Your front door creates a lasting impression on your house. With an appealing front door, your guests will feel welcomed in your house. Likewise, homeowners will feel at home with a statement front door. But finding the right door colors might be an issue if you want to make the front door stand out. To help you decide, we have consulted the experts about painting your front door on both sides.
Painting on both sides of your front door is not necessary. You can leave the sides of the door unpainted to keep the natural texture and features. If you want to paint your front door, match the door with the colors of your exterior and interior walls. Aside from the door color, the right finish preserves the paint or stain for a longer time. Regardless of your choice, plan the colors and finish to suit your preferences.
You need to check the color payoff on each side by trying to open and close the door. Do not forget to check the sides and hinges on the door you will see when opening the door. A different color for these areas can be out of place. In any case, always try to make your front door attract attention, whether inside or out. To learn more about how to paint your front doors, keep reading below.
What Kind Of Paint Do You Use On a Front Door?
Selecting the right door paint affects the appeal of your front doors. You must consider the surface, texture, or any natural features of the door. The type of paint should be appropriate for exterior or interior purposes. The paint colors can vary, but it is best to choose one that can last long and withstand changes. Keep reading to know more.
Door Surface Or Texture
The first thing to consider is the door surface or texture. Wood, fiberglass, or steel doors will have varying textures that can affect the choice of paint. For wood, you can leave both sides of the door unpainted to maintain the natural wood features. For fiberglass doors, you can stain instead of paint them to preserve the texture.
Type Of Paint Or Stain
Next is choosing the right paint for the front doors. The type of paint depends on your door's location. Exterior door paints should survive changing weather and temperatures. If the paint you select is not for external purposes, the door is prone to chipping, peeling, or fading. The same follows for door stains. Always look for paints or stains with labels "for exterior use."
Choosing A Door Color
Lastly, find the color that suits the overall home design. It is all up to you to follow trends or pick any color that amplifies your style. You can consult a color wheel or paint chips to find the right door color. Also, check the intensity of sunlight on the door when you select the door color.
If you do not want to change the door colors often, pick classic hues. Black, brown, or gray hues are versatile colors that stand the test of time. You can also pick vibrant and bold colors like red or yellow to give life to your door. You can go for burgundy, lime, or teal to be different.
Choosing the right paint and color is not enough. It would be best if you add some protective coating on the doors to make the colors last. Find out the best practices when finishing your front doors below.
The Best Practices To Finish A Front Door
It is a must to consider the type of door finish. The paint or stain you choose might not be able to withstand physical changes. With external forces like weather and temperature, frequent recoating will cost you more. With the right finish, you can maintain the doors' colors.
Here are some useful tips to finish your doors:
Door Preparation
Before adding a finish, you must prepare your door. There is a need to sand your door for a smooth coating application. Also, a climate-controlled working area can result in a long-lasting finish and proper curing. The appropriate temperature can avoid warping and other damages to your door. The temperature also affects curing. The curing time can take as early as 5 days and as long as 2 weeks.
Type Of Finish
For front doors, have at least three coats of exterior door finish. For front doors, do not use a lacquer-based finish. The topcoats for your doors are either solvent- or water-based coating. A solvent-based finish is best if you want a fast-drying and water-resistant coating. If you choose a water-based finish, it resists ultraviolet rays and has proven its durability for exterior doors.
Experts suggest a semi-gloss finish for front doors. A semi-gloss finish gives a durable coating for exterior doors. Unlike flat sheen, a semi-gloss finish is more resistant to weather and stains. This type of finish prevents frequent repainting of front doors.
Should The Front Door Match Interior Doors?
Doors affect the overall vibe of your home. Matching helps you achieve the cohesive flow of doors when inside the house. But, matching your front and interior doors is not necessary. If you can, match the theme of your front and garage doors with the interior doors. Regardless of the latest trends, you always have the freedom to be bold with your choices.
Matching your home doors is costly. But don't let your budget constrain you to get a matching style for your home. One way is to coordinate doors of the same style. If your home is towards a contemporary style, a traditional interior door can be out of place. You can also match the doors on the ground floor where there is more visibility.
If you have several internal hallway doors, you can match them with the front door. If you only have one or two hallway doors, you can experiment with bold colors. Also, closet doors should not get much attention. You can match them with the walls to let your interior doors stand out.
Tips On Matching Front and Interior Doors
There are strategies you can follow when matching your front and interior doors. Here is a list of simple tips to guide you when matching.
- Start by identifying the overall home style. Also, consider the location, size of the house, and any external factors like weather.
- Consider both exterior and interior home colors to create a cohesive style. Take account of accent colors you can find in your home's architectural features.
- Find inspiration from your landscape. Look around your house to find a matching color scheme.
- As much as possible, choose the suitable door materials and textures. These elements must coordinate with the home elements of your home.
Should You Paint All Your Exterior Doors The Same Color?
Like interior doors, there is no need to paint all your exterior doors the same color. Exterior front doors need a striking color compared to exterior rear doors. If you can, match the colors of your front and garage doors because these are visible to passers-by. If you have storm or screen doors, there is also no need to match colors with other exterior doors.
If you want a coordinated look, you can try matching the exterior doors with the house trim colors. Check the edges of your windows, shutters, and roof to get the trim color. You can also experiment with light or dark shades of your chosen color for your exterior doors.
What Is The Most Welcoming Front Door Color?
The color of the front door mirrors what we can expect inside a house. The choice of color also reflects the homeowner's perspective. There are different meanings with the color you choose for your front door. A welcoming front door adds appeal to your guests.
The most welcoming front door color is red. The color red, in early American tradition and Feng Shui, means "welcome." Even though old-fashioned, red creates an energy flow to visitors and homeowners alike.
Other welcoming front door colors include the following:
- Bright Yellow - Reflects a positive and cheerful vibe.
- Blue - Blue hues evoke some peaceful energy. A blue front door signifies a calming refuge for your guests.
- Black - Although black is bold; this dark color makes your front door obvious.
- Green - An unusual but timeless color choice for front doors that shows a nature-loving vibe.
In Closing
Both sides of your front door don't need to be painted. But if you opt to paint, you can choose another color for the inside to match the interior walls. For the outer side of your front door, you can choose a striking color to welcome your visitors. The color all boils down to the preferred style you want to achieve. Also, the right door finish helps preserve the door color and features. Regardless of your doors' location, choose the door color that makes you happy.
