Exterior Door Painting

We are painting both a wooden and metal door in black. The wooden front door and the metal garage door and I am wondering the best type of paint for both of these projects. Ive heard that using oil based paint for a wooden door keeps it lasting longer....HELP!!
  6 answers
  • Peace Painting Co., Inc. Peace Painting Co., Inc. on Sep 06, 2012
    Oil-base finish paint is not used much anymore. But for bare wood, oil base primer works great, especially the slow drying kind (not Kilz) because it soaks in a long way while it is drying. Sher-Wms. has paints just for metal, one is called 'DTM' (direct to metal). If you want to buy one paint that is made for multiple surfaces then check into their latex 'All Surface Enamel'. It's a pretty good all around paint, easily cleanable where hands might be leaving prints. Best, Charles
  • Hamtil Construction LLC Hamtil Construction LLC on Sep 07, 2012
    Melissa, Peace is right on. I recently used all surface enamel to paint a primed steel entry door at my house upon the advice of the Sherwin Williams rep. One quick tip that I might add is that the weatherstripping on a traditional steel entry door can typically be carefully pulled out of the groove it is installed in. Removing it for a few days will help keep the paint from sticking to it and allow a little more dry time.
  • Peace is right AGAIN. Just don't make the mistake of painting a wood door and then coating it with spar varnish. . . it will crack and discolor.
  • We will still use an oil based product on metal mansard roofs or metal railings...we usually get excellent results on metal doors or garage doors with 1-coat of zinser 1-2-3 latex primer followed by Sherwin Williams Duration. With everything else, make use you clean and prep properly. With latex, we don't usually see the need to remove weatherstripping.
  • Sharron Abrams Sharron Abrams on Feb 09, 2013
    I have a 20 yr old home and had the real wood sanded down and stained - turned out great - but the best part was the BOAT LACKer that he used to finish it - shines and had held up great. Love the boat lacker finish.
  • Sherrie Sherrie on Feb 20, 2015
    We use Enamel paint, painted three years ago and still looks brand new, it can be cleaned and looks nice.