.jpg)
We’ve talked about picking colors for you house before, but according to Zillow, painting your front door black can increase your property value by 2.9%. That alone can be a powerful motivator to paint your doors black. Many trendsetters are calling black the new neutral. It’s the color that can give you a sense of elegance and sophistication. But are their drawbacks to painting your doors black? The simple answer is yes, there are drawbacks. Before you buy that bucket of black paint, check out this article.
Why shouldn’t you paint your exterior doors black?
Most manufactures will void your door warranties if you paint your door black. Why is that the case?
Ever wonder why you feel hotter in black clothes on a hot summer day than lighter colored clothes? The color black absorbs the light which in turn will make you feel hotter. The same concept applies to your doors. Darker colored doors, like black, will absorb more light and heat up your doors.
Why does it matter if my door heats up? Heat on a door is not your friend, because heat causes a door to expand. In the best case scenario it will simply make your door stick in the door jamb. True you may not be able to open the door without a bit of work, but the worst case scenario is your door warps and cracks. Then you end up needing a new door sooner rather than later.
Now you’re probably thinking, “I was planning on getting a fiberglass door and they don’t have the expansion problems like wood doors.” That is true, fiberglass doors don’t have expansion problems like wood doors do, however, with large amounts of heat they to can expand and warp just like wood doors.
Does black paint fade faster?
YES, black painted doors do fade faster than lighter colors!!!! It goes back to the heat absorption problem. The paint will expand and contract just like your door; causing fading, bubbling, and even cracking the black paint. This means more maintenance in the form of painting your door especially if it is a wood door.
On a side note, don’t forget that black painted doors, both interior or exterior doors, will show all the imperfections of your door. That’s right, every imperfection by the manufacture will stand out including the ones you create in your day to day use of the door.
When is painting a door black a good idea?
Now you’re thinking, is there ever a time it’s okay to paint a door black? Yes. If your doors are completely shaded and don’t receive much light, you can paint them black. Doors that are in the shade or without much light won’t have the same heat expansion problem. Just remember it will still likely void your warranty.
If you still want to paint light exposed doors black, just remember your installer and painter will likely charge you for coming out to maintenance and repaint your doors. Be prepared for the high cost of maintenance or learn to maintenance your doors yourself.
We hope you found our blog beneficial. Sharing is caring (unless it’s an infection) so please subscribe to our blog for future helpful hints and share with your friends. If you have a question or would like us to give you a free estimate for your home improvement project, please contact us, we’d love to hear from you.