# Best black gloss for exterior door



## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

A friend of mine was thinking of having his front door painted gloss black. In fact, he wants the highest gloss black available. He mentioned Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlaq. I am not up on exterior trim paint and certainly not on what is the highest gloss black that is still durable enough to be worth applying. His door has panels and 3 small windows at the top and is otherwise not in bad shape. He just really wants BLACK GLOSS.

Any thoughts?

futtyos


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Here is what I carry:
P22 urethane alkyd gloss (85 @ 60°)
W309 impervex acrylic high gloss (70+ @ 60°)
Grand Entrance High Gloss (85+ @ 60°)
Ultraspec HP28 acrylic gloss (70 @ 60°)


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## Local paint pro (May 15, 2018)

I am curious about grand entrance.. I ve never used it. How much does it cost and what does it compare to?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Local paint pro said:


> I am curious about grand entrance.. I ve never used it. How much does it cost and what does it compare to?


~$40/qt only available in quarts. Similar to advance. The resin is a urethane modified alkyd for better uv and weathering protection. Tint's on Gennex and has some exclusive colors as well as most other BM colors.

Its marketed to compete with FPoE


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

I’d just go with whatever quality exterior gloss you can get locally. Seriously doubt the HO will be able to determine that it may not be the “highest gloss” that is available world wide. Don’t over think it.


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## futtyos (Aug 11, 2013)

*Overthinking is too late.*



RH said:


> I’d just go with whatever quality exterior gloss you can get locally. Seriously doubt the HO will be able to determine that it may not be the “highest gloss” that is available world wide. Don’t over think it.


Under average circumstances you might be right, but this guy is not your average biscuit eater. He has currently narrowed his choice down to FPE Hollandlac, but is willing to listen to me if I have something better. We have a FPE dealer within walking distance of both our homes.

Here is a link from a guy who does front doors. He compares FPE Hollandlac with BM Grand Enterance and FPE Eco:

https://www.dursopainting.com/singl...-Door-Benjamin-Moore-vs-Fine-Paints-of-Europe

futtyos


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## RH (Sep 7, 2010)

futtyos said:


> Under average circumstances you might be right, but this guy is not your average biscuit eater. He has currently narrowed his choice down to FPE Hollandlac, but is willing to listen to me if I have something better. We have a FPE dealer within walking distance of both our homes.
> 
> Here is a link from a guy who does front doors. He compares FPE Hollandlac with BM Grand Enterance and FPE Eco:
> 
> ...


Good luck. Hope you manage to apply whatever he decides you should use in a manner that he is satisfied with. Tough enough to get a good rate of return on front doors as it is without having an HO that *may* end up micromanaging every move and calling for multiple redos.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Might as well just take it off and have it powdercoated.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

This reminds me of a time I had a painter ask me why she wasn't getting a good finish using FPE with a chip brush. I gave her a E&J shipmate and some corotech brushing reducer.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> This reminds me of a time I had a painter ask me why she wasn't getting a good finish using FPE with a chip brush. I gave her a E&J shipmate and some corotech brushing reducer.


At close to $300 a gallon with shipping, what kind of moron would use a chip brush? :vs_mad: Let's hope they are no longer in business.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Brushman4 said:


> At close to $300 a gallon with shipping, what kind of moron would use a chip brush? :vs_mad: Let's hope they are no longer in business.



To be fair I think a lot of newer painters have not used much oil based paints and are unfamiliar with their application properties. I think she just saw 'natural bristle' brush and went for it. That said I don't know how she thought a $1 brush would be ok to apply _any _paint.


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## rosespainting (Mar 16, 2014)

I would look into BM advanced high gloss, or Impervex high gloss. I would use either of these before grand entrance, or FPE. 

If you are going to use grand entrance or fine paints of europe, you will need to make sure the door is perfectly prepped, and perfectly smooth. These paints are better suited for spraying, than for brushing. If yo are not perfect with each step, it can be a disaster. FPE is also much more temperamental with weather and humidity. And there is the price aspect. 

If you are not planing to put in the prep work to spray the door, you are better off with the other paints. If the prep and application are the same, most people will not be able to tell the difference from the "normal" paints (BM adavanced, or Impervex) vs FPE... And even less can tell the difference between advanced / impervex vs grand entrance.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

rosespainting said:


> I would look into BM advanced high gloss, or Impervex high gloss. I would use either of these before grand entrance, or FPE.
> 
> If you are going to use grand entrance or fine paints of europe, you will need to make sure the door is perfectly prepped, and perfectly smooth. These paints are better suited for spraying, than for brushing. If yo are not perfect with each step, it can be a disaster. FPE is also much more temperamental with weather and humidity. And there is the price aspect.
> 
> If you are not planing to put in the prep work to spray the door, you are better off with the other paints. If the prep and application are the same, most people will not be able to tell the difference from the "normal" paints (BM adavanced, or Impervex) vs FPE... And even less can tell the difference between advanced / impervex vs grand entrance.



Yes advance high gloss comes in a premixed black and is exterior rated too. Main advantage there is easy availability and a lot of guys already work with advance so little surprises in application. Personally I like the P22 with a bit of brushing reducer can look like glass, that stuff is pretty bomb proof. The impervex w309 gloss is similar to regal.


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## jr.sr. painting (Dec 6, 2013)

Has anyone else noticed that the advanced high gloss gets glossier after about a week. I've only used it once on a railing in black, it was not premixed but I was disappointed with the sheen at first and then when I went back a week later it definitely looked high gloss. Other high gloss paints are shercryl in premix black. All surface enamel oil gloss black. The ase has decent gloss retention seeing as how it's an oil. Also the swp gloss oil is very shiny. It dries nice and slow too making it more user friendly for brushing. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

Conco also has a very nice high gloss available.


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

SW 6258 Tricorn Black


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

That doesnt look very glossy to me.

If they want gloss, I would go for an oil black, wet sand to 4000 grit and polish it, like a car or a guitar.


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## deadend (Aug 1, 2013)

Woodco said:


> That doesnt look very glossy to me.
> 
> If they want gloss, I would go for an oil black, wet sand to 4000 grit and polish it, like a car or a guitar.


 ...true...more a color suggestion than a finish/product recommendation...


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## mudbone (Dec 26, 2011)

deadend said:


> SW 6258 Tricorn Black


Sweet!!!


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Woodco said:


> That doesnt look very glossy to me.
> 
> If they want gloss, I would go for an oil black, wet sand to 4000 grit and polish it, like a car or a guitar.


4000 grit dude? I can't even count that high!


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Brushman4 said:


> 4000 grit dude? I can't even count that high!


What do you think they use on cars and guitars?


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Woodco said:


> What do you think they use on cars and guitars?



wet sand to 3000 grit then buff. I think 4000+ is uncommon and I believe 3m even stops calling it 'sand' paper at that point


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## Mr Smith (Mar 11, 2016)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> wet sand to 3000 grit then buff. I think 4000+ is uncommon and I believe 3m even stops calling it 'sand' paper at that point


A relatively unknown little secret is to use regular masking paper for super delicate sanding. Believe it or not the brown paper has some grit to it.


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Woodco said:


> What do you think they use on cars and guitars?


I don't paint cars or guitars, do you?


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Brushman4 said:


> I don't paint cars or guitars, do you?


Yes. I have a les paul. I've had to fix a broken headstock three times. After I glue it, I sand the finish, spray paint it with flat black, then do 9 or 10 coats with spray can automotive clear coat. Wait a few days, then sand it to 4000, then polish it. mirror finish. I've also done it with rustoleum gloss black, stripe on my van.


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

Mr Smith said:


> A relatively unknown little secret is to use regular masking paper for super delicate sanding. Believe it or not the brown paper has some grit to it.


I use that trick with lacquer, if theres any roughness or 'sugaring.'


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## Brushman4 (Oct 18, 2014)

Woodco said:


> Yes. I have a les paul. I've had to fix a broken headstock three times. After I glue it, I sand the finish, spray paint it with flat black, then do 9 or 10 coats with spray can automotive clear coat. Wait a few days, then sand it to 4000, then polish it. mirror finish. I've also done it with rustoleum gloss black, stripe on my van.


Well, I'll remember that the next time I refinish my Stratocaster, and Lamborghini:biggrin:


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## Woodco (Nov 19, 2016)

cocomonkeynuts said:


> wet sand to 3000 grit then buff. I think 4000+ is uncommon and I believe 3m even stops calling it 'sand' paper at that point


Auto parts stores sell it up to 6000 grit in some of them. Most of them have 4000.


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## cocomonkeynuts (Apr 14, 2017)

Woodco said:


> Auto parts stores sell it up to 6000 grit in some of them. Most of them have 4000.



yeah 3M makes 5000-10000+ grit papers. At some point you see diminishing returns and start buffing.


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## pjohnson1970 (Jul 5, 2018)

These are the two that I usually carry:
P22 urethane alkyd gloss 
W309 impervex acrylic high gloss

Hope this helps


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