How much does it cost to paint a garage door and front door in New Brunswick?

Painting a front door professionally in New Brunswick runs $150-$350, and a single-car garage door runs $200-$400, with double garage doors typically costing $300-$600 -- both vary based on condition, material, and how many coats are needed.

Front and garage doors are often neglected but they have an enormous impact on curb appeal and first impressions. They are also among the most practical painting investments a homeowner can make, because a fresh door paint job can completely refresh a home exterior for a fraction of the cost of repainting the whole house.

Front door pricing depends on the door's material (solid wood, fiberglass, or steel each paint differently) and its current condition. A steel or fiberglass door in decent condition with existing paint that is just faded is a relatively quick job: clean, light sand, prime bare or rusty spots, two coats of exterior semi-gloss or gloss. Total time for a painter is 2-4 hours. Solid wood doors -- especially older ones in Saint John heritage homes -- can be more involved if the paint is cracking, the wood is weathered, or the door has intricate raised panels that require careful brush work in corners and reveals. Material costs for a door are minimal -- typically a litre of exterior paint and a litre of primer, so under $30 in paint. Labour is where the cost lives.

Garage doors are painted similarly to other exterior metal or wood surfaces. Steel garage doors should be cleaned, lightly abraded or scuffed, spot-primed for any rust, and then painted with two coats of 100% acrylic exterior paint. A paint specifically formulated for metal surfaces (or a good bonding primer followed by acrylic topcoats) will hold up best against the expansion and contraction that happens as garage doors heat up in summer sun and cool overnight. In NB, south-facing garage doors can see surface temperatures of 50-60 degrees C in summer -- a paint that does not bond properly will blister and peel within months.

If you want to DIY the doors: front and garage doors are genuinely good DIY projects. Remove the front door from its hinges and paint it horizontally (laid across a pair of sawhorses) -- you will get a dramatically smoother finish with no drips down panel faces. Use a small foam roller for flat panels and a quality synthetic-bristle brush for raised panel edges. For garage doors, paint in sections working from top to bottom, keeping a wet edge to avoid lap marks.

The best colour choices for NB's climate: deep, rich colours (dark charcoal, navy, forest green, deep red) are very popular on doors right now and look sharp. Just note that very dark colours on metal garage doors in full sun absorb more heat -- not a structural concern, but worth keeping in mind for paint longevity. A professional can advise on products with UV stabilizers if you go this route.

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