# Hot Front Door



## txdavis (Jan 9, 2014)

Hi Paint Pros,
Need your help. My customer's front door is in the direct sunlight and also has a storm door. It tends to get pretty hot.

About 4 months ago, it was painted and - when the sun hits it - creates a "plastic-y" smell in the house. We used Benjamin Moore Aura paint.

Needless to say, i'm looking to repaint the front door. What primer and paint do you recommend? Any special paints that will hold up well against the heat & sun?

Thanks in advance!


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## daren (Jul 5, 2008)

Is it a new door? Because after 4 months the paint has been cured for awhile and is not giving off any fumes or anything else.


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## Bender (Aug 10, 2008)

> Hi Paint Pros,
> Need your help. My customer's front door is in the direct sunlight and also has a storm door. It tends to get pretty hot.
> 
> About 4 months ago, it was painted and - when the sun hits it - creates a "plastic-y" smell in my house. We used Benjamin Moore Aura paint.
> ...


lol:laughing:
So wait...
You painted your customers door...
but it left a plasticky smell in _your_ house???

FAIL


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

What color is the door? What you could be smelling is either the insulation or glue (if it has glass) melting from the sun heating the window on the storm door making your door even hotter. We have heard this before and the local Sherwin Williams suggestion to the home owner was put a screen in the storm door. If it's a dark color door and the storm door has glass not a screen it's almost like a magnifying glass, it will cause the door to get hot.


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## txdavis (Jan 9, 2014)

The door is a dark red / maroon color. The door was original to the house since '80. 

The storm door is new too. It's one of the doors where you can roll a screen down the top of half. When screen is opened, it helps but you can still smell it. 

When I put my nose up to the door and smell it, you can definitely smell the plastic-y smell.

Thanks for any suggestions.


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## Schmidt & Co. (Nov 6, 2008)

Paint smells. With time the smell will go away.


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## Damon T (Nov 22, 2008)

It's below freezing in most if the US right now. Where are you that the door is baking in the sun? 
What is the door made of? Wood? Fiberglass?
There is not a better paint for the job IMO. 
You could try a lighter color. Dark colors absorb much more heat.


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## Slopmeyer (Aug 2, 2009)

Yeah I've seen fiberglass door trims melted before. Rhoda paints makes a heat proof paint. Never used it though


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## squid (Dec 25, 2012)

txdavis said:


> Hi Paint Pros,
> Need your help. My customer's front door is in the direct sunlight and also has a storm door. It tends to get pretty hot.
> 
> About 4 months ago, it was painted and - when the sun hits it - creates a "plastic-y" smell in the house. We used Benjamin Moore Aura paint.
> ...


 That's what I use now.


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

txdavis said:


> The door is a dark red / maroon color. The door was original to the house since '80.
> 
> The storm door is new too. It's one of the doors where you can roll a screen down the top of half. When screen is opened, it helps but you can still smell it.
> 
> ...


Being the door is red put out a door matt that reads Welcome to hell!


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

Schmidt & Co. said:


> Paint smells. With time the smell will go away.



Other brands smell different but they all have an odor, if you repaint now you'll make it worse. Tell her to stop sniffing the front door and go live, politely of course.


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## Scannell Painting (Sep 25, 2010)

Door is facing west, as said put screen in or keep storm door slightly cracked so heat can escape.


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## Carl (Jun 18, 2011)

I don't know that it's true that the smell will eventually go away. I do have a customer with a front door that was painted with BM Low Lustre Moorguard that has had that odor whenever the door heats up and it's been many years. The door didn't smell before it was painted so it's certainly an issue with the paint. I would try a different brand and see if that smells too. Anyway, I didn't know that plastic had an odor.


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## Epoxy Pro (Oct 7, 2012)

Carl said:


> I didn't know that plastic had an odor.


If added to fire it sure does. If a door gets hot enough I suppose it could.


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## olepainter (Dec 31, 2013)

Its the winter sun, the sun is lower in the winter, i've seen doors do this but it only happens in the late fall or winter, Also i wouldn't use Aura again, as for the smell, open the screen


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## LhJh97 (Nov 28, 2020)

This is happening to our front door. It has been painted for about 5 years. I could never figure out what the odd smell was in our house when I would come home. I have been home more recently and figured out that it is the door! It doesn't smell on overcast days. We also have a storm door (it does not have a screen) and the door is painted a dark green color. The smell in the afternoon is overwhelming! I can smell it with the door shut. It's way worse when I first open the door. It smells toxic, like plastic. It doesn't smell like fresh paint. Has anyone figured out a fix for this? It's definitely the door. If I get close to it, the shaded areas don't smell as bad as the areas that are in the direct sun.


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## Wildbill7145 (Apr 30, 2014)

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