Cost front door painting.

Front door painting in the UK typically costs £150–£500 for a professional job, depending on door material, condition, and number of coats. A like-for-like repaint of a sound timber front door runs £150-£280; restoration of a peeling or weathered door (with stripping, filling, priming, multiple coats) is £280-£500.

The front door is the highest-impact paint job on most UK houses — it's the first thing visitors see and the most-photographed part of an estate-agent listing. Cheap repainting often shows; the £100-£200 premium for a quality job pays back in kerb appeal.

Typical UK costs

The full process for a quality front door repaint

1. Inspection and prep — remove door furniture (handle, knocker, letterbox, hinges if doing both faces). Mask off glass.
2. Surface preparation — scrape any peeling, sand to remove gloss, fill nicks and gouges with appropriate filler.
3. Stripping (if needed) — heat gun and scraper, or chemical paint stripper. Heritage doors may need careful stripping to avoid damaging detail.
4. Priming — appropriate primer for the substrate (wood primer, knot block, metal primer for hardware areas).
5. Topcoat — coat 1 — gloss, satin, or eggshell finish. Allow 16-24 hours to fully dry.
6. Light sanding between coats — fine sandpaper to key the surface for the next coat.
7. Topcoat — coat 2 — second coat for full coverage and sheen.
8. Refit door furniture — once paint is fully cured (24-48 hours).

Total time: typically 2-3 days due to drying. Doors can be hung again the same day as final coat in some cases.

Choosing the right paint and finish

• Exterior gloss — traditional shiny finish, very durable. Shows imperfections more visibly.
• Exterior satin — softer sheen, slightly less hardwearing than gloss but more forgiving of surface flaws.
• Exterior eggshell — flat-ish finish, contemporary look. Less protective; needs more frequent reapplication.
• Specialist door paints — Farrow & Ball Modern Eggshell, Little Greene Intelligent Eggshell, Mylands. Premium pricing, premium finish.

Popular UK front door colours

• Black — classic, contemporary, hides dirt. Always in fashion.
• Dark grey / charcoal — modern alternative to black. Pairs well with most facades.
• Navy blue — sophisticated, increasingly popular. Strong colour without being loud.
• Hunter green / forest green — period appropriate for Victorian / Edwardian homes.
• Burgundy / oxblood — traditional, period appropriate.
• Sage green / heritage shades — Farrow & Ball's Pigeon, Down Pipe, Inchyra Blue lead trends.

Things people often miss

• Weather window — exterior paint needs 16-24 hours of dry weather between coats. UK winters are tough; spring or summer is the better time.
• Door direction — north-facing doors fade slowest; south-facing doors fade fastest from UV. Match paint type to exposure.
• Door material matters — timber doors benefit from sanding back to bare wood every 5-10 years to prevent paint build-up. UPVC and composite need different products (specialist UPVC primer + paint).
• Period door stripping — Victorian and Edwardian doors often have multiple paint layers including lead-based paints. Use a specialist for stripping these — lead exposure is a real risk.
• Door furniture replacement — repainting is the right time to upgrade tired handles, knockers, letterboxes. New brass or chrome fittings transform a door for £40-£200.
• Number visibility — repaint and number replacement timing should be coordinated; the new number stands out fresh against the new colour.

Frequently asked questions

Want a local pro to handle this? A painter and decorator with exterior experience will deliver a finished front door that lasts 5-7 years. £200-£400 well-spent given the kerb appeal value of a smart front door.