DIY: Painting a Steel Door
Have you noticed the latest and greatest front door trend? The addition of a brightly colored door to the front of a home is all the rage on Pinterest. The fun of custom doors is inspiring turquoise, butter-yellow, and Kelly green doors all across America. If you’ve been looking at all the beautiful inspiration pictures on the internet and thinking about painting your own Krosswood steel door here are some foolproof instructions to give you a beautiful finish.
Image from thisiscarpentry.com
#1 Purchase a High-Quality Acrylic Paint
Acrylic paint is the perfect choice for a front door. It’s easier to clean up than an oil-based paint and is more water resistant. Front doors see a lot of weathering over the years. If you want your pretty color to last more than one season go for high quality.
#2 Remove All Hardware
Take off anything from the door which isn’t actual “door”. This includes the knob, deadbolt, hinges, kick plate, strike plate, knocker, and any stickers or decals. No matter how good your paint is, it won’t hide the physical presence of a sticker or metal sheet.
#3 Repair Dents and Sand Door
Steel doors can easily be repaired with an auto-body repair kit. Fill in the dent, allow to dry, then sand until it is level with the rest of the door. Sand the entire door with a 150 grit sandpaper to prepare the surface for the paint.
#4 Clean and Tape the Door
Use an alcohol cleaner to remove fingerprints, mud, dust, pollen, and anything else that could prevent good paint adhesion. Allow it to dry completely then tape off any areas that aren’t going to be painted, such as trim, handle hole, and trim pieces.
#5 Prime
If you are painting a brand new door, you’ll want to paint it first with an oil-based primer. Cover the surface of the door with primer, using a paint roller, and brushes on raised areas, and allow to dry completely and cure for at least 24 hours.
#6 Paint
After you’ve primed your door, paint it with at least 2 coats. You can use any of three methods to paint it: brush, roller, or sprayer. A brush has the potential to leave brush marks on your door unless you’ve invested in a high-quality brush. A roller will give you a mark free surface but might also miss raised or lowered panels on the door. A paint sprayer is the most effective way to thoroughly cover the door in paint without leaving marks or missing any of it. If you don’t want to invest in a paint sprayer some home improvement stores rent them. Allow the paint to dry and cure for 24 hours.
#7 Re-Install Your Door
After your door has cured replace all of the hardware you removed and hang it back in place.
#8 Enjoy!
Sit back and enjoy the beauty of your masterpiece. Throw some decorations around your entryway and post a picture to Pinterest. You’ll be inspiring others to follow in your handy footsteps.
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