Painting French Doors — My Process (I Painted Them Coral!)
The exterior of the studio French doors is finally painted! These pre-primed doors were installed years ago, and this is the first time they’ve ever been painted. Better late than never, I suppose. The fact is that painting French doors can seem like a daunting task with having to paint around all of those glass panes. But I’ve found a process that makes it pretty quick and easy, and I use the same process (but slightly different products) for painting the interior and the exterior of the French doors.
Before I walk through my process for painting French doors, let me remind you of what they looked like before I painted them.
These doors lead from my studio to our carport. This is the door that has the nice, long concrete wheelchair ramp for Matt. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to fit that entire long ramp under the roof of the carport, but I do hope to have the exposed part at least partially covered at some point. I have a few ideas about how to do that, but we need our addition built first.
But anyway, those are the French doors that lead to my studio, and they were in need of paint. Initially, I wasn’t sure what color I should paint the doors. Our front door is painted a pretty coral color from Benjamin Moore called Bird of Paradise.
And then I decided to paint the side door to my studio the same color because that entry was way too cute to paint the door white.
So I had to decide if I wanted to carry that same color to the back of the house, or play it safe with white. In the end, I decided to go for the Bird of Paradise. I want to see that pretty color every time I pull the van into the carport. (I took these pictures in the early morning sun, which is why the colors looks so different from above. The house is still the same color as it has been for years now, and the door colors really are the same.)
I’m so glad I didn’t play it safe and choose white! I’m going to love having coral doors on the back of our house!
Now let’s get to my process for painting French doors.
First, I cleaned the doors really well. Not only had these doors not been painted since they were installed years ago, but they had also never been cleaned. 😀 And it showed! These doors were absolutely filthy. Cleaning the doors was the hardest part of this project, and I’m not even joking.
But after lots of scrubbing, I had all of the dirt removed.
Next, I used 220-grit sandpaper to quickly sand the doors and make sure there was nothing stuck on them that would affect the paint finish. I also had to scrape off some concrete splatters (from when the wheelchair ramp was poured) and some other gunk that had collected on the doors. I wanted the surface to be as smooth as possible before painting, but I really didn’t spend more than 30 minutes on this.
Next up, I used Jasco Mask & Peel to cover the glass panes. I’ve shared about this product twice before, but I always get more questions about it. So I’ll continue to share about it, because it really is an amazing product.
It acts as a primer and a liquid painters tape. You don’t have to be careful at all about painting it on because any of the product that gets on the parts of the door that will be painted simply acts as a primer. If it gets on the door, there’s no need to remove it, peel it, or wipe it off. Just leave it there and let it dry, just like you would a primer, and then paint right over it. But the goal is to completely cover the glass panes with the product. Brush it on relatively thick with a brush, and once the door is painted, the part that on the glass panes will peel right off.
I forgot to take a picture from the outside after I got the product painted on the glass panes (it was getting so cold outside and I was very anxious to get done and come inside), but here’s a picture of what it looks like from the inside.
I did have to use actual painters tape on a couple of areas on the doors, like the rubber weather stripping between the two doors and at the bottom of the doors. But this Jasco product saves so much time over trying to tape off all of those glass panes. I think it took me a total of 30 minutes to coat the panes on both doors.
After that was dry (I actually had to wait about three days because we had sub-freezing temps for a few days), I was ready to paint. But before I got started, I took a few minutes to remove the door handle and dead bolt. I find it easier to remove them than to try to paint around them, and I get a much cleaner look by removing them instead of trying to tape them off.
I used Behr exterior satin enamel paint. They had the Benjamin Moore color in their system. I painted the doors with a 2.5-inch sash (angled) brush.
To paint the exterior of the doors, the doors need to be opened all the way, and they need to be left open until the paint is completely dry. And as you can see, with the Jasco masking product on the panes, I didn’t have to be careful at all when painting around the panes.
After painting two coats of paint and allowing those to dry, I was ready to remove the window film. I used a brand new razor blade to score around the edges of the panes…
And then the product peeled off very easily, leaving a clean, paint-free glass pane.
And here are my beautiful Bird of Paradise studio carport doors (looking a little bit dark in the early morning light).
I can’t believe I waited this long to paint these doors, but I’m kind of glad I did. Had I painted them back when had the carport built, I probably would have just painted them white. I needed time to find my courage to go for the coral. 😀
Now I need to find a storage solution for my tools and extra lumber and trim so that the carport can stay neat and tidy. I’d love to give this entrance as much love and care as I try to give to our front porch. I want a pretty and welcoming entrance for myself just as much as I want one for our guests.
Addicted 2 Decorating is where I share my DIY and decorating journey as I remodel and decorate the 1948 fixer upper that my husband, Matt, and I bought in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do physical work, so I do the majority of the work on the house by myself. You can learn more about me here.
So glad you went with the coral! What a bright, cheerful color to come home to!
Looks great! But come on now… I can’t believe you needed any courage to go for coral! Lol! You are absolutely fearless when it comes to color. It’s one of the biggest reasons I’ve followed for so long! It’s a huge inspiration!
My issue was that if I painted these doors coral, that decision would then require me to paint the exterior of our future family room French doors coral, and the exterior of our future master bedroom French doors coral. One decision leads to others. And I wasn’t confident at all in having three sets of French doors on the back of our house all painted coral. But I’m going for it! 😀
I understand… It *is* a big leap! I’m glad you’re going for it! Imagine how great the doors will look someday as a back drop when you have you’re AMAZING backyard done with all the flowers and plants! Thanks for the constant inspiration!
Yeah!!!
They turned out great! Love the color – it makes me smile. I have to say, I don’t believe you would need courage to paint your back door a pretty color when you already loved it on your front and side doors. You love color! And I love watching your process.
Love the door. So happy you continued the color on all the doors. A happy welcome home and for guests.
I absolve this color and have it throughout my house! Inspiration to pant my exterior doors!
that jasco paint & peel looks kinda neat I just might put it on my front door glass and leave it on
For privacy purposes, I would recommend a product called Gallery Glass, which comes in a clear color. You can look on Pinterest to see how people have used it on their French doors, front doors, sidelites, etc., to obscure the view.
Exactly my thoughts
Just an FYI – The steamer that you used on your bathroom floor grout would have cleaned those doors up and the aluminum threshold very easily.
OH MY GOSH!!! I didn’t even think of that! 🤦🏻♀️🤪
I use that same steamer all the time!
Excellent! Coral like the other doors was definitely the way to go! They look so cheerful!
Didn’t know you needed courage for color. Haha. This is not to be taken as hateful, I just know how you like your color. Couldn’t help but grin. And it looks great.
I absolutely love it!! Perfect choice!
Gorgeous!
The coral is beautiful with the house and trim colors!
What a nice job. Do you have any tips for painting over a door that has latex paint over oil paint? Anything that is not so labor intensive as sanding and/or stripping every little bit of the door? All of my interior trim has the same finish as well.
SO cute! What a happy entrance, from any point of entry!
Wow – beautiful! Love the colour – it is such a happy colour! Question: I painted my door but left the trim around the window white as my muntin bars are between the glass so thought it might look weird if the plastic trim was painted but the bars were white?
Those turned out beautifully. Love them. And I agree, keep the doors all the same.
I love the doors in this color, and they are all tied together around the house. If I could talk my husband in to this color, I would do our doors the same! As for your tools and lumber, have you ever looked at Ana White plans? She has a simple shelving system (for garages) that you might be able to modify for your tool and lumber storage, even maybe adding simple doors to enclose the tools behind. If it were me, I would invest in a metal cabinet for the tools, to keep them safe and dry, and find one with a locking capacity. Thieves are everywhere these days, and they take anything they can sell for a few dollars!
They look so great and will make you happy to see them!
Loving the coral and agree that it’s more fun and welcoming to come home to a door color you love.
The coral is a happy color and you love color so it’s perfect! I like that all the doors on the outside of the house will be the same color. I love the little roof and the brackets on the side door. It’s so charming!
Wait, that peel n mask stuff adheres to plastic muntins on builder basic french doors?? I have 2 pairs of probably those exact Home Depot doors to paint this coming spring and was truly planning to unscrew the plastic grid right off the door and paint it on newspaper! You’ve got to tell me how this holds up to a scratch test.
Absolutely Beautiful
Absolutely Beautiful cheery color, You gave me inspiration to paint my back door a fun color. Thank you.
What a great choice!
Love the coral doors! Love the continuity of color on all the exterior doors! OF COURSE you deserve coming home to that beautiful color! Glad they’re finally done!
I love what you said about the front of your house several blogs ago about loving the look of the front of your house and how you enjoy seeing it every time you drove your car in. And now the way you say you want a pretty and welcoming entrance for yourself in the back. This color is so beautiful and I’m glad you waited to paint it coral because white just wouldn’t do it justice. Having color is just so pleasing to the eye and to your well being.
I think they look nice and makes sense for all doors to be coral. I think it looks good.
So wonderful! Glad you went this direction, it brings cheer to the carport.
Your color choice is perfect. I’m so glad you went with the coral. It is sooooooooo pretty and will make you smile as you go through that door.
You made the right decision again!!
Very cheerful!
Lovely! But let me ask you – painting anything outside, I get so many little gnats, midges, and moths in the paint! Do you ever have that problem?
When I’m working on a long project, like painting cabinet doors, I generally get one or two in the paint. But I didn’t have a problem when painting the doors.
I have a set of French doors to paint. Did it take more than 1 quart of the Jasco for you to do the two doors?
No, one quart is plenty for several doors. I’ve used it on both sides (interior and exterior) of the studio French doors and the door between our home gym and bathroom, and I still have quite a bit left.