Since your door will be exposed to rain sun wind and other elements you ll need flexible and mold resistant exterior paint.
What finish paint for front door.
A semi gloss finish is best for painting garage doors front doors exterior trim gutters shutters metal lamp posts railings and window sills.
Choose a paint designed for a smooth finish.
A home that is expected to have heavy use should be painted with satin finish paint or even a semi gloss paint.
Using oil based paints can result in an overall tougher protective coat.
The same goes for exterior trim.
It s got to be semigloss.
The finish you choose will be based on the type of surface you re painting and the durability and final appearance you want to achieve.
Flat matte this finish softens the look of an exterior and helps hide surface blemishes.
They also tend to stand up to nicks and scrapes better than flat or eggshell paint meaning they could last longer.
Latex based exterior paint is the most flexible type and is quite popular.
While you can choose any finish glossy paints are typically preferred for doors and trim because they stand out and highlight these architectural features.
Exterior paint comes in a full range of sheens.
The most common kinds of exterior door paint are acrylic resin or latex based and with a semi gloss finish.
But it s worth an extra 10 bucks per door to get first class results.
Semigloss is preferred for front door paint because it highlights architectural features and stands up to nicks and scrapes.
When to use a semi gloss finish.
When it comes to painting your front door there are a million colors to choose from but only one real option for the finish.
For finish always choose semigloss over flat or eggshell.
Apply the paint with a synthetic brush in the direction of the grain.
Give your paint a really good stir so the colour pigments are thoroughly mixed.
If your front door is bare wood you ll still be able to see the grain after two coats so will need a third one for.
Leave it to dry for four hours and apply to second coat.
For a door made of pine white fir or another wood species that doesn t bleed i e gives off tinted compounds in wood called tannins go with a water based exterior paint such as behr.