It is possible to apply paint to a metal door that features plastic trim; follow these steps for preparation, painting, and achieving a durable, even finish.

I have experience painting diverse surfaces, including 70’s paneling, bathroom barker board, stained wood walls, fabric, and wallpaper.

However, I found myself unsure about how to paint metal doors when they have plastic door trim.

Since I could only paint the interior of our doors due to strata regulations, I researched painting methods for both metal and plastic for interior applications.

The procedure appeared straightforward, relying heavily on selecting the correct primer.

The results were excellent!

How to Paint Metal Doors with Plastic Trim

Instructions for Painting Metal Doors with Plastic Trim:

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Necessary Supplies:

Painter’s tape
Cleaning Cloth
Drop cloths (or old towels will suffice in a pinch)
Step Stool (Especially helpful if you are shorter)
Paint brush (This is my preferred tool!)
4 inch foam roller and roller tray
Benjamin Moore Aqua Lock Primer
1 Quart Benjamin Moore Latex Paint in Pearl Finish (I selected Regal Select in the shade “Raccoon Fur”)
Utility Knife
Screwdriver to detach or loosen door handles

Prepare the exterior door and plastic trim for painting:

Thoroughly clean the door surface

To paint a metal exterior door, it must first be clean and dry. Wipe it down carefully to remove any dirt or residue. — Wipe both the door and trim completely before painting.

Paint will not adhere well to grease or dirt; clean the door completely. (I used my Norwex cloth and water for this cleaning.)

Remove door handles (if you wish) or carefully mask them with painter’s tape. Use painter's tape to cover the inside of the window panels.

Tape off plastic window trim with painter's tape to make a nice crisp edge around the windows. — Use painters tape around the plastic door trim to achieve nice, crisp lines around the windows.

Although I find this step to be slightly annoying and time consuming, I did find that it saved time in the long run. I removed the door handles, as we were replacing them. However, if you aren’t replacing the handles, I would just loosen them slightly and tape around them carefully.

Prime the metal door and plastic trim.

I used Benjamin Moore’s Aqua Lock primer for this step. The primer is a key ingredient for painting both metal doors and plastic trim. It is applied just like the paint is, and must be dry before painting the finished paint color over the top. Here’s the method I used when priming:

Using this brush, prime around the window trim first. Then, prime the insides of the recessed areas of the door. While the paint is still wet, use a foam roller to finish off the door.

Prime plastic door trim with a handle less trim paint brush first. — Prime the exterior metal door by first priming the plastic door window trim.

I did a Facebook live while I did this part if you’d like to see the process in action.;)

Once the primer is dry, paint the door the color of your choice.

I again painted in a systematic order, trying to work neatly and quickly, as it is much better to do all the steps while the paint is wet. (They call it “keeping a wet edge”). All along the way, I tried to watch carefully for any drips that might want to form ~ especially in the corners of the windows.

I started with the window trim,