finishing the door

Before



After





Also anyone help what I could use to clean the white off the lower bricks

It has made such a huge difference to the look of the house I'm so pleased only question I have is i painted the timber work using Ronseal, i painted the woodwork yesterday and followed the instructions the original wood looks fine after 2 coats but the new timber trim I put around the outside of the frame to get rid of he huge ugly looking silicon lines looks like it needs 3 coats which Is fine but also noticed the when wiping around the frame today with a damp cloth that it pulled a little bit of paint? Have I done something wrong.


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

I finished mine today as well! Just finished fitting a new chrome letter plate and a chrome rear tidy, plus a new chrome latch. Everyone thought I was mad going for a high gloss post-box red but I think it looks gorgeous. Plus it's the original 80's door so a bit of a feature now. Should definitely appeal more to first time buyers. I've spent between 8-10 hours from start to finish on this door. Definitely a love hate affair.







I used Layland Trade high gloss paint.


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## LSherratt (Dec 27, 2011)

Great job Shane. Surprised no comments about the 2 doors above!


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