Paint A Door Using Porch Floor Enamel

A quick color change can give an entryway a whole new look, but painting a door isn't exactly the most fun job on your to-do list. We're all for taking a shortcut, as long as it doesn't mean more work down the road. And that's when we hit the point in our lives where we were excited about door paint.

It turns out the key to painting a door in one easy step is to use...porch and floor enamel. This type of paint dries to a hard, colorfast, moisture- and mildew-resistant surface. (All without needing a primer coat.) It's ideal for front doors because the enamel dries to a super-strong coating that offers unparalleled protection against scratches. Once you paint a door with it, the color will stay bright and fresh-looking for season after season.

And, um...it also prevents the wood from rotting, something that most of us don't detect until things get really gross. Trust me, you do not want that happening. (But if it isn't too out of control, small bits of wood rot can be fixed with epoxy.)

The caveat: Enamel dries to a very glossy finish. So if you aren't a fan of the look, try an oil-based enamel, which has the same benefits of porch and floor enamel, but comes in eggshell finishes. Just be prepared for a slightly longer drying time.

Flickr photo by monkeysox