Most of us probably take some effort in keeping our front porch up. After all, this is the entrance that guests most often use, and can be visible to the street. But how often we neglect our back porch! This is the entry that usually gets used the most, and we have to look at it every day! Read on to see how we gave this back porch a makeover, on a budget, in just one day!
This summer, I flew to Washington to visit my best friend. She asked me to help her makeover her back porch. The paint was in awful condition, the door knob and lock barely functioned, and the light was rusted out. Can anyone relate???
The first thing we did was remove the old hardware. All you need is a flat-head screw driver. It is a really easy process, and only took about 2 minutes, but here is a Youtube video in case you need it to reference.
Once the hardware was off, we gave it a good scrub down. Be sure your door is really clean if you plan on painting! We then lightly sanded down any rough spots or peeling paint with a 220 grit sanding block. If your door is in really rough shape, you may need a higher powered sanding block, but 220 should be fine for most doors.
We then wiped the door down again to get rid of any paint and sanding residue, and taped around the window and hinges. Then it was ready for paint! We chose this paint from Behr. You will want to do 2-3 coats to get a good coverage since this is outside in all the elements.
While the paint was drying, the light was replaced. We enlisted the help of my friend’s dad, because electrical is not something we wanted to get wrong! Here is an instructional video on how to change out a light fixture, but when in doubt, always enlist help!
Once the paint was dry (very, very dry!) it was time to put on the new hardware. Tip-when shopping for a new handle and lock, you want to be sure that the new hardware will fit over and completely cover the hole in your door. Most door handles are uniform, so it’s not an issue, but there can be exceptions!
Finally, my friend planted drought and weather resistant grasses to this fabulous planter from @Walmart.com! Don’t forget to add some life to your back porch! Nothing adds life and color to your porch like plants!
Get the Look!
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Such a simple job but it has a huge image. I love the colour and the hardware.
It really was simple, but it made such a big difference! Thanks for reading, Carol!
That fresh paint made such a difference and I loved the Restoration Hardware light you chose. It added such a beautiful finishing touch!
I was truly amazed how much we were able to accomplish in just a day, and what a difference it made!