How to Paint a Front Door in Cold Weather

Prepare the door surface by sanding it evenly with the 220-grit sandpaper. Scuff the entire surface of the door, including front, back and narrow edges, to create a rough surface for the primer. Wipe the door surfaces with the tack cloth to remove sawdust.

Monitor the ambient and surface temperatures around the door to determine whether you can paint it while it remains installed in the doorway. Both the air temperature and the temperature of the door surface need to fit within the parameters indicated by the paint manufacturer. Try waiting until late morning to paint to ensure that the door surface temperature rises sufficiently from its overnight temperature.

Remove the door from the doorway if the ambient and surface temperatures are below the minimum temperatures recommended by the primer and paint manufacturer. Loosen the pins inside the hinges with the flat screwdriver, slide them out and pull the door out of the doorway. Move the door to an interior room, place it horizontally on two sawhorses and let the door sit in this environment for about 12 hours to allow the surface temperature to rise to within the recommended temperature range.

Cover all door hardware, including hinges and the doorknob, with painter’s tape.

Apply the primer to the door using a 3-inch paintbrush. Keep the primer layer thin and even, covering the narrow edges, on the front and the back of the door. If the door has raised panels, paint carefully with the tips of the brush bristles to spread the paint neatly into these crevices. Allow the primer to dry for the time recommended on the product label.

Apply the paint over the primer, using the same application technique. Use vertical strokes with the brush to ensure that the paint looks neat on the door. Allow the paint to dry for the time recommended on the product label. Apply a second coat, if you desire.

Remove the painter’s tape from around the hardware.

Place the door back on its hinges, if applicable.