Painting, staining or varnishing a door normally costs about £50 on the cheaper side. However, the cost can rise close to £70 at times.
Jobs such as staining, varnishing or painting are quite simple ones. Such finishing efforts have the ability to make a house look truly attractive and unique. Whether the door is new or you need to modify the external appearance of an old door, the involved costs should not be very high with these tasks. Moreover, in case you are confused about what paints or colours to use, you may consult a competitive tradesman who might be able to help you in every step of the way for a minimal charge.
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Benefits of door painting
Painting the internal and external doors of your home can also help revitalise your property. Door paint deteriorates with repeat use, age and climate conditions. Hiring a painter or decorator to repaint your internal or external doors can also help make your home more appealing to potential buyers and also improve the overall style of your home.
There are two types of doors you’ll have to repaint and a few different ways to approach them:
Flat Door
If you doors are flat, the fastest and easiest way to paint it is by using a roller and a brush to smooth out any blotches left by the roller. Mahogany Veneer Doors have a very rough texture, so in order to even the surface you will need to sand them as much as you can before applying any primer and painting it.
Raised-Panel Door
If you are painting a raised-panel door, you will need to start with a brush and paint with the grain of the wood and around the panels. Be careful with how you paint the panel. Do not attempt to start painting the panels before the door as your might accidentally paint part of the stiles or muntins. Paint the panels from the top pair, including the stiles, muntins and rails and then move to the lower pair. If you want the paint to dry slower, use a paint conditioner.
Factors affecting the cost
The kind and quality of final finish you expect to have will largely determine how much you pay at the end. Note that although costs of varnishes, stains or paints differ largely depending on the brand, colour or finish, labour charges normally remain the same. This happens because the professionals need to maintain the standard preparations with every type of job, and the cleaning and repairing procedures are the same.
How to reduce the cost?
If you want to cut down costs, then you should consider giving the contractor additional work, as he will have to travel several times to your property, until the job is completed. Having the decorator to drive back and forward will only add to final cost, so if you have any other work that needs to be done, this is the right time to do it.
How long does it take for a door to be painted?
Painting a door is not a difficult task especially when performed by a decorator. However, if the door is new and unpainted then it will be necessary to apply several coats and wait of each one to dry. This will take several days and it will be reflected in the cost of painting your door.
Cost To Paint A Front Door
Below we have listed all the necessary work to paint an existing front door with an oil based paint.
- Remove the letter box, door knocker and other fittings
- Clean the surface of the door by rubbing it with a clean cloth.
- Fill any holes or gaps with quick drying wood filler.
- After it dries, sand down the timber and apply knot treatment to new timber.
- Apply primer and two undercoats if it is required and top coat of gloss.
- Put the fittings back on the door.
The cost of painting a front door will vary depending on your location and the size and reputation of the company that you will hire. Expect to pay between £150 and £250.
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