How to Paint a Front Door

In this video, Cole Schaefer, a professional painter, shows you how to properly prep and paint your front door the right way, so it will look like new for many years to come.
When painting your front door, avoid using any old paint that's been lying around in your garage for a long period of time, this will not provide the quality of finish you're looking for.
Instead, you'll want to select the right type of paint specifically for your door, and in order to do this, you'll need to take into consideration the type of door.
Whether it's fabricated with wood, metal, or even fiberglass, and its current condition. To promote good adhesion, apply a primer and two coats of high-quality water-based paint, and you're done. Now, if your door is in good condition but was previously painted with oil-based paint, then you need to thoroughly sand the door before priming it and then apply two coats of paint.
Now, if you're unsure of what type of paint is currently on your door, put some rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball and rub it over the paint of your door. If the paint wipes off and the cotton ball it's a water-based paint. If the paint doesn't wipe off its an oil-based paint.
I like to use Dunn-Edwards premium orange masking tape as it provides a straight clean line, no bleeding through, easy one-day removal, and is a heck of a lot cheaper than other premium tapes.
Keep in mind, today's water-based paints dry quickly, so use a paint roller to help apply the paint over a large area faster, so you can keep a wet edge and brush out the paint for a smooth finish.
After you sanded the door, clean it and let it dry. Now it's ready to be primed. Apply one coat of a good quality water-based primer such as Dunn-Edwards Ultra Grip Premium multi-surface primer, and two coats of a water or oil-based paint, I recommend using Dunn-Edwards Evershield Premium exterior paint as it provides maximum protection against UV color fade, mildew, water intrusion, grain cracking, peeling, and blistering.
Begin painting each of the panels. First, you'll need a two or two-and-a-half inch angle sash brush and a mini roller. To get started, cut in all the recessed corners of the panel first and then use your roller to apply the paint on the panel. Quickly brush out any paint on the panel to get a smooth finish. Now move on to the next panel, painting one panel at a time. Be sure to check for any paint drips and smooth 'em out with your brush before they have a chance to dry. Next, paint the Center style and rail between the panel's then paint the top rail section.
Feather the areas as you meet the paint where you have previously painted. Next, paint the two outside styles, and lastly, paint the bottom rail.
Allow the door to completely dry before applying your second coat of paint using these same steps. Now, depending on the color you choose, you may need to paint a third or fourth coat to get a nice rich color. Once the door is completely dried, remove the tape and install decorative hardware back on the door. Well, hopefully, this video has inspired you to paint your front door, knowing how easy it can be if it's in good condition.
To learn more about paint and painting watch the other how to paint videos on www.dunnedwards.com