A solid exterior paint on a front door could increase your home’s value. Studies have found when the front door is painted the right hue, homes can fetch upward of $6,000 more in resale value. But despite the shade you ultimately select to heighten your home’s curb appeal, there’s only one real option for the paint finish: It has to be semi-gloss.
The same goes for exterior trim. Semi-gloss paint gives you a smoother surface than lower-sheen finishes and has a degree of shine, providing a visual contrast.
“Semi-gloss finishes are usually easy to clean, so they’ll continue to look good for years,” says Richard Handel, a test engineer who oversees paint testing at Consumer Reports. He also recommends a semi-gloss finish for porch railings, adding that you should use a porch-and-patio paint for the porch floor and stairs.
Tips for Painting Your Door and Trim
Spring and autumn can be the perfect time for repainting your doors and trim, thanks to warm (but not overly hot) weather, and lower chances of disruptive rainstorms. Daytime temperatures between 50°F and 90°F with little or no wind are generally best for exterior paint jobs—but check the paint can for more information.
MORE ON PAINT
Best Exterior Paints From CR's Tests
Ideal Temperature for Exterior Painting
How Long Does Leftover Paint Last?
Best Interior Paints From Consumer Reports' Tests
Once you have the right conditions, you can take on repainting your front door. Here are three key tips.
1. Protect the area. Open the door, then seal the doorway with plastic to keep dust and bugs out of your house. Cover the floor with newspaper or a drop cloth.
2. Prep the surface. Wash the door with a sponge and a mixture of water and a low-suds detergent, such as Spic and Span. (Sudsy detergents will leave the surface too slippery.) Rinse the surface, then dry thoroughly. Gently scrape away peeling paint with a putty knife. Sand with 200-grit sandpaper and wipe clean with a tack cloth designed to remove dust, then tape around the hardware.
3. Paint a section at a time. If your door is paneled, start with the panels. Using semigloss exterior paint and a 2-inch angled sash brush with synthetic bristles, paint around the edges of the panels. Switch to a mini-roller for flat areas. Finish with the outer sections, following the grain of the wood. Allow the door to dry for an hour or two (check the instructions on the paint can), then apply a second coat. The door will take several hours to dry completely, so leave it open to prevent it from sticking to the door frame.
If you’re debating which color to paint your door, gather a little inspiration from Pinterest.
How CR Tests Exterior Paints
In our tough exterior paint tests, we evaluate how the paint will look after three, six, and nine years. Our tests have found that a brand’s flat, eggshell, and semi-gloss paints perform similarly overall, so we combine the scores to make it easier for you to compare brands.
You’ll find 20 paints in our exterior paint ratings with Overall Scores ranging from 29 to 75. Check out our paint buying guide for more advice on picking a paint sheen and finish.
Top Exterior Paints From CR's Tests
The best paint in our exterior paint ratings is Behr Marquee Exterior, sold for $51 per gallon at Home Depot.
For around $10 less and almost as good, there’s Behr Ultra Exterior, also sold at Home Depot. Clark+Kensington, from Ace Hardware, is another solid choice with a comparable rating, at just $35 per gallon. Sherwin-Williams Emerald is impressive, too, but it has a harder time resisting dirt than the other two, and it costs $72 per gallon.
CR members can see more detailed ratings below.
Tanya A. Christian
Tanya Christian joined Consumer Reports as a multimedia content creator in 2021, bringing with her more than a decade of experience in the home and lifestyle space. As a content manager for small kitchen appliances, home remodeling products, and the sleep category, she’s happy to provide readers with recommendations on great design, helpful cooking tools, and smart ways to achieve better sleep. Follow her on Twitter @tanyaachristian.
