You know that feeling when you walk up to someone’s house and their front door basically says, “Yes, we are classy, cozy, and smell like fresh-baked cookies inside”?
Yeah… these front doors were more of a “Welcome to the utility closet” vibe.
There have been more than a few changes since these doors were installed – at least one new lock and handle situation, a stick-on doorbell, and caulking to hide the sharp screws protruding through the front from the push bar inside.
Rust has eaten the top layer of steel at the bottom of the doors:
Peeling paint and rotting wood trim.
Why Antique Front Doors?
There’s just something about antique front doors—the character, the craftsmanship, the “I’ve stood here since 1898 and seen some things” attitude. But real antiques? Expensive. Heavy. Drafty. Probably haunted.
These are steel doors with relatively good bones (for being so old) that someone before me had added character to by adhering wood trim. But steel rusts, wood rots and paint peels, so it was time to come up with a budget friendly way to increase the curb appeal.
I got to work. With a tight budget, and a vision, I turned those drab slabs into something worthy of a Pinterest board and possibly a holy choir.
Okay, a slight exaggeration, but I did manage to clean them up considerably, and ramp up the curb appeal astronomically within a very tight budget. Did I mention I was working within a budget? Churches, and daycares (which now rent the building) work on very slim margins, so it was really important to do my best within a tight timeline and limited moolah.
Supplies You’ll Need (and a Confession You’ll Make)
- extra (replacement) trim if the wood has rotted beyond repair
- Construction adhesive
- scraper, wire brush or other tool to help remove loose paint
- sandpaper, sandpaper, and more sandpaper for every form of sander you own. I went as low as 40 grit and finished out (HOURS later at 150 grit)
- Measuring tape and level (aka: guesswork tools)
- exterior caulking
- exterior weather-proof primer
- exterior paint
- A prayer for patience, stamina, and lots of ibuprofen
Step 1: Scrape, brush, sand, pressure wash and repeat
I spent a full work day – 8 hours – just removing old paint. Did I get it all? Not a chance, but I worked with every tool and my full arsenal of sanders (orbital, mouse, and elbow grease) to remove as much as I could.
In a perfect world, removing the doors and laying them out flat so I could have used a paint stripper would have given the best results, but this is a business and raw-dogging with no doors just wasn’t an option. (Sorry God for the raw-dog comment)
Step 2: Cut and Attach Your Trim
If any of the trim work is beyond repair, you’ll need to cut your new trim boards to fit the gaps. Mitered corners will make it look more legit, but if your saw skills are more abstract art, butt joints work too. Attach your trim to the steel doors using construction adhesive. (*This post contains Amazon affiliate links to items I used. For full affiliate disclosure, please see sidebar or privacy page)
Step 3: Caulk, Prime, Sand
Once your trim is up, caulk those edges for a seamless look, then prime your heart out. I went with a high performance exterior primer to really seal and protect the exposed wood and to ensure as much moisture as possible will be kept OUT. Once the primer is on, it’s easier to see any areas that might need additional sanding, caulking, and even priming to make this antique front door even more weather-resistant.
I left the old door lock and home of the former handle because they are still attached to the push-bar on the other side of the door. Again, not ideal, but with a light sanding and a coat of primer, the paint should adhere pretty well and hide the fact that it was brass with brushed nickel, near wood, on a steel door. Covering all of the elements are we?
I could have used Bondo to repair some of the rusted out areas in the bottom of the doors, but after peeking behind the old kick plate, I noticed there wasn’t a ton left to Bondo to. Instead we’re going with new kick plates (on order) and primer to help keep some of the rust in-check by keeping moisture out.
Step 4: Sand, Paint, Repeat
This is the gratifying part – finally a coating to hide all of the original mess, PLUS the additional mess you made while stripping the old mess off. I sanded the primer with 320 grit sandpaper (by hand) to give the smoothest surface possible, then wiped everything down with a damp cloth. Two coats of Benjamin Moore’s Onyx in Aura exterior satin cleaned everything up.
Step 5: Step Back and Marvel
This is the moment. Step back, coffee in hand, and admire your handiwork. The cold, damaged doors you started with are now radiating warmth, character, and maybe just a whisper of “we serve pie at our meetings.”
From steel to antique front door glory—and all it took was some trim, paint, and a healthy disregard for the original manufacturer’s instructions.
Before and After (Because We Live for the Glow-Up)
Before:
After:
Before:
After: (rehomed the doorbell to a new plaque on the wall)
I’ll confess: I did pressure wash the walls and steps as well, and I brought in a few “no-maintenance” flowers to add to the curb appeal. Just a bit of icing on the cake.
Before:
After:
Final Thoughts
This antique front door makeover proves that you don’t need to spend thousands or hunt down century-old wood to get that timeless charm. A few muscles, a vision, and a weekend later, you’ll have doors that whisper “heirloom” even if they’re just steel underneath.
Besides, isn’t that kind of the best metaphor? Solid, modern, practical… with just the right amount of drama on top.
Have a great one!