exterior
Front Door Painting
A striking entrance that sets the tone for your entire home
From £250 per door
Hand-painted exterior front door including preparation and hardware removal. Spray finish and paint stripping quoted additionally.
Typical Duration
1 day
Free Consultation
No-obligation quote and colour advice
Your front door is the focal point of your property's facade and the first thing visitors, guests, and potential buyers notice. A beautifully painted front door in a carefully chosen colour elevates the entire streetscape. We offer both hand-painted and spray-applied finishes for timber and metal front doors, using the most durable exterior coatings available to ensure your entrance looks impeccable in all weather conditions.
About Our Front Doors Service
In the Georgian and Victorian streetscapes of Mayfair, Belgravia, and Chelsea, the front door is a statement piece. Its colour, finish, and condition communicate taste, pride of ownership, and an appreciation for architectural tradition. There is a reason that estate agents photograph the front door first: it establishes the quality narrative for everything that follows. Yet front doors endure more punishment than almost any other painted surface. Direct sun exposure can blister paint on south-facing doors within a single summer. Rain drives against the panels, pooling in mouldings and soaking into end grain where paint has cracked. The bottom rail sits closest to ground-level splashing and is often the first area to show deterioration. Letterboxes, knockers, and handles create interruptions in the paint film that can allow moisture beneath the surface. Repainting a front door properly requires complete removal of hardware, thorough preparation of every edge and rebate, and the application of a coating system engineered for maximum weather resistance. The result should be a door that makes you proud every time you come home, and that continues to impress for years rather than months.
What We Deliver
- Complete preparation including sanding, filling, and priming
- Removal and refitting of all ironmongery including letterboxes and knockers
- Hand-painted gloss or eggshell finish for a traditional London look
- Spray-applied finish for a flawless, contemporary appearance
- Weather-resistant coating systems specified for the door's exposure
- Painting of door frame, fanlight surround, and threshold
- Colour consultation including heritage palette advice for conservation areas
- Brass and ironwork cleaning and polishing upon completion
Our Approach
We treat front door painting as a single-day event wherever possible, because a front door cannot be left unfinished overnight for security reasons. Our preparation therefore begins early, with hardware removal and sanding completed in the morning so that priming and first coats can proceed through the middle of the day. For hand-painted doors, we apply a full-gloss finish using natural bristle brushes, working panel by panel in the traditional sequence. For spray-applied finishes, we construct a temporary masking booth around the doorway to contain overspray and protect surrounding brickwork and metalwork. The door is sprayed in situ with multiple light coats, each one building depth and gloss. By late afternoon, the final coat is applied, and by early evening the door is touch-dry and hardware can be refitted. In cases where the existing paint is in very poor condition, we may recommend a two-day programme with overnight security measures, or off-site stripping and spraying with a temporary door installed for security.
Materials & Brands
We use Dulux Trade Weathershield Exterior High Gloss for traditional hand-painted front doors, valued for its outstanding weather resistance, colour retention, and deep gloss finish. Little Greene Intelligent Exterior Eggshell provides a refined alternative for clients who prefer a softer sheen. For spray-applied finishes, Teknos Aquatop semi-gloss delivers a superb factory-quality result with excellent UV stability. Zinsser BIN primer seals any staining or tannin bleed from oak and hardwood doors.
Property Considerations
Many front doors in Mayfair and Belgravia must comply with estate or conservation area colour restrictions. The Grosvenor Estate, for example, specifies approved colours for front doors on its properties. We can check these requirements on your behalf and recommend compliant colours that still express your personal taste. Listed building consent may be required for a colour change on a Grade I or II listed property. In mansion blocks and apartment buildings, front door painting may need to be coordinated with the managing agent or freeholder. We handle all necessary approvals as part of the project.
Why Choose Our Front Doors Service
Single-Day Service
We complete most front door projects within a single day, ensuring your entrance is secure and beautiful by the time we leave.
Hardware Care
All ironmongery is carefully removed, the door is painted without obstruction, and hardware is cleaned and refitted for a complete finish.
Colour Guidance
We advise on colours that complement your facade, comply with estate or conservation requirements, and express your personal style.
Maximum Durability
Exterior-grade coating systems resist UV, rain, and frost to maintain a pristine appearance through London's varied weather.
Our Front Doors Process
Colour Selection
We discuss colour options, check any estate or conservation area restrictions, and agree the final shade and finish with you.
Preparation
Hardware is removed, the door is sanded, filled where necessary, and primed. Surrounding brickwork and metalwork are masked.
Painting
The door is painted by brush or spray in multiple coats throughout the day, with each coat allowed to tack before the next is applied.
Hardware & Handover
Ironmongery is cleaned, polished, and refitted. Masking is removed and the finished door is presented for your approval.
Brands We Use for Front Doors
Available Across London
We offer front door painting across all 20 of our service areas in prime London.
View All AreasRelated Services
Exterior Painting
Protect and beautify your property from the outside in
Learn moreSash Window Painting
Specialist care for London's iconic timber sash windows
Learn moreDoor Painting & Spraying
Flawless door finishes from traditional panelled to contemporary flush
Learn moreHeritage & Period Painting
Sympathetic decoration that honours your property's history
Learn moreFrequently Asked Questions
A front door repaint typically takes one day. This includes rubbing down, spot priming, and applying two topcoats with drying time between each. If the door needs stripping back to bare wood or significant repairs, allow two days.
Full gloss remains the classic choice for front doors, providing a deep, lustrous finish that showcases panelling beautifully. Satin is a popular modern alternative. We use Dulux Trade Gloss or Teknos industrial coatings for maximum durability.
Yes, most front doors are painted in situ. We remove door furniture (letterbox, knocker, handle), mask the frame, and paint the door in place. The door can be closed and locked the same evening — we use fast-curing coatings to allow this.
Yes. All hardware is carefully removed, labelled and stored. This allows us to paint behind hinges and under the letterbox for a thorough, lasting finish. Hardware is cleaned and refitted once the paint is fully dry.
Black, dark green (Farrow & Ball Studio Green), navy (Hague Blue) and deep red (Rectory Red) are perennial favourites. In conservation areas, certain estates specify approved colours — we check these requirements before confirming your choice.
We repair dents, splits and minor rot using two-part epoxy wood filler and splice in new timber where necessary. If the door is beyond economic repair, we can recommend bespoke joinery partners who can craft a replacement to the original design.
Ready for Expert Front Doors?
Get a free, no-obligation quote from our specialist team. We respond within 24 hours.