Repairing Small Cracks & Painting a Wood Front Door

Scrape over the edges of any small cracks on the wood front door using a stiff wire brush to remove any rough edges or splinters. At the same time, use the brush to remove any flaking paint from the door.

Press a thin layer of water-based wood filler into each crack, using a 2-inch putty knife. Leave a small mound of the filler above the surface of the wood because many wood fillers will shrink as they dry. Wait two days and use 180-grit sandpaper to remove most of the excess filler after it has dried. Polish the affected area flush to the wood using a #0000 steel wool pad.

Spot prime the patched areas with an alkyd exterior primer using a disposable paintbrush. An alkyd primer is the preferred choice because it performs well when applied to the broadest variety of surfaces. After the primer has dried, the old cracks should not be visible. In many weather conditions, an alkyd primer will dry in one to two hours.

Apply the alkyd exterior primer to the entire surface of the door to eliminate the risk of uneven adhesion. Be sure to prime all the intricate details of the door's beveled molding. Allow the primer one to two hours to dry before moving on to the next step.

Apply two coats of 100 percent acrylic-latex paint, using a high-quality chinex-fiber brush. The acrylic-latex paint will protect the door and is likely keep it from cracking. The high-quality brush will minimize the risk that your brush strokes will be apparent after the paint has dried. Begin painting at the top of the door, painting any door panels from top to bottom as you go, until finishing at the bottom panel of the door. Select an eggshell, semi-gloss or glossy sheen to ensure the painted surface can later be washed safely.