Paint finish on front doors

[Toon]

I've just had the exterior painting done on my new IP & the painter has gone and used gloss for the front doors rather than the satin I requested. The argument they're giving me is that as the colour is black, it needs to be glossy to reflect the sun & prevent warping. All the houses that have inspired me for this project have black satin front doors.

Is the painter right or should I insist he redoes as he was asked in the first place?

Cheers

Toon

 

[PrimeCommercial]

LOL sounds like a cop out to me. If it should have been gloss you would of thought he would have said something when you asked for it.

Get him to do it again or its free

 

[Toon]

Thanks Shady

That's right, all it takes is a phone call. It's been a continuous problem for me that tradies have just gone and done their own thing instead of what has been asked for. Think this might me my first and last building experience

Cheers

Toon

 

[Tools]

I wonder if what he i sgetting at is that he has used an enamel for additional protection and not an acrylic.If it is enamel there is no option but for it to be glossy. On another note, what colour have you painted the inside of the door?

Tools

 

[Toon]

Hi Tools,

You can get satin enamel now too - not sure if he used enamel though anyway. The inside of the door is white, despite having specified that it be the same satin black as the outside. Different painter & yet another case of tradie making their own decisions & ignoring what I have requested, all in writing too mind you. I let that one go as I have been in several new houses where the inside & out have been different & assumed I was in the wrong for wanting it black inside & out. I've since read though, that doors should be done inside & out with the same paint.


Toon

 

[Jacque]

Hi Toon

I just repainted my original satin finish with gloss as I think it looks better and makes a statement over low sheen Horses for courses I suppose!!

 

[Toon]

Hi Jacque

I think for some house styles the gloss would look better. I guess I've had such a clear picture in my mind of how I wanted it to look & all the houses I've been modelling it off have had the lower sheen finishes.

Toon

 

[pudestcon]

As a registered painter I can say that satin enamel is generally available the same as full gloss enamel. It is ok to paint doors different colours on each side. A word of caution.... door manufacturers typically specify that exterior doors should be painted in light colours to reflect the heat or the door warrantee could be voided. This may be why the painter wanted to paint the door in gloss; to reflect the suns rays. MOO

 

[Toon]

Thanks pudestcon

Yes, they made me sign a waiver voiding my warranty on the doors for having a 'dark colour', so I guess, since I've already waived my warranty, it makes no difference to them anymore whether I have gloss or satin. I don't think the doors will get a lot of full sunlight though, so hopefully it won't be a disaster.

Cheers

Toon

 

[Tools]

Hi Tools,

You can get satin enamel now too - not sure if he used enamel though anyway. The inside of the door is white, despite having specified that it be the same satin black as the outside.


Toon

Yes, satin enamel has been available for many years, but it is not suitable for exterior use.

If you have a dark colour on the outside and a light one on the inside, you are going to have trouble with movement in the door.The two sides absorb heat up differently and your warranty will be void.

Tools

 

[fernfurn]

Personally with black, it needs to be full gloss, as black sucks in the light and looks dull and cheap in satin, but thats just me. I also have white inside and would not have black inside, believe me, it would look terrible against your light colour walls and always stop your eye and make a point of FRONT DOOR, whilst the pale colour allows your eye to just be in the house. My gloss black front door faces full western sun and no-one ever said anything about two colours being a problem and has been through 2 viscious Melb summers without a problem

 

[Tools]

Celica,you have been lucky so far !

Tools

 

[buzzlightyear]

I've since read though, that doors should be done inside & out with the same paint

Was that a colour/design expert saying that? Interesting...

I have just re-painted both inside and the front facade (or parts there-of - its SB Edwardian). The inside of the door I have Antique White USA and the outside is Triple Amour (greeny grey sort of colour), which is a gloss enamel BTW. Maybe I have broken the rules!

 

[Glenn]

Hi Toon,

What direction does this front door face?

If it faces east it will get morning sun all year round

If it faces north, and has a generous eave overhang it will get winter sun only

If it faces west, it will get afternoon sun all year round....the worst kind

If it faces south, it will get direct sunlight for a couple of hours in only 4 weeks of the year

What I am trying to get to here is that the door may not get direct sunlight for most of the year.

Also, tradesman do not get to chose the styles of finish that go on a home...they build according to the specification and the plans and receive payment once this has been done.

Glenn

 

[Toon]

Thanks Glenn

It faces North West, slightly more North & has a portico of more than a metre each way. The garage extends out further on the west side too adding further blockage to the afternoon sun.

I'm thinking it may only get winter sun & not much summer sun at all.

Cheers

Toon

 

[Glenn]

Toon,

Tell us what happened to your door.

Glenn

 

[DaveM]

Holy thread necro batman!

 

[Glenn]

DaveM.....I am back baby!

 

[Scott No Mates]

Oooooh! I have seen black doors before - warped to the max. (Seen it happen to solid maple doors as well (varnished not painted).