How Much Does it Cost to Paint a Car Door?

Are you considering painting one of your car doors, but are not certain about how much that will cost?

Then you are in the right place at the right time because this guide is designed to inform you about the cost and logistics involved in painting a car door.

If one of your car doors has paint damage then you want to get it repainted. Paint damage is more than just an aesthetically challenging situation, it can allow moisture to get beneath the protective paint barrier so rust and corrosion can form on the metal of the door. 

Most people know very little about automotive painting, so their first thoughts are to hire a professional to do this kind of work. 

Average Cost of having a Car Door Painted Professionally

Hiring a professional to repair the paint on your vehicle is a smart investment. These professionals have the skill and knowledge to repair the paint and make the new paint match the color and hue of the rest of the vehicle. A car is one of the most expensive items that you own, so keeping it professionally maintained is good for your investment.

There are basically three places to get this kind of professional painting done.

• Dealerships
• Automotive paint and body shops
• Local painters that work from their homes (aka shade-tree mechanics)

Dealerships

Pros

• They can match the color of your paint closer
• Their work will not void or terminate any warranties you may have in existence on the vehicle
• Most insurance providers trust dealerships

Cons

• They usually charge more than most paint and body shops
• It can be difficult to get an appointment and they may keep your vehicle longer than you would like

If you want to paint your car bumper too then here is our cost guide on painting a bumper.

The Average Cost Estimate from a Dealership

Labor: Between $75 and $125 per hour (Most dealerships have a minimum charge of at least three hours, and painting your car door, with preparations, drying time, and all factors included can take upwards of 6+ hours)

Cost Estimate: $250 to $1200

Paint + other coatings: $50 to $550 depending on the paint that is used and the clear coat that is used. (Dealerships usually get their paint from the manufacturer and the automobile manufacturer charges more for the paint than a paint supply center would.)

Cost Estimate: $50 to $350 for primer + $50 to $350 for base coat + $50 to $350 for clear coat + $300 to $1100 for materials

Total: $550 to $2300

Automotive Paint & Body Shops

Pros

• They are usually professional and employ skilled technicians with certificates
• They will get a pretty close, if not perfect, match to the existing color
• They usually work faster than dealerships
• They cost more than having a shade-tree painter do the work, but less than a dealership would charge

Cons

• The car painting may tie your vehicle up for several days or even up to a week
• They charge high labor rates

The Average Cost Estimate from a Paint and Body Shop

Labor: $45 to $125 per hour (this charge is totally determined by the shop and does not necessarily reflect the experience or skill of the technicians doing the work.) This charge can also be greatly influenced by the number of individuals who work on your vehicle. You may have to pay labor rates for 2 or more employees at some establishments.

Cost Estimate: $250 to $625 (prices vary greatly so this is very hard to estimate)

Paint + other coatings: $50 to $550

Cost Estimate: $50 to $350 for primer + $50 to $350 for base coat + $50 to $350 for clear coat + $300 to $1100 for materials

Total: $250 to $1725

Want to know more about how much a can of spray paint costs? check out our article: Can of Spray Paint Cost.

Cost Estimate of Local Painter or Shade-Tree Mechanic

The term shade-tree mechanic comes from the fact that these people normally work from their homes or garages and do not have a specialized shop. Often, they are individuals who have certification and they may even work for the local dealerships or automotive repair shops. They do some work on the side to earn extra money.

Caution: These individuals may very well know what they are doing and be capable of doing an excellent job. They also may not be skilled and the results of their work may be shoddy, or low quality. You have heard the term, “You get what you pay for”, in this case, if you hire someone who is not working for a licensed shop or dealership if you get bad work, you may not have any legal recourses available to make them correct the work or refund your money.

Labor: $15 to $150 an hour

Cost estimate: $75 to $625

Paint + other coatings: $50 to $550

Cost Estimate: $50 to $350 for primer + $50 to $350 for base coat + $50 to $350 for clear coat + $300 to $1100 for materials

Total: $125 to $1500

DIY Car Door Painting Cost Estimates

There are a lot of people who simply cannot afford to have a professional paint their car door. These individuals still want their vehicle repaired and protected but if they are paying for the work out of pocket then they may be limited on how much they can spend.

There are also a lot of people who simply like to do things themselves. They like to create, craft, repair, and remodel things because they want to do it.

There are a number of reasons why people might choose to do their own car door painting, and to be honest with you the cost of doing the work yourself is a lot lower than the cost of hiring someone to do the work.

Tips to Help You Save Money When having a Car Door Painted

Do not be discouraged by the high figures of the estimates for getting your car door repainted. There are things that everyone can do to lower the cost.

• Do the work for yourself
• Use canned spray paint instead of buying spray paint equipment
• Go to a local high school to see if the mechanic shop students would like to do the work for experience. Normally when you do this you only pay for the supplies, and this work will only be done if the shop teacher feels confident that the students can do a good job for you.
• Shop around for the paint and supplies to get the lowest cost
• If the door only has scratches consider using touch-up paint instead of repainting the entire door
• If only the clear coat is damaged consider repairing the clear coat instead of repainting the entire door
• Consider renting the spray equipment from a tool rental store instead of purchasing the equipment outright

Labor Cost: 0

Material Cost: The material cost will still be between $50 and $550. The primer to apply prior to painting is going to cost between $20 and $50 dollars depending on the brand, quality, and where you are located. The base paint will cost between $25 and $300 depending on the brand, the manufacturer, and where you are located. The clear coat that goes over the base paint is going to cost between $50 and $200 dollars depending on the brand, how many coats you apply, and where you are located.

Complete guide on: How Much Does a Maaco Paint Job Cost?

Aerosol Paints

Aerosol primers, paints, and clear coats come in a spray can so you do not need to purchase any spray gun equipment. The prices of these paints can average between $15 per can to more than $74 per can. This is solely dependent on the manufacturer, type, and where you buy the product.

To paint a car door, you will likely need one can of primer + 1 can of base color + 2 cans of clear coat. This depends on the size of the can and how many square feet each container covers.

Liquid Paints

With these paints you must have:

• A paint gun and depending on the type of paint gun you have you may need an air compressor

You typically can paint a car door with only one quart of primer + one quart of base color + one quart of clear coat

Average Cost of Painting a Car Door at Home

If you already have all of the tools then your cost will be only the materials needed so you could spend as little as $50 painting your own car door, or you could spend as much as $650 if you buy the most expensive version of everything you are going to use.

We must remind you that if you are painting your car at home you have to consider the tools you will need and whether you have to do any renovations to a space to make it appropriate to paint in. This is a one-time cost for most people because once you have the tools they can be used repeatedly, but you must consider what you need as well as what paint supplies you need.

Supplies to Paint a Car at Home

• Paint equipment like a spray gun and an air compressor if the spray gun requires one. This could cost you between $100 up to more than $500 depending on the equipment you buy and where you buy it.
• Sandpaper
• Masking tape
• Primer, paint, clear coat

Car Door Painting Price Comparison Chart

Afterthoughts

Painting your car door is important to you, but you have a lot of choices and options that can reduce the cost of this project. Consider everything, including the amount of time you would have to invest in a DIY project, and whether you have the space to do the work yourself.