You can do anything you want. But you can't close the door until it is dry.

Okay I deserved that :-) I guess that's more what I was wondering... with the door you just leave it standing open until it's dry?!

What are the possible answers to the second trolling question? ("with the door you just leave it standing open until it's dry?!)

a) Close the door? (Answered above)

b) Don't close the door? (Answered above.)

c) Doh. (Bingo!)

Or the better way may be to take it off the hinges and paint it in the garage laying flat. Pick a couple on nice mid temperature and low humidity days and rely on your storm door.

We don't have a storm door or screen door; it seems weird to leave the front door open or off... no front door would be an invitation for trouble think.

Maybe we need to look for a temporary door to install for a couple weeks because I need to paint both interior and exterior and I want to keep this door, it's the original 1964 wood door (already painted but needs some TLC/filler on places etc).

Melle I guess it depends on where you live if you can leave the door open. Can't you stay close by till the paint drys? It only takes a few hours. Is someone really going to walk into your house cause the door is open.

I'm hoping if we were home it would be fine... maybe I'm overthinking the whole process. I've never painted a front door before. wouldn't the paint need to fully cure before we can close it so that the paint doesn't stick to the frame? I think our door is lovely and I don't want to wreck it with a shoddy paint job.

I also wanted to add a kickplate to the exterior and upgrade the hardware to something a little more modern vibe.

Talk about making a mountain out of a mole hill!

Story of my life Salti!

Maybe I'm totally overthinking this. It's just that once I start I need to know the plan and the process or I'm likely to quit mid-way and that's not how I'd ike it to end.

I used SW and didn't have problems with the door sticking. I left mine open most of the day. I didn't have any plans to go anywhere anyway. I just picked a warm, dry day.

Use Benjamin Moore Aura, pricey but it dries super fast. It's really not hard. I typically remove the hardware, tape the hinges and go to it. Fast, easy way to make bug impact, have fun!

I've used Benjamin Moore Avance to paint my boys beds, it worked great. I was thinking it would be appropriate for the door is Aura a better choice?

You could also use tape and plastic on the outside of the house. That way you can leave the door open and paint it while inside. Drop cloth adhered to the outside could also work.

Where we live, we have lots of flying bugs of all types so I wouldn’t want to leave my door totally open for hours.
I also advise waiting until the weather gets a little cooler. That helps cut down on bugs, aids in dry time, and keeps the house more comfortable overall.

I'm sure the advances would be just fine. I only recommended to Aura for the quick dry time since you seemed concerned about leaving the door open.

It is not a mountain out of a molehill if you live in Florida with lizards, snakes, and lots of bugs. It is not a mountain out of a molehill if you live in Tennessee with cougars or coyotes. It is certainly not mountain out of a molehill if you live inner city or near a freeway or anywhere that crime of opportunity could be a problem. I like OP’s idea of installing a temporary door while the painted door is curing for a day or two in the garage.

Oh for crying out loud... pick a nice weekend day when you're home. Tape a piece of plastic outside over the door opening. (Available at Lowes or Home Depot.)

I'd
venture to say every home in my neighborhood has had it's front door
painted in the past fifteen years. No one had to post for help nor ask
neighbors to post a shotgun watch on their porch.

Leave your GD door on the hinge and use the door chain to keep the
door from being opened, put a block of wood between the door and the
jamb to keep the door from being inadvertently closed This will minimize
the risks due to a coyote or rattlesnake or your dog or cat or kid.
(Not to mention lizards and bugs.)

You still will have made a mountain out of a mole hill - but that will take care of the moles.

PS
If you do not have a door chain, then put a couple or three rubber door
stops under the bottom of the door. If these steps still leave you
unable to paint your front door, buy some snare traps and rig a shotgun
to be triggered by "crime of opportunity" perps should they launch an
attack on your premises.

That is a lovely door. Obviously you aren't doing it until it cools off. :)

We usually just prop it slightly open with wedges underneath and hope nobody notices it's not closed.

Thanks Salti and Fori for the suggestion of door stops--maybe obvious to you but not to me! we never painted the front door in our first house, though I wanted to. it was metal and had a bunch of paint damage around the frame (presumably because they closed it before the paint had cured).

And for this house--whether it makes sense or not--I love that it still has the original door from 1964 and I want to honor the door with a lovely paint job! I also know I'm a detail person so want to get all the details resolved. when we sold our first house we hired some painters our agent recommended; they did an adequate job re-painting the front door. But for this for I want a great job and I know I can do a great job as long as I know how to work out the details. :-)

Thanks for the tips everyone! pretty sure I want to paint it a shade of purple!!! But I'll probably agonize over it for a while first. I really like orange too, but it faces south so orange might be too intense and it might not play well with the bricks

Salty dawg- be very happy you have never been the victim of a vicious intruder. Life is never the same.

I also used Benjamin Moore Aura and it does dry quickly. I left the door open but I was always nearby. I chose a day when I would be home. I got 2 coats done within a few hours.

I’m in SoCal area with similar climate. Our doors have been painted many times without issue. Do it early in the morning.