How To Paint the Inside of your Front Door – and Why You Will Love It!

What is a space in your home that you look at every day but you don’t really see?  Is it your staircase, the numbers on your house, a bathroom mirror or even a closet interior?  

Now think of it again and imagine one possibility to make it better, different, cute or noticeable!

Consider this (extreme example!)… I once gave special attention to that little trap door in the roof of my linen closet that leads into the attic.  I know, that’s weird. 

But in my defence, I was giving my linen closet an overhaul and coat of white paint, and the next thing I knew I found myself painting that little square door one of my favourite turquoise colours.  I’m pretty sure I’ve never looked at it since but I know it’s up there and that’s enough for me.

Why You Should Paint the Inside of Your Front Door

The inside of your front door is the perfect it’s there but I don’t even notice it kind of space that, with a beautiful coat of paint, can have a huge impact!

Maybe it’s where you can finally paint your favourite colour that’s just a little too much to put on a wall?  Maybe it can be made into a good backdrop for your kids’ art?  Throw some chalkboard paint on it and unleash your toddler with a box of chalk. 

For most of us, the front door of our home could tell the story of our families.  It’s welcomed friends and family, been banged up by hockey bags after a big win, and been covered in little fingerprints that reach higher and higher each year.  And we look at it every, single day!

So make it come alive a little bit with a fresh coat of paint.

Spring is also the perfect time to do some quick and easy DIY projects that will get you motivated for some bigger summer projects.

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Inspiration for Painting the Inside of Your Front Door

A painted interior door can be beautiful!

This article, 20+ Painted Interior Doors by Angie from postcardsfromtheridge.com has some beautiful images of painted doors for inspiration.

Whatever your style, grab your paintbrush and in one afternoon you’ll have a new look to love. 

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How to Paint the Inside of Your Front Door

Step 1 – Supplies Needed

Supplies List

• Painter’s tape (if you choose not to remove the door handle)
• Primer (Zinsser Bulls Eye works great for all of my projects)
• Paint
• Small roller & tray
• 1 1/2 inch or 2 inch paint brush (I recommend angled brushes. They have a better reach and will give a cleaner line.)

Step 2 – Clean Door

Make sure your door is free of any dirt and debris. Not only can some stains leak through the paint, but paint can’t stick to the door if there is debris interfering.

When I am painting furniture or doors, I use a water and vinegar mix to clean the surfaces. It’s inexpensive and works great!

Step 3 – Remove or Tape Door Hardware

You can either remove your door hardware for a very crisp finish or you can user painter’s tape to tape around the hardware.

I’m not always the most patient DIY’er so I just taped around mine.

The key is to find a paint tape that adheres well and removes easily, leaving a crisp line. I particularly like Frog Tape brand but I’ve had luck with 3M brands too.

Step 4 – Primer Coat(s)

I always have a can of Zinsser Bulls Eye Primer (Interior & Exterior) on hand for my projects and it hasn’t disappointed me yet!

If you are covering a dark colour (regardless of what colour you will be painting your door), paint at least 2 coats of primer.

Red can be particularly hard to cover so just make sure it is covered well. If you are painting a light colour, usually 1 coat will do, especially if the colour you are painting is similar to what was already on your door.

My door was originally a semi-gloss white so I just need 1 coat of primer to ensure the paint adhered well.

For both the primer coats and the colour coats, use your 1 1/2″ or 2″ angled brush for any raised or recessed parts of your door, much like cutting in when you are painting a room. Then, you can roll the rest.

Step 5 – Colour Coats

Even for paints that say they have 1 coat coverage, I always paint 2 coats of my colour of choice. A second coat will always give you a nicer finish and more uniform colour.

Painting the colour coat is the fun part and why I looooove to paint! I love to see the instant transformation a beautiful new colour brings

Nothing else matches paint colour for immediate impact to change the look and feel of a room.

When painting the inside of your front door, you really won’t need much paint. I used a Benjamin Moore, Pearl finish, Interior Paint & Primer and it has held up very well.

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Another passion (others might say obsession) I have is paint colours and I always have a few in the back of my mind that I “want to try out”.  Benjamin Moore (BM) Smoke, a soft and pretty blue-gray colour, had been on my mind.  I knew it would be a good match for the rest of my house and I had to put it somewhere.  The problem is, there are only so many walls in a house to paint. 

Sooooo, enter the front door!  

I painted it.  I love it.  In fact, I love the colour so much that I painted my small upstairs hallway BM Smoke too.  That little hallway looks so cute now that it’s not a boring beige colour.  

Front doors definitely face their share of bumps and bruises but as far as I’m concerned, I’ll just grab my daughter’s little paint brush and my pot o’ paint, and with a dab here and there, it’s easy to touch up and as good as new.

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So choose a colour, go buy some paint, and in just a few hours you’ll have finished an awesome DIY project that you will love.

Then, the next time you open your door to leave your home, walk out with a smile!

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Related Posts:

7 Tips on How to Choose Paint Colours for Your Home.

Natural Home Decor Ideas – Bring the Outside In!

9 Simple Sunroom Decorating Ideas

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