Steel doors provide excellent security and weather resistance, but they must be regularly painted to prevent rust from forming on their surfaces.
Painting steel doors with the right type of paint will help ensure its durability against the elements and prevent it from rusting, in addition to adding to the design aesthetic of your home. If you've purchased an off-the-shelf steel door option, it will probably come with a coat of primer, but no paint.
Metal door in indirect sun: If your door is not in the direct line of severe sunlight, use two or more coats of high-quality exterior acrylic-latex paint for painting your metal front door. Glossier paint sheens are easier to clean and last longer. Use semi-gloss or gloss paint for your front door.
Once wiped clean, the door must be lightly sanded with a 220-grit sandpaper. After sanding, the door must be washed with a mild detergent in warm soapy water, rinsed and then dried. Paint all exterior surfaces and door panel edges with two coats of quality exterior paint with good blocking resistance.
Cut around the panels of the door or any other trim details using the paint brush. Switch to a microfiber paint roller to paint the rest of the door. To minimize stroke marks, use long strokes and light pressure on the roller. Let the door sit for an hour or two until dry, then apply the second coat.
Steel is a versatile material used for many different types of projects, but its tendency to rust can be problematic if not properly addressed. To prevent rust on your steel projects, consider adding a protective layer such as paint or coating before exposing them to the elements.
Paint Type
Look for a paint specifically designed for use on a metal door, such as acrylic-latex or oil-based enamels. These provide excellent adhesion, durability, and resistance to rust and corrosion.
Small-sized rollers are great at helping you achieve a beautiful finish on your metal doors, especially if the surface is completely flat with no panels; however, it is still recommended that you use a brush to paint the edges of the door first. Sprayers are the best option for speeding up the process.
Thoroughly clean the door with a degreaser. Lightly sand the door, then wipe it down to remove any lingering dust. Apply at least two coats of exterior satin or semi-gloss paint. Let paint dry completely, then rehang door.
A foam roller.
I much prefer to use a foam roller when painting any type of furniture or door. A foam roller ensures that there are no brush marks, no roller marks, and you get a beautiful even finish. I admit that the finish is not as good as a paint sprayer, but the difference is not very noticeable.
Rust-OleumⓇ Oil-Based Door Paint is designed to bring great color retention and durable protection for your exterior and interior doors. Ideal for metal, wood and fiberglass doors.
Heat causes the moisture/air trapped beneath the film to expand and force its way out by forming blisters. Surface contamination can be trapped beneath a new paint film. Solvents can become trapped beneath the paint film during application.
Since your door will be exposed to rain, sun, wind and other elements, you'll need a flexible and mold-resistant exterior paint. The most common kinds of exterior door paint are acrylic resin or latex-based and with a semi-gloss finish. Latex-based exterior paint is the most flexible type and is quite popular.
Yes, you can use latex paint on metal. For indoor and outdoor metal surfaces, oil-based latex paint will work quite well. Water-based latex paint can accelerate rust so it's only recommended if you prime the surface with an oil-based primer first.
If you're planning to paint any metal surfaces such as the stair railing, metal gate or metal garage door, you're better off using oil-based paints for two reasons: first, oil-based paint adheres better to metal surfaces and second, unlike latex paint, it's not based on water suspension, so there is no potential of ...
If your door has old paint on it, what you do will depend on the condition of the paint: If the finish is free of cracking and peeling, but simply needs a fresh coat, the surface can be lightly sanded* and cleaned, and a fresh coat of Glidden Premium Exterior Paint can be applied.
Angled sash brushes get in the corners better than square brushes. For acrylic paints, synthetic bristles are best, and I've found that Purdy brushes work well and last for years. I like a 3-in. brush because it's big enough to speed up the job but small enough to be maneuverable.
Instead of using water to clean metal, opt for acetone. This dries very quickly, so there will be no delays to your work. If you notice there is rust on the metal, use a rust remover to clear this first. After cleaning your metal with acetone on a clean rag, make sure you don't touch the surface again.
Some of the cons of choosing painted steel are:
Cost of the paint and its application. With an epoxy paint, paint can fade unevenly depending on where the parts of a structure may face – i.e., one section of a structure may be exposed to more sun than another section, causing an uneven fade over time.
Sun, heat, wind and weathering are constants that result in paint typically requiring touch-up and replacement in 12-15 years, costing far more than galvanizing over the intended life of the project.
Raw steel in any form can last about 70 years until is rusts completely or into disuse. You can extend the life by painting or galvanizing the steel surfaces.