Dressing Your Front Entry for Success

Have you ever been told to ‘dress for success’? That’s because first impressions matter. Why shouldn’t the same go for your Toronto home?

Your front entry door is the first thing guests see when visiting, and can make or break your home’s appearance. At Burano Doors, we know just how important this first impression is, and believe that beauty begins at your doorstep. A unique front entry can add dimension, interest, and excitement to your home, and there are many ways to make it yours.

Additionally, the front door is one of the largest elements on your home’s facade – so if you’re looking for an impactful upgrade to your home’s curb appeal, then a front door makeover may be just what you need.

One of the easiest and fastest ways to spruce up your entryway is to give your front entry door in Toronto a refresh with a new coat of paint. When it comes to painting doors, you can opt to refresh the front door’s original colour or you can try new and exciting options.

Toronto is full of beautiful century homes, and a fresh coat of front entry door paint will set you apart from the rest! Follow our easy step-by-step guide to start your own DIY-door project. We’ll take you through how to choose the perfect colour, prep your door, and how to get a little extra help if you need it.

Before you get down to business, you first need to decide on a colour. Will it blend in or stand out? Will you paint the trim to match or contrast? Will you have gold, brass, or silver hardware – and how will this look with your chosen colour?

Luckily, we’ve already covered the basics of picking your front entry door in Toronto colour in an earlier post. If you missed it, let’s do a quick recap here. Here are some helpful tips and ideas when choosing colours for painting doors:

1. Nothing Beats a Classic

Neutral hues such as brown, grey, white, beige, and the like are sure to give your home a timeless and elegant look when used on your front entry door. If you have a wooden front door, you can also opt to stain your door a neutral colour while also showing off the natural beauty of its wood grain pattern.

2. Stand Out With Bold Colours

If you want your front door to stand out (and maybe even easier to find for guests) or if you want more focus on your front door versus other architectural features of your home, then bold colours for painting doors are a great choice!

You can go for bright and bold colours like cherry red, freckle lime, sunset orange and so on. You can also go the other direction and opt for bold but darker colours such as forest green, burgundy red, eggplant purple, and so on.

3. Try Out Monochrome

By going monochrome, you shift the focus away from your front door – this allows you to highlight other architectural features that your home has. It can also create the illusion of a larger home.

4. Don’t Forget Your Screen Door and Trim

If you do a paint makeover on your front entry door and not on the worn-out screen door or storm door that partially or fully covers it, then the impact of the front door makeover will be lessened. Make sure to also repaint your storm door.

In addition, the trim of the door may also need some TLC. By repainting the door trim, this helps highlight your new door colour and add more dimension.

5. Consider the Hardware that You Have (or Will Have)

Don’t forget to consider your hardware – and whether or not it will complement your new front entry. Gold and brass hardware will add contrast to cooler-coloured doors, but can also give a sleek, monochromatic look with warmer-toned doorways.

6. Test Your Chosen Colours Before Doing Front Door Painting

It’s always best to test your colours outside, especially in sunlight; this way, you’ll have a more accurate idea of the colour. Indoor light tends to be more yellow-shifted, and will give the colour a different hue than it will outdoors. By testing colours outside, you will avoid any unhappy surprises once the paint is applied!

Choosing The Type of Paint for Your Front Door

Whatever colour you choose, ensure that it is a certified exterior paint. Using the correct paint will ensure that your colour stays long-term, especially under harsh weather conditions! We also recommend using a combination of paint and primer all-in-one to avoid extra cost and time.

In addition, when choosing paint for your front door or front door trim, we recommend opting for a semi-gloss finish. This type of paint is not only attractive but is also long-lasting. It provides a pleasing and subtle hint of shine and is also resistant to stains.

Preparing Your Front Entry Door in Toronto

The key to having a beautiful front entryway lies in the preparation. For the DIY-savvy Toronto home-owner, there are only a few short steps to have your door ready for painting:

Step 1: Clean the Door

You can make use of household cleaners to remove any grease or dirt that has built upon the door. Take note that the areas around the doorknob and locks are especially prone to having grease built up. Once the door is clean and dry, you can proceed to the next steps.

Step 2: Remove All Hardware

Remove all your hardware to avoid them getting in your way, or being painted as well. For any hardware that is set into the door, cover this over with painter’s tape to ensure it is protected while you are working.

You may also want to outline your door trim with painter’s tape if you are painting it to prevent any paint from getting on your brick or siding.

Step 3: Sanding Down the Front Entry Door

Your new paint colour will better adhere to your door if you sand down the existing colour first.

Here are some essential sanding pointers when you are painting doors:

• Use a sanding block (not an electric sander) to remove the top layer of your current paint colour and remove any other debris from the flat areas of your front entry door.
• As for the contours of the door, you can use sanding pads or sandpaper.
• For all sanding materials, it is advisable to use 180 or 220 grit.
• Make sure to smooth out any imperfections or chipped paint from previous door painting/s as you sand down the entire front entry door.
• Once complete, be sure to remove the excess dust to prevent any particles from being trapped in the paint. This can cause an uneven texture or grain in your paint, which is not ideal.

Once you’ve completed the sandling process, you’re ready to begin the final (and most fun) step – painting!

It’s Painting Time

The very last step to completing your new front entry is to paint the door itself!

Step 1: Getting Started with Painting Doors

Because painting a front door, (including the drying time), will be a full-day DIY project, it is recommended that you begin in the morning if you want your door to be finished by day’s end.

When you’re ready to paint, begin by laying a drop cloth over your front step and interior, to catch any paint drips. Always leave your door open slightly when painting to make sure you have covered all the edges evenly.

Step 2: Read the Door Paint’s Instructions

A Note About Front Door Paint Primer

Earlier, we recommended the use of a combination of paint and primer all-in-one. This helps to save time because you will not need to apply the primer, wait for it to dry, sand it, and then clean up the sanding dust. However, take note that these steps are needed if you choose paint that does not include the primer.

A Note About Determining the Number of Coats Needed

The paint you choose will come with instructions for the proper drying time- make sure you allow the paint to dry fully before applying a second coat. Depending on the colour chosen, you may need multiple coats to get full coverage and reach your ideal colour.

If you are painting your trim as well, be sure to follow the same instructions and use the same number of coats for a seamless look.

Step 3: Door Painting Proper

We recommend using a roller brush for any large flat surfaces and following up with a small brush to cover any recessed areas or detailing in your door. It is advisable to brush on a light coat each time because this will prevent runs.

You would also need to sand the door in between each coat of paint after the coat dries. Make sure to clean up the sanding dust each time because having sanding dust in between coats can ruin the texture.

Once the paint is fully dried, you can remove the painter’s tape and reattach your hardware as needed.

And this concludes our guide on preparing your front entry door for painting. Congratulations, you’ve now got a front entry that will be the envy of all your neighbours!

Not the DIY type?

We know DIY isn’t for everyone. You may even still have questions about how to paint your door, or if a replacement is more practical. Not to worry, Burano Doors is here for you, every step of the way! We pride ourselves on being the premier destination in Toronto for unique, quality doors that will make you the talk of the town, inspired by our favourite town.

With Burano, you can find a wide selection of steel or fibreglass exterior doors in a variety of styles, to suit you and your home. We can also help you design a custom door for your perfect fit. The customization doesn’t stop at the door styles either! We also offer a selection of pre-made and custom colours so you never have to compromise.

Why not contact us today for a free estimate? We can help you build your dream front entry!