Commercial Painting · Jul 2025
Drake's restaurant entrance
Drake’s restaurant entrance. These are before, in-progress and after photos from the job, taken Jul 2025. This commercial painting project was done by Larry Gaytos and the My Personal Painter crew. We are based in Florence, Kentucky, and our work is covered by a 2-year touch-up warranty.
Before and After Photos
Restaurant Entrance Doors and Storefront Frame Repainted Chocolate Brown
This commercial job covered the full front entrance of a restaurant set into a stone and tan brick building. In the before photo, four steel doors wore a faded orange woodgrain finish. White pilasters with tan inset panels split the doors, and gray-green panels sat above them beside the address transom. The mix of colors made the entry look patched together. The in-progress photo shows the whole storefront frame, doors and panels coated in a light gray primer. Blue tape runs along every edge where the frame meets the stone, and drop cloths cover the sidewalk under a stepladder. One painter works the upper panels by hand. In the after photo, every door, pilaster, panel and transom frame shares one even chocolate brown. The raised door panels still read clearly in the low sun. The red star decals and posted hours on the glass stayed in place, and the black awning, sign and dark pulls now tie in with the new color.
How We Refinished This Storefront Entry Without Closing the Doors
- We cleaned and degreased every door, frame and panel first. Entry doors collect hand oils, dirt and road film, and paint will not bond well over any of it.
- Next we scuffed the old woodgrain finish so the primer had something to grip. A dull, even surface matters most on slick factory coatings like the ones on these doors.
- We taped the edges where the metal frame meets the stone and brick, then laid drop cloths across the sidewalk. Customers could still walk past while the crew worked.
- A bonding primer went on every surface, which is the light gray coat you see in the progress photo. One color of primer helps the brown finish cover evenly.
- We brushed and rolled two coats of chocolate brown over the doors, pilasters, panels and transom frame. Brushwork around the raised panels kept paint from pooling in the corners.
- Last, we pulled the tape, cleaned the glass edges around the star decals and hours signs, and checked that each door opened and closed without sticking.
Paint Colors Similar to This Brown Storefront Entry
If you like this chocolate brown storefront, these three listed colors come close, though none is the exact paint our crew used on these restaurant doors.
Sherwin-Williams Van Dyke Brown SW 7041
A warm, deep brown that comes close to the chocolate tone on these doors and pilasters. It pairs well with tan brick and pale limestone.
Sherwin-Williams Urbane Bronze SW 7048
A darker bronze brown with a gray cast. It would give a storefront frame a slightly more modern look while keeping the same earthy feel.
Sherwin-Williams Black Fox SW 7020
A brown-black that matches the awning, pulls and sign letters here. It works for door hardware frames or trim on a brown entry.
Questions About Painting Commercial Entry Doors
Can you paint steel or fiberglass entry doors that have a woodgrain finish?
Yes. The key is cleaning, scuffing and using a bonding primer made for slick surfaces. Without that prep, paint can peel where hands push the doors every day. Once primed, the doors take a solid color well, and the raised panel shapes still show through the new finish.
Do you have to close the business while the entrance is painted?
Usually not. We can work one section at a time, keep a door usable, and tape off wet areas. Painting early in the day or after hours also helps. We talk through traffic flow before we start so staff and customers know which door to use.
What sheen holds up best on high-traffic commercial doors?
Satin or semi-gloss is the usual choice. Both resist scuffs and wipe clean easier than flat paint. Semi-gloss is tougher but shows dents and flaws more. Satin hides small imperfections a bit better on older doors while still standing up to daily use and cleaning.
Get a Free Estimate for a Project Like This
We’re not just a painting company. We’re your personal painter.