Good day, good evening, good afternoon…welcome. So you’re preparing to invest in a gorgeous new entry door for your home, but are trying to decide whether you want it painted or stained.
Great question! What a nice pickle to be in because both options produce outstanding results.
The good news is that the answers are simple.
Whether or not you paint or stain your new entry door depends on three primary variables:
- The style of door you’re aiming for: contemporary, retro, farmhouse, etc.
- The manufacturer you work with – many have set options to choose from.
- The material your entry door is made of: iron, steel, wood, fiberglass, etc.
It really just comes down to your personal taste and the artistic statement you’re looking to make with your home’s entryway. The vast majority of homeowners who’ve already tackled this decision before you have been happier the more their personalities were reflected in the final result.
Let’s use an example we know extremely well.
Here at Today’s Entry Doors, we ONLY install premium fiberglass entry doors for Orange County, CA homeowners. Something we have decades of experience doing. And, we have incredible long-standing relationships with our manufacturers.
Jeld-wen is among them.
So, let’s imagine you’re interested in one of their Aurora series fiberglass doors . These doors are, “...Expertly crafted, high-performing luxury fiberglass doors that look virtually indistinguishable from real wood.” with 45 models available.
For simplicity’s sake, let’s say you choose a straightforward model with a classic single glass panel design like the example door below from the series. Here’s a screenshot from their product page for this door just to help you visualize:
These range across the spectrum from light to dark, with plenty of character to go around. We’re talking about everything from Oak Chappo and Mahogany Honey to Eggshell white. With this particular entry door, you have a whopping 27 finish options, 5 IWP Foundry Finishes, 3 Caming Finishes, and 3 Sill Finishes, not to mention 2 Wood Grain Options..
Here’s another screenshot from their site showing some of the options with these finishes (they also come with tons of paint options). You really won’t have to keep repainting and restaining — one of the benefits of factory-treated fiberglass doors.
We’ll tell you why our customers prefer factory stains and painting in a minute.
But first, let’s look at some eye candy examples to help you see the possibilities. The following three images come from our various Entry Door Galleries. (this is why there are numbers on the bottom right of the pictures). Browse them anytime you need to stir up ideas.
Each door — for desktop users — has some specific info when you hover over them, including the choice of either factory stain or paint.
Example #1: Antiqued Factory Stained Chappo
Example #2: Factory Painted Inkwell
Example #3: Factory Stained Mahogany
Listen, if you’re the type of person who loves getting into the thick of it with your home, that’s great! If you want an entry door, you can annually repaint or restrain; we understand. We’re homeowners as well.
For our customers, and for a ton of folks in your position around the country, the question remains:
What Are The Upsides To A Factory Painted Or Stained Entry Door?
Uniformity – Specific Detailed Results
When you invest in a modern factory stain or paint from the likes of Jeld-Wen, Masonite, or Therma-Tru, you’re going to get a reliable result. These doors range from basic to extremely high-end custom doors like the ones we help homeowners invest in here in Orange County, CA.
Bottom line: we’re talking about consistent color, texture, and coating, that’s been treated by state-of-the-art systems then cured with optimal flash-drying and cooling cycles. Compare that to what you would see in 100 different entry doors painted or stained by 100 different homeowners…
Almost Zero Chance Of Mishaps
Oh no, did a bunch of dust blow onto the door while you were painting it in the garage? Did you use the wrong gloves? Did it get messier than you expected? Did the DIY video online make it look much easier than it really is for someone who hasn’t been maintaining doors for years?
Did it look great while fresh, but then it didn’t cure well?
Again, consistently high-quality results are easier to achieve on the specialized factory floor for major manufacturers than inexperienced door painters and stainers.
Far Less Maintenance Over Time
At the end of the day, factory entry door paints and stains are going to last far longer than the average retail product can offer. Plus, when you let the door manufacturer do this work, they’re going to happily cover it! You get outstanding coverage.
In Conclusion: It’s A Matter Of Personal Style & Preference
Hopefully, this helps address your question. The answer is…it depends. With so many options, we know it can be tough to make a decision. Your entry door is such a big part of your home’s aesthetic; you just can’t make it lightly.
For homeowners in Orange County, you can always call us, and we’ll bring our mobile showroom by. We built it ourselves so we could show people actual door samples, hardware samples, glass samples, and more in the most convenient way possible…we bring the showroom to you.
Contact Today’s Entry Doors, and we’ll be happy to explain the finer details of working with manufacturers to get outstanding finishes.
