Should You Paint Or Stain Your Front Door? - Kennedy Painting

Should You Paint Or Stain Your Front Door?

Your front door is one of the great, unsung curb appeal heroes. It’s easily eclipsed by larger projects, like full exterior repaints, but this smaller update can have a tremendous impact. The key is to really explore your options rather than just assume your door has to be a certain traditional color. In fact, front door colors have a long and rich history, and could be used to send messages to travelers, announce that a mortgage had been paid off, and more. Pretty interesting, huh? So, how about YOUR door? If it’s time for a change, let’s review your two primary options: painting and staining.

What Does the Door Painting or Staining Process Look Like?

door staining in St. Louis The early steps look much the same, regardless of whether you paint or stain:
  1. Remove all hardware
  2. Strip the existing finish to bring the surface right back to basics, and pave the way for the fresh coats to come
  3. Next, we sand the surface to create a receptive profile that the new product can really grip onto
  4. Apply the finish products (stain, or primer/paint!)
Just like any project, it’s essential to take these early steps seriously by investing the necessary time to ensure total surface preparation. In fact, we go so far as to say that skillful prep is 80% of a quality project.

Painting Vs. Staining: The Cost and Maintenance You Can Expect

painted front door colors You’re at the crossroads! Do you prefer the look of warm, natural wood, or love the stylistic options offered by bright, vibrant paint? This is certainly a question of aesthetics, but it’s also a question that requires consideration of both your budget AND your interest in ongoing maintenance. To put it simply, painting is typically the more cost-effective option. Today’s products last a long time, withstand weather very well, and touch-ups/repaints are pretty straightforward. Staining, when done correctly (and that’s key!), requires a more labor-intensive approach, and to keep that lustrous finish, more routine maintenance is often required. Ballpark Cost: Every project is different, but in most cases you can expect a price tag between $250 and $1,000 depending on size, color scheme, the prep involve, etc.

Talk To a Painter Who Specializes in Door Painting and Refinishing Services

The best thing you can do is talk to a trustworthy professional, someone with a proven track record of successful projects. Discuss your budget with them, review their proposal, and be sure to ask about the longevity of the products they recommend and what long-term maintenance will most likely include.   Either way, you’re sure to love your new door. It’s just essential that you go into the process with your eyes wide open!  

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About Kennedy Painting

Our goal as a painting contractor is to provide our clients with the utmost in professional and responsible house painting. Through ongoing training, we keep our employees up to date on industry changes, new products, innovations, and our award-winning customer service standards. From our initial in-home consultation to our final project walkthrough, Kennedy Painting is a painting company that St. Louis residents can rely on. Our attention to detail and proper techniques at every stage ensure that our paint jobs will last. We stand behind all our work written warranty and can guarantee that your painting investment will beautify and protect your home for many years to come.

  • BBB A+ Accredited
  • 2-year written warranty
  • 25 + years in business
  • Locally Owned and Operated

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People Hire Us Because They Know

  • We offer a no-questions-asked two-year warranty on all of our painting projects.
  • We are competitive with our pricing structure.
  • Our paint jobs last longer because we never skimp on site protection.
  • We leave the job NEAT and CLEAN.
  • We have long-standing employees that are treated well.
  • We give back to our community in many ways, including our annual charity project, Paint It Forward.

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