How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Front Door?

Your front door is one of the first things visitors or prospective buyers will see when they approach your home. When it's in great condition, it can add value to your home, but when it's looking tired it can really drag a house down.

A fresh coat of paint can give your front door a new lease of life. So how much should it cost to paint your front door?

How much does it cost to paint an exterior door?

How much it costs to paint a front door will depend on whether the door is glazed (has windows), how big it is and your location. Here are the average costs to paint a front door, excluding materials:

Job	Average cost
Painting an unglazed door	£150-£200
Painting, sanding and knotting an unglazed door	£200-£250
Painting a glazed door	£175-£275
Painting, sanding and knotting a glazed door	£250-£300

These costs for painting a front door and its trim are averages based on the whole of the UK. Take a look at the table below for HaMuch's area-specific prices based on our database of hourly rates.

Supply costs to paint a front door

Most painters and decorators will ask you to supply the materials to paint your front door and any window frames as there are so many colours and finishes to choose from.

Here's what to expect to pay for all the materials you'll need to paint your front door:

Type	Average cost per litre
Primer	£15-£25
Stain and varnish	£15-35
Paint – satin, eggshell or gloss finish	£25-£40

Speak to your tradesperson for advice on the best brands to use – any experienced painter and decorator will have vast knowledge in a range of different products and will know which ones are the most durable and easy to apply.

Cost to paint window frames

While you're getting your door painted, it makes sense to paint your window frames too. A freshly painted door will make grubby window frames stand out, so do them all at once to get the best look.

See the table below for average costs to paint window frames, including removing old paint, priming and applying up to three coats of paint:

Property type	Average cost	Estimated time required
Flat with 4-5 windows	£700-£1,500	5-7 days
2-bed terraced house with 8-9 windows	£1,400-£3,250	7-9 days
3-bed semi-detached house with 10-12 windows	£1,750-£4,000	10-12 days
4-bed detached house with 15-18 windows	£3,000-£6,000	12-15 days

These prices are based on uPVC or timber window frames. The cost to paint aluminium window frames will be slightly more, as these windows are often sprayed to get the best finish.

While the cost for painting your window frames seems high, remember that your decorator will generally be required to use a ladder or scaffolding (unless you live in a ground-floor flat or bungalow), increasing the complexity of the job and therefore the cost.

How long does it take to paint a front door?

How long it takes to paint a front door will depend on whether the door is glazed and what kind of condition it's in. If it is in very poor condition, it may need extensive prep work including stripping old paint and sanding. Here's an estimate of how long different types of front door will take to paint:

Job	Estimated time required
Painting an unglazed door	3-4 hours
Painting, sanding and knotting an unglazed door	4-5 hours
Painting a glazed door	3-4 hours
Painting, sanding and knotting a glazed door	4-5 hours

How much paint does it take to paint an average front door?

It's difficult to say exactly how much paint it takes to paint an average front door, as it depends on its condition. If your door is in relatively good condition and will need only two coats of paint, one litre of good quality paint should be enough to cover it.

We'd always recommend asking for a range of quotes from different painters and decorators so while they're there giving you a price for the labour, you can ask for their advice on how much paint you'll need before you go out and buy it.

A good brand of exterior door paint for wooden doors will cost between £25-£40 per litre.

Is it cheaper to paint or replace a front door?

On the face of it, it's definitely cheaper to paint your front door. A new uPVC door will cost £1,000-£1,500 for supply and installation, with timber around £1,200-£2,000 and composite doors setting you back between £2,500-£5,000.

Including paint, primer and labour, the maximum you should expect to spend on painting your front door is around £500, so up to 90% less than replacing it.

But if your door is old, it could be letting heat out of your home. It could also be insecure, leaving your property vulnerable to break-ins. Replacing your front door with a new, secure, energy-efficient one could save you up to £60 a year on your energy bills – plus much more if you reduce the risk of your possessions being stolen.

Does painting your front door add value?

Yes, painting your front door does add value to your home – but choose your colour wisely. Some colours could even decrease the value of your home.

According to research, painting your front door blue adds an average of £4,000 to your property, while a white door adds around £3,400.

However, a brown front door was shown to reduce property value by an average of £700 – so if you're looking to maximise your home's value, perhaps stay away from this one!

Now you know the cost to paint your front door, post your job on HaMuch. We'll put you in touch with reputable painters in your area to give you a more accurate quote.

Estimates for common painter & decorator jobs;

Rates for other trades