Red is a process. Once you decide what kind of red you want, you have to follow certain procedures so the color comes out like the swatch.

Painting samples of red is indeed difficult because paint sample boards are stark white. (You should not be sampling directly on the door)

Many of the popular reds, the reds most people associate as a front door color, require gray primer. With some reds, you can apply a dozen coats and it will never develop to the same color as the swatch; those reds must have a tinted primer, usually gray primer to reach opacity and resolution like the swatch.

If you have to paint more than 3 coats of ANY red, there is something really wrong. Either with the process or the quality of paint. In the year 2012, most reds can be achieved in two or three coats.

Once you decide on the red you want, you have to determine how to build it - i.e. does it need a primer. If it is one of the reds that does require a gray/tinted primer, you have to prepare samples using the primer. Or there is no reason to even bother painting up samples.

Sherwin Williams color collection has some of the best exterior reds. And that's another point. Have to make sure it is an exterior color.

Many people don't know that many paint colors can not be used exterior. When it comes to red, most are interior only. If you can find a factory or pre-mixed exterior red, that's always your best choice.

So, yeah. There can be a lot involved to get the right exterior red and it can be challenging.

I've seen BM Cottage Red mentioned many times here as a very popular front door red. I try to keep a file of colors that a lot of GW members have used and liked and this is one of them.

I second patty0315's suggestion of Cottage Red. My front door has morphed through half a dozen colors over the years and that's been my favorite by a long shot.

Thank you, interesting about grey primer, door came factory primed so I didn't use one.Will check out Cottage red

Funcolors, I always learn so much from you.

Great information, funcolors. Thanks! I decided to paint my kitchen with vaulted ceilings a very deep red. That was definitely a process. I think I did red tinted primer and three coats of paint. The first two coats definitely did not have the depth and beauty of the color on the chip, but the final coat does. Does red tinted primer work as well as gray?

I watched a show a while back.. I forgot the name of it....Canadian guy, huge guy, super huge muscles, anyway, the painter that he always uses said he always paints the wall brown as an undercoating to any red paint. He said that way the red color shows up like the color it's supposed to.
I've never tried it although I probably should have when I painted half my kitchen red. I think I used at least 6 or 7 coats to get it red, and even then it was streaky in places.

Thank you, bronwynsmom. "hugs>

laureideee -- so funny you mention brown. When I first started working in architectural color I met a very talented finisher. She always, always used brown as an undercoat for red. Warm brown for warm reds and a cool brown for cool reds. The result is indeed different from brown but it's one of those acute color acuity things. Some people don't see a difference between the gray primer or brown undercoat.

It's important to know if you need a primer for primer reasons and not just color reasons. The reason why "gray primer" is recommended under red is because it's cheaper. As opposed to a brown undercoat when primer isn't necessary -- brown undercoat means another gallon of quality paint.

A lot of people blame the quality or brand of paint for failed red walls. Like the 6 or 7 coats and it still looks like crap. It *can* be because of poor quality paint, but can't say that exclusively. Example of lower price point brand working wonderfully in red: Kilz Casual colors from Wal-Mart has/had a few reds that worked well.

It's about the formula, the colorant. Some reds are inherently shear, require big shots of colorant into bases that aren't locked and loaded for uber opacity right out of the gate.

Color strategy for red is always ask if it's the kind of red that covers well or is shear. Inorganic vs. organic colorants. Inorganic is more opaque than shear organic.

Just remember you're "in" and good to go if it's inorganic. If it's organic, you need a plan, like gray primer, to mitigate a gajillion coats.

Tinted pink primer is an option as long as it's a midtone pink. But that's hard to achieve because adding too much colorant to primer base can compromise the effacacy of the performance properties of the primer. A can of primer is not the same as a can of paint. Paint can not be substitued for primer.

You could try Fine Paints of Europe Dutch Door kit. ;)
Rembrandt Red and Tulip Red are the red door colors that I hear about most frequently. What kind of red are you seeking? You can always call Emmet at FPE for detailed answers to your questions.

Here is a link that might be useful: FPE doors

LOL thats just the red I want !!!!! Thanks for link