How to paint your fiberglass door: Entryway Makeover part 3

My entryway project has been “in the works” for a ba-dillion years. Ok, not really, but it seems like the-never-ending project around here. Side-note: I watched the Neverending Story with my kids last week, and it was awesome. It brought back a lot of memories from my childhood.

Ok, stay on task, Brooke….

Well, the project began like this: A clean slate of tan. Too much tan in my opinion. It had no personality or oomph, plus it is the FIRST thing that guests see when they come.

I originally showed you the project in my entryway makeover part 1 post. Then, we painted the walls in entryway makeover part 2, my cute hubsters added some amazing finish carpentry moulding in this post. But, the thing that has bugged me ever since, is the U.G.L.Y. fiberglass door. You may be surprised, but I was afraid to paint it. Me!?!? AFRAID to paint? I know, I know…not like me, huh. I was afraid of the unknown…can you paint fiberglass?

YEP…you sure can. I actually got brave one day, and decided to take the plunge. Here is what the door looked like prior to the painting experiment. I absolutely hate this door. The color should be lighter, or darker. The wood grain looks fake (well, it is fake wood, but it bugs me).

I decided to just paint the inside of the door because I’m not quite ready to commit to a specific color for the outside yet. I’m having a hard time deciding! But, on the inside, I wanted the entryway to have a better flow. So, I decided to paint it the same color as the moulding.

We started by priming the door with KILZ spray paint.

Then, we borrowed a friend’s sprayer (Thanks DAVE), and sprayed it the same color as the rest of the finish work. Side-note: I wish I owned a nice paint sprayer.

FINALLY, the door doesn’t catch my eye every time I walk by. Now it fits in with the rest of the space, and I can finally breath. Just kidding….kind of.

Turns out that painting a fiberglass door is just the same as painting anything else. EASY-PEASY. The entire door was taken off, primed, painted, and remounted in less than an hour.

What on earth was I afraid of!?!

Lesson learned.  What color should I paint the OUTSIDE!?! HMMMMM.

Published on March 23, 2011

36 thoughts on “How to paint your fiberglass door: Entryway Makeover part 3”

  1. Looks great, love it! What color is the outside of your house? I'm thinking a shade of red for the outside of the door. I like a red front door…

  2. Depending on the color of my house. I think I want a buttercup yellow door. or plum. Everyone always paints it red.

    Love the entryway! I can't wan't to be moved so I can try my hand at painting!!! <3

  3. I'm so jealous of your colors! Everytime I paint something remotely aqua colored my husband looks at me like I grew a third eye. The door looks fabulous! So much better.

  4. i found your blog while searching the internet for decorating ideas…you are AMAZING. I have posted your site on my facebook and you have inspired my sister and I to purchase dressers on craigslist and paint them like your yellow night stands! I also have an antique dining set that I will be painting soon too. Thank you for the inspiration!!

    Jess Rivers
    Savage, MN

  5. It looks really great! We painted our front door to match a few years ago and when we painted the outside a yummy chocolatey brown to match our stone we did our garage door to match and got rid of our white eyesore! Amazing what a little paint can do.

  6. Oh my oh my oh my…from the beginning to the end of your transformation is AMAZING!! I have neglected housework and everything else today as I sat and drooled over your blog, for FAR too many hours, with a couple of glasses of evening Malbec. As the governor of California once said…I'll be BAAAACK!!!!

  7. I am going to do the wainscoting up my stairs. What type of paint did you use? Was it enamel or latex? What type of finish? gloss, satin etc… thanks a bunch. your entry looks awesome!

  8. Hi Brooke, what kind of sprayer did you borrow? I’m thinking of investing in one thanks to all your painting ideas..haha.

    1. Tana,
      That’s the thing, the sprayer was so covered in paint that there was no brand to be found! I wish I knew! Gosh, I’m so sorry. I wish I knew!!!

  9. Thanks for the advice. I’ve always wondered how to paint over a fiberglass door. I’ve been wanting to have a few fiberglass doors installed in my house, but I want them to be in a certain color. I’ve been feeling nervous about painting over one. It helps to have some instruction on how to paint one. Now I can get a fiberglass door and paint it the color I want.
    http://www.truaxnw.com/Fiberglass_door_choices.html

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