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Can you paint a composite door?
Yes, you can paint a composite door. But the question is should you paint your front door? Painting a composite door can add character, colour, and a layer of protection to your front door.
As a painter and decorator, I have painted hundreds of composite doors – and have some top tips that can help you with painting your own front door.
Can you paint a composite door frame?
You can paint the frames of composite doors too. Unlike regular doors, painting composite door frames requires some extra attention. You will need to make sure:
- Apply painter’s tape to surfaces that need to be protected from paint.
- Tape the walls surrounding the door frame.
- Apply primer to the composite door frame using a paintbrush – brush vertically and make sure you smooth out any dripping paint. Leave the primer to dry for two hours.
- Apply paint to the door frame with the same brush stroke motion.
- Apply additional coats of paint if extra coats are required.
DIY guide to paint your front door
You can follow our pro guide for painting your front door. Before you repaint a composite door, you need these essential tools and materials listed below. Also, you should set aside at least 6-8 hours to ensure you have enough time to follow our step-by-step process.
Materials that you would need
- Painter’s tape
- Paint brushes
- Paint
- Paint scraper
- Primer
- Filler
- Sandpaper
Step-by-step guide
- Before you prepare your composite door for painting, make sure that there is no heavy wind or rain.
- Use a paint scraper to remove any loose paint and thoroughly sand your composite door and frame.
- Clean the door to ensure the surface is free from grime, grease, and dirt.
- Use a paintbrush to apply a coat of primer to the door to ensure that the paint adheres to the composite door, helps to block future stains, and ensures a higher-quality finish. Wait 2 hours for the primer to dry and then sand the door using the sandpaper.
- Apply filler to the door where there are any indentations in the front door and sand to create a smooth surface ready for the application of paint.
- Apply painter’s tape to surfaces that need to be protected from paint. And tape the walls surrounding the door frame and windows.
- Pour some of the paint into the paint tray and apply coats of paint to the composite door. Allow each coat of paint to dry before applying a new coat of paint. To get the best possible finish for your composite door, spraying the surface with paint is the best option.
Best primer for composite doors
Whether you need to use a primer or not depends on the type of paint that you use when painting your composite door. Therefore, it’s always important to read the instructions on the paint you use.
If you do need to use a primer, here are my favourites:
- Zinsser Bulls Eye 1-2-3 Multi-surface Primer
- Dulux Retail Weathershield Exterior Preservative Primer
- Sikkens Rubbol Primer
What paints for a composite door?
Solvent-based paint for composite doors
Solvent-based paints are also known as oil-based paints. Essentially, all paints contain pigment, organic compounds, and binder. However, solvent-based paint contains higher levels of organic compounds than water-based paint. When the paint is applied to a surface, the organic compounds are what allow the paint to dry and form a durable paint film.
Brands of paint
Now that you know what type of paint to buy, now you need to make sure that you avoid cheap paint, and purchase paint from a high-quality brand. We’d recommend the following brands of paint:
- Dulux
- Farrow & Ball
- Tikkurila
- Little Greene
- Paint Paper Library
Best door paint colour
Composite doors can be painted in different colours to bring the most out of your front door. From neutral colours to bold hues, you can paint a composite door in any colour that suits your tastes and style. As a general guide, you should pick a colour that matches the type of impression you want your front door to give off. Here’s my favourite paint colour for doors:
Composite door paint repair
Before you decide to repaint your composite door, you may want to consider touching up the surface for a quicker and cheaper renovation project. This is suitable when you need to cover up some scratches or marks in the door’s paintwork. You can use touch-up pens to fill in the scratches which will save money and time instead of repainting the entire door.
Alternatively, if you are considering repainting your composite door because the paintwork has faded, cleaning the door may be the answer.