HOW TO PAINT A STAINED FRONT DOOR

There was no turning back once I started to paint the backside of our front door. The weathered, oak stain finish was a buzz kill to the otherwise light and airy entry. 

The decision to paint the stained front door was filled with indecisiveness and too much time on Pinterest. Once the primer was in play it was not easily undone.  But on a warm spring afternoon, I prepped the space with a drop cloth and a sanding block I got to work.  

HOW TO PAINT A STAINED FRONT DOOR

STAINED FRONT DOOR

Here is the stained front door from inside the entryway. And, yes, the white trim around the stained door was an existing eyesore. 

STEPS 

1. I made the decision not to remove the door from the door hinges. With my real estate schedule, I wanted to be able to lock up the house if needed. 
2. In hindsight, I should have removed the door. 
3. Lightly sand the stained door and remove dust and debris on the front door’s surface.
4. Paint the sidelights first. If I hated the paint it would be easier to restain one sidelight than the entire front door. 

At this point, I could see the transformation from the oak stain to a bright white. It matched the adjacent entry closet door and it was a mutual attraction. 

You know that moment when you love the decision you agonized over for weeks?

This was that kind of moment for this DIY girl! 

New hardware to match the closet door hardware finished the look. Painting the interior side of the stained front door made the entry so much brighter. 

With a brighter space, I decided to move this Pottery Barn dresser to the entry. 

Look at the before and after side-by-side photo. Painting the stained doors made a huge difference in a matter of hours and a 1/2 gallon of paint. If you want to do a deep dive on the prep details, check out my go-to handyman, 

 

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