{"id":73,"date":"2018-12-17T12:21:09","date_gmt":"2018-12-17T12:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dev.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/2018\/12\/17\/how-to-renovate-your-front-door\/"},"modified":"2023-03-21T14:01:56","modified_gmt":"2023-03-21T14:01:56","slug":"how-to-renovate-your-front-door","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/how-to-renovate-your-front-door","title":{"rendered":"How to Renovate Your Front Door"},"content":{"rendered":"

From an aesthetic perspective, there are few components of your home as important as your front door. It\u2019s the first thing your guests will encounter when they come to visit, and for that reason, it deserves the occasional lick of paint. We should also consider that refreshing the finish on your front door<\/a> will help to protect it from the changes in moisture, temperature, and pressure over the years – and thus it\u2019s worth being proactive in your front door renovations!<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll start by running through a few tips for painting the front door and move onto some hardware considerations a little later.<\/p>\n

Top Tips for Painting and Finishing<\/h2>\n

\"painted<\/p>\n

Photo by Christian Stahl<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/p>\n

So what\u2019s the best way to paint a front door? The answer is very carefully, in multiple layers. Our final coat is going to be a glossy finish of the sort that will bring the best from the material, look fantastic and repel the elements.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, glossy coats of this sort tend to show up any minor imperfections in the underlying surface. For this reason, you\u2019ll want to proceed carefully, applying a thin layer of paint before sanding smooth, applying another, cleaning up and repeating.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s think about how we might do this. Before we get started painting a wooden door, we\u2019ll want to sand off the existing top coat. Do this by hand, as an electric sander can run fast enough to melt the paint, which will be irritating to fix. Fill in any gaps with wood-filler before sanding smooth. You can then apply an undercoat. A primer will improve adhesion and smooth out any discolouration. It\u2019ll also prevent moisture from soaking through the door, which will, in turn, reduce the likelihood of bubbling and flaking later on. To avoid brush-marks, we\u2019d suggest applying your paint using a roller – you can get small ones very cheaply; they\u2019re invaluable when it comes to detailing on doors, as well as sealing up torn drywall.<\/p>\n

How long should we leave the door before repainting? It depends on the temperature, but we\u2019d suggest 24 hours as a conservative drying time. Between coats, you\u2019ll want to use a very fine wet-and-dry sandpaper. We\u2019d suggest a grit of 180 (or higher) if you want to make things super-smooth.<\/p>\n

Use a sanding sponge (it\u2019ll deform to the contours of the surface) and look for something that\u2019s clog-resistant. It\u2019s important to clean away any dust using a damp sponge before move onto the next coat. That way you won\u2019t have any noticeable grit showing up under the gloss. To get a mirror-finish, you\u2019ll need to apply multiple coats of undercoat, sanding between each one.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re satisfied with the undercoat, it\u2019s time to apply your gloss finish. You might find again that multiple coats of gloss yield the best results.<\/p>\n

Hardware Updates<\/h2>\n

\"house<\/p>\n

As well as the door itself, you\u2019ll also want to change all of the hardware that comes attached to it if you really want to update its look. That means handles, hinges, house numbers, and letterboxes. Let\u2019s take a look at each of them in turn.<\/p>\n

Handles<\/h3>\n

Replacing your front door handle is a great way to update the look of the door, and it\u2019s easy to do, too. You\u2019ll need to ensure that they cover up any marks left by the previous fixing, however. If you\u2019ve already refinished the entire door, this shouldn\u2019t be a problem – which is why it\u2019s best to do your front-door renovations all in one go.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re replacing the latch as well as the handle, then try to get a replacement that\u2019s slightly larger than the old one. That way you can be sure that it\u2019ll cover any gap that\u2019s been morticed away to accommodate the last latch. You\u2019ll also want to match your spindle and backset (that\u2019s the distance from the centre of the spindle to the door\u2019s edge) to the ones being replaced. It\u2019s always easier to go like-for-like in terms of size and shape, particularly when it comes to non-visible components.<\/p>\n

Hinges<\/h3>\n

If your front door comes with three hinges, then you\u2019ll be able to replace them one-by-one without removing the front door. Again, you\u2019ll want to shop for hinges that match the size of the ones you\u2019re replacing. If you don\u2019t, then the chances are strong that you\u2019ll need to widen the mortise in order to accommodate the new ones. That\u2019s the sort of painstaking work you\u2019ll want to avoid wherever possible.<\/p>\n

The topmost hinge is the one that carries most of the weight of the door. As such, you\u2019ll want to ensure that the weight of the door is supported when you\u2019re removing it. Otherwise, you\u2019ll transfer that weight onto the other hinges, and potentially damage them and the surrounding frame. Before you secure your new hinges in place, make sure that they\u2019re the right way up, and that they\u2019re aligned with your existing screws.<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve got all of your hinges replaced, we\u2019d suggest coating them in a protective lubricant. This will protect them against mechanical wear-and-tear, and ensure that it\u2019ll be a long time before you need to replace them again!<\/p>\n

House Number<\/h3>\n

Your house number is a little bit different in that it isn\u2019t a functional part of the door, and therefore doesn\u2019t actually need to be part of it. You might, therefore, relocate your house number to somewhere else nearby. The only problem being that, once you\u2019ve done so, you\u2019ll be left with a mark on the door where the numbers once were. Whether it\u2019s on your door or not, you\u2019ll want the number to look great alongside your newly renovated door, so it\u2019s best to choose something that goes well with your new colour scheme.<\/p>\n

Letterboxes<\/h3>\n

A letterbox is little more than a fancy flap covering a hole in your door. Replacing it is a simple matter of unscrewing the old one and screwing the new one back in its place – that is, unless it\u2019s been affixed in place with silicone. In that case, you\u2019ll need to break out a sharp knife and cut the glue away. Letterboxes tend to come in three different sizes: 10\u201d, 12\u201d and a super-slim version for letters. But even if you\u2019ve measured carefully, you might find a visible border around your new letterbox where the old one was sat.<\/p>\n

Renovating your front door is a fairly simple task that shouldn\u2019t take you too long. You\u2019ll enjoy the benefits every time you return home, so it\u2019s well worth doing. Why not freshen up your front door for the new year?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

From an aesthetic perspective, there are few components of your home as important as your front door. It\u2019s the first thing your guests will encounter … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":940,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[3,16],"tags":[],"featured_image_urls":{"full":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-300x167.png",300,167,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-768x427.png",768,427,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",840,467,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"vilva-schema":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-108x60.png",108,60,true],"vilva-slider-one":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"vilva-featured-four":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-800x500.png",800,500,true],"vilva-blog":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-420x280.png",420,280,true],"vilva-blog-one":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-900x500.png",900,500,true],"vilva-sidebar":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-840x473.png",840,473,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable":"

From an aesthetic perspective, there are few components of your home as important as your front door. It\u2019s the first thing your guests will encounter when they come to visit, and for that reason, it deserves the occasional lick of paint. We should also consider that refreshing the finish on your front door will help to protect it from the changes in moisture, temperature, and pressure over the years – and thus it\u2019s worth being proactive in your front door renovations! We\u2019ll start by running through a few tips for painting the front door and move onto some hardware considerations…<\/p>\n","category_list":"Information Centre<\/a>, Help With Doors<\/a>","author_info":{"name":"Vivid Doors","url":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/author\/vivadmin"},"comments_num":"0 comments","featured_image_urls_v2":{"full":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-150x150.png",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-300x167.png",300,167,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-768x427.png",768,427,true],"large":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",840,467,false],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"vilva-schema":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-108x60.png",108,60,true],"vilva-slider-one":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door.png",900,500,false],"vilva-featured-four":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-800x500.png",800,500,true],"vilva-blog":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-420x280.png",420,280,true],"vilva-blog-one":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-900x500.png",900,500,true],"vilva-sidebar":["https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/renovating-front-door-840x473.png",840,473,true]},"post_excerpt_stackable_v2":"

From an aesthetic perspective, there are few components of your home as important as your front door. It\u2019s the first thing your guests will encounter when they come to visit, and for that reason, it deserves the occasional lick of paint. We should also consider that refreshing the finish on your front door will help to protect it from the changes in moisture, temperature, and pressure over the years – and thus it\u2019s worth being proactive in your front door renovations! We\u2019ll start by running through a few tips for painting the front door and move onto some hardware considerations…<\/p>\n","category_list_v2":"Information Centre<\/a>, Help With Doors<\/a>","author_info_v2":{"name":"Vivid Doors","url":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/author\/vivadmin"},"comments_num_v2":"0 comments","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":941,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions\/941"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/940"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.vividdoors.co.uk\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}