How to paint your front door black without removing it.

In this post, I'm going to show you how to paint your front door black without removing it from its hinges.

Back in autumn, I finally got around to re-painting our black front door. Then, things got a little crazy with Autumn home tours and decorating. Before I knew it, Christmas was around the corner and I still hadn't put this post together. I understand that some people find the thought of painting a front door intimidating, what if you mess it up? Well, I painted my front door and patched up some bare spots, without even removing it from its hinges. It was so easy that I wish I had done it sooner! In this post, I'm going to show you how to paint your front door black without removing it from its hinges.

Does a black front door increase the value of your home?

Surprisingly, it seems the answer is yes!

When we built our house, I had a colour scheme in mind for the exterior. When it came to choosing the colour for the front door, I felt that black contrasted nicely against blue of the house. I can't say I researched the best colour to paint my front door. I know that I just wanted it to look 'British'.

When I started writing this post, I did some research and was surprised to find that if you paint your front door black it can boost the value of your home. Who knew! It seems that Estate Agents and buyers alike agree that a black front door looks elegant and impressive.

What does a black front door mean?

Surely, you must have heard of the Chinese Philosophy of Feng Shui? By following the principals of Feng Shui in your home it is said you can improve energy flow, increase good fortune, and improve relationships for the better.

Well, even though I don't follow the rules of Feng Shui religiously, I try to follow its principles wherever I can. For instance, in my tiny office at the top of the stairs, it would have been impossible for me to arrange the desk so I did not have to sit with my back to the door or the stairs (bad Feng Shui). In the plan for my multifunctional room makeover, however, I'm going to do my best to arrange the space so that I don't sit with my back to the door (good Feng Shui).

What does Fung Shui have to do with the meaning of a black front door I hear you say. Well, according to the principles of Feng Shui, black is a power colour. It represents elegance, money, and fortune! Ahhh, so that's why you should paint your front door black -it can increase the price of your home! Talk about doorstep drama!

What colour hardware for black exterior doors?

Just Google 'black front doors' and you'll see that mostly the hardware used is brass, silver, pewter or black coloured. Originally, we added a brass doorknob and knocker to our front door but somehow brass didn't look quite right against the house. When our door knocker needed replacing we decided to change out the brass hardware for pewter instead. I'm really pleased with the result.

If you paint your front door black and you want your hardware to stand out, choose a contrasting colour to the door like brass or pewter. If you want your hardware to blend in and not be noticeable, choose a colour as close to your door colour as possible. Before making a decision, check to make sure your choice works with the colour of your house.

Enough talk let's get down to work! I'm going to show you how to paint your front door black without even removing it from its hinges!

As with most DIY projects, a little bit of prep work goes a long way to making your project a success. The amount of prep you need to do depends upon how good or bad the original paintwork is.

Our door had a few runs in the previous paintwork which needed to be smoothed out. At the bottom of the door, there was a small bare patch where the paint had completely flaked off. Other than that, the door was in good condition paint wise although because it gets full sun in the afternoons, it was beginning to look a bit dull and faded in parts.

When should you paint your front door?

Good question! As long as the weather is not too cool, late spring, summer and early autumn are all seasons when you can paint your front door.

Choose a time when you know the weather will be dry for a few days.

Don't paint on a sunny day if your door gets full sun. If the paint dries too quick the finish might look patchy.

Start painting the door as early in the morning as you can. That way, you can paint two to three coats throughout the day, and still have time to leave it open for a few hours until it dries completely.

Paint for doors which get a lot of sun.

Our door faces west and gets pelted with full sun in the afternoons. Even though it's slightly protected by our balcony roof, our front door still takes a bashing from wind and snowstorms during autumn and winter. The paint we use needs to stand up to extreme weather conditions and look good for a few years.

We use high gloss paint on our door which seems to hold up well. The previous coat of paint held up for ten years before it started showing signs of wear!

How to paint your front door black without removing it.

A QUICK REMINDER: When attempting any DIY project, please take care to undertake the necessary safety precautions. You should always follow the manufacturer’s safety recommendations when using any product or tool. When following my instructions for a DIY project, you are doing so at your own risk.

What you'll need to paint your front door black

• Screwdriver
• Painter's tape
• Dropcloth/painter's carpet
• Cloths
• Water for washing the door
• Mineral Spirits
• Sandpaper
• Sanding mask
• Sanding goggles
• Black paint suitable for exterior doors
• Paintbrush
• Small paint roller
• Painting tray

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Step 1 - Remove the hardware

Remove as much of the door hardware as you can. You'll have an easier time of it if there are no bits and bobs in the way.

Anything which isn't removable should be taped with painters tape. That way, it won't get covered in paint.

Step 2 - Clean the door

Now, it's time to give the door a good clean to remove any dust or pollen. You want a nice clean surface so that the paint goes on smoothly.

Step 3 - Masking tape

Apply masking tape around the edges of the door frames. Tape off as much of the door surrounds as you need to. That way, you don't have to worry about slipping over the edge of the door with your roller.

Step 4 - Lay drop cloth

Dropcloth or painter's carpet will catch any stray drips or splashes. Just push some underneath and in front of the door.

Step 5 - Sand (if needed)

I sanded away some paint runs that were on the door. Some of the paint on the bottom sill of the door was flaking. I didn't want to sand the whole of the sill, I just wanted to sand the spot where the paint was flaking. I sanded that area until I was sure that all the loose paint was gone.

Step 6 - Wipe

After sanding, take a damp cloth and wipe away all of the sanding dust. Then wipe over it once again with mineral spirits,

Step 7 - Paint

Open up the door slightly and don't close it again until the paint dries. That's why you should wait for a mild day before you start to paint your door black.

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Start at the top

If your door has cassettes, paint the ridged sides of the cassettes first with the brush, then paint the flat centre panel with the roller. Use the brush to paint around tricky areas such as around hardware which can't be removed.

Don't paint over the door hinges.

To avoid the paint looking patchy, always work 'in the wet'. That's why it's important to paint a small section at a time.

Once you've finished painting the top panels and cassettes, move on to the middle section and then the bottom panels. Paint each section in the same manner.

Step 7 - Wipe away drips and spills

Use a damp cloth to rub off any stray paint smears (if you've painted somewhere you shouldn't have).

Allow to dry

Allow the paint to dry for a few hours according to the drying time on the tin.

Step 8 - Apply a second coat

Then you can start all over again with the second coat. Paint the door in the same way as you did with the first coat.

Step 9 - Remove the painter's tape

As soon as you've finished painting the last coat, before the paint dries remove the painter's tape. If you wait until the paint has dried to remove the painter's tape, you might end up taking some of the new paintwork with it.

Step 10 - Clean the hardware and re-attach it to the door

Wash and polish up brass or metal hardware then reattach it to the front door.

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Paint your front door black

That's it! Your painted front door is complete!

There's not much to painting your front door. It's so easy you'll wonder why you put it off for so long!

By the way, here is the tutorial for making a grass wreath if you're interested in making one yourself.

Happy painting!

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