How to paint a PVC front door

House-hunting is hard. It relies so heavily on first impressions that a great front door is typically a worthwhile investment. But what if your dream home doesn’t have your dream door? What if you have a PVC door which you really don’t like but can’t yet afford to replace one? Well, it turns out, like so many decor dilemmas, paint is the answer.

What’s so wrong with PVC doors?

Generally, uPVC doors are affordable, readily available and maintenance-free, making them a top choice here in the UK for our front doors. There may be plenty of colours and glass options, but sadly we adopted the classic white option, and whilst it was practical, it’s not always fun to look at.

After I started on a makeover of the front porch to our Victorian home, it became clear that the door was just not a good fit for me. We’d always had an intention to replace it. I adore the original hardwood doors typical of the 1880s (the era of our house), but as our cash is currently wrapped up in our first floor renovation project, I’d need a more budget-friendly choice.

I’d already tackled the front steps and even done some DIY Victorian painted tiles, both in the beautiful shade of Juniper Ash from Little Greene. I’d invested in the masonry paint, so I thought, why not give it a whirl on the door too! Our particular PVC door looks a little tired and dated so I figure, hey – what’s the worst that could happen?

What paint do you need to paint PVC?

When you’re searching, it’s important to remember that most typical paints will not go onto PVC on their own. PVC is just too smooth for traditional emulsions to grab onto, so you need both a primer and a weather-proof paint.

Many paints on the market now act as both in one product. Here are some of my favourite projects from other bloggers who have tackled their PVC door from 2-in-1 primer/paints.

Becky from PinksCharming worked her magic with Frenchic’s Al Fresco range which comes in around 20 shades and can be painted straight onto PVC.
Karen from Making Spaces used the Zinsser Allcoat Exterior paint which again can be painted straight onto the door. It’s available ready-made in black, white and grey, but can be tinted with any RAL colour made to order if you want something jazzier.

So what did we go for? Well, I already had Little Greene’s Juniper Ash colour in masonry paint, ticking the ‘suitable for exterior use’ box but it wouldn’t have painted straight onto PVC so I researched primers.

We decided on the Zinsser Bullseye 123 Primer Sealer as it can be used in both interior and exterior settings and it’s likely we will need primer for more than one project so this made financial sense for us. Whatever primer you choose, ensure it is labelled as “all purpose” or as a stain-blocker, as these are indicators that it can go onto PVC.

How to paint a PVC door

So you’ve got everything you need, now it’s time to get painting! For a shopping list of what we used, you can find this at the bottom of this post.

1. Start by cleaning your door.

You can buy sugar soap wipes if that’s easier, but a good wipe down will be fine. I also used an anti-bacterial wash as this project was done during the COVID lockdown and the door is a high-traffic area.

2. Protect your door’s features with tape.

Any masking tape will work but my favourite is Pro Dec. It’s low tac, thin and lightweight, meaning it’s much easier to manipulate than, let’s say, Frogtape. This is particularly important for us as there are curved glass panels in our door so the flexibility of the tape was great.

3. Remove any hardware.

Sure you could tape around it but I assure you it will be far quicker to just take off the door handle. If possible, the letterbox too.

4. Prime your door.

The Zinnser primer we used, like many primers, was incredibly thin – almost a water consistency – so you’ll most certainly need two thin coats rather than one thick coat. The primer dries matt, eradicating the glossiness of the PVC, giving it a rougher surface, perfect for the paint to adhere to.

How to paint a PVC front door (Zinsser primer)

5. Paint!

With the primer fully dry it’s time to add paint. Again, thin coats will give the best finish. A word of warning, if you aren’t using a specifically gloss-based or eggshell finish paint, the end result will have brush marks. For me, this was great, as it gives the impression of wood grains, as if it were an original hardwood door. So when painting, try to keep brush strokes in one direction to help replicate a more authentic wood look. DON’T panic if your first coat is scary and looks awful! This is normal and it will look far better with your second coat.

The Final Result

For me, a simple paint job has completely transformed the look of our front porch. It feels so much like it matches our taste, and I already feel happier when I walk through the door. The paint job worked a treat, considering it was masonry paint we already had. I’ll likely check back in and post an update as to how well it’s holding up in a few months. One thing to note though, I do think using a smaller width paintbrush helped here. Ideally, a roller would have been best but with all this detail, it was just not an option. It’s also certainly worth a mention that PVC and its sealant can expand as the weather outside changes so you may notice teeny bits of the original colour peek through the edgings. We did, and just touched it up with a fine artists brush.

Shopping List

As promised, here is a list of all the products used in case you’re interested in following these steps. I’d love to see your painted front doors!

And that’s it! There is still plenty on my to-do list in the front garden, but sometimes paint is the most powerful transformation you can give. One day we’ll invest in the door of our dreams, but for now, we’ve got this beauty.