How do I paint a metal front door to look like aged copper?

Go to Home Depot or Lowe's. They carry outdoor metal paint. You could paint it all one color then go back and sponge on another color to get the effect you want. I use sea sponges, but you could use a regular sponge and cut it. Look on Youtube and type in what you want to do. There are all kinds of helpful videos. Good luck with your project......your friend is wrong!

First decide on your base coat, and then there are kits that will give you the aged cooper look. Search the internet. Or possible use a copper wax and seal it well. Especially if it gets a lot of weather-ie, sun, wind, rain etc. I have never done a door, but it might be fun and cool to do. I have done tall floor lamps and other smaller items in a copper look. Sometimes I use just paint, if I can get the kits for copper cheaper enough I use them. This site did have a some one posting about using various colors of spray paint to do a copper look. You might see if you can find it. Post the finish product when you are done. These are just ideas and I hope it helps. best wishes and good luck.

What climate are you in, Susan? Is your front door covered by a porch? If you get snow I think you will have a lot of trouble getting this treatment done to last. I love this idea tho!

This may help:

https://h2obungalow.com/how-to-faux-paint-a-copper-door

Multiple colors of paint could be used. Cracks/seams and other areas would normally be darker. Go to a good paint store - not on-line. Yo can do a base coat and then add on the green patina. Maybe some touches of black. Don't let these accent colors dry. Do a slight wipe down while wet. Experiment on a scrap piece of wood or plywood surface. Remember, if you don't like it, it's still just paint and you can paint it again.

I did something similar on a radiator years ago. My advice is to buy GOOD exterior paint. This takes a good amount of effort, so you certainly don't want to have it chipping in a year. Remove hardware, prep and prime your door. Make sure you sand down enough that you can still close the door after all of the new layers of paint are added. I started with an all over bronze because I wanted a deeper color than copper, which is very bright to me. Then, I blotted a patina green over it with a sponge until I liked the coverage. Have a wet sponge nearby for blotting over areas you may have gone heavy on with the patina. Also, step back a few feet periodically to make sure your blotting effect is coming out evenly. And don't forget, topcoat, topcoat, topcoat!

This is a great idea. Below are step by step instructions on how to do this, keep in mind if you have weather extremes it may not hold up as you would like:

https://www.wikihow.com/Paint-a-Steel-Door

Check out the RustOleum hammered paint line. They have a beautiful copper that I used to paint a metal cart. You could add a bit of black to give it an aged look by adding and wiping off black or charcoal glaze. Start with a little and increase in random areas to give it a more weathered look.

I recently found some western plaques that were black. Somebody threw them out in the trash. They looked flat with no definition. I wanted a copper patina but not like a verdigris, copper and green. So I looked online and found that a good look would be with a black base coat. So I left the black and started to dry brush with turquoise leaving some of the black peeking thru. Then I went over and dry brushed with copper over some of the black areas and lightly over the turquoise. Now it looks like they have been out in the weather for years.

Hello if you want an aged patina finish this link might be helpful. Hope you find the perfect solution to your question.

https://h2obungalow.com/how-to-faux-paint-a-copper-door/

You can get a spray paint in hammered copper. I think the brand is rustoleum.

Hello Susan,

Try this out before you do it to check it will give you your desired effect.

Paint the door a green/turquoise colour and then, over spray it with Copper Metallic and then use liquid brown shoe polish on a cloth and rub it in where you want it to be darker. Enjoy the process.....

Susan

Congrats on being a first time home owner...good on you! Here is some info for your door

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/320388960975457226/

https://www.thisoldhouse.com/curb-appeal/21016436/how-to-give-metal-the-look-of-copper-patina

Hi Susan, this looks like a fantastic instruction to achieve the aged copper look, hope you love it!!

https://h2obungalow.com/how-to-faux-paint-a-copper-door/

Hi Susan,

Michael's and Hobby Lobby both sell paint made especially for front doors. They can also suggest other items you might need.

Oh I didn't know this. There is one a hobby lobby an hour away. I know what I'm doing next weekend! I'll check it out. Thanks!