Please help, made an error with my paint job!

[helpimitchy]

I got it into my head yesterday that I'd paint the front door. It's a rubbishy metal skinned one that came with the new build.

I went into B&Q and chose some pale blue satin gloss for wood and metal. It didn't say whether it was for external use, but was in the external use section and I got carried away with the colour.

I cleaned the front door and put a couple of coats on as it dried quickly. It looks beautiful

I've managed to read the side of the tin and it says it's for internal use

Oh dear

The door has a porch and is exposed to full sun when it's sunny. It doesn't get any rain on it really.

I have asked dh if I can apply some clear external use varnish over it, but he says it'll go yellow and look patchy. He doesn't seem too worried about and says we'll have to see how it weathers. The door will need replacing at some point anyway as it's cheap and basic.

Can anybody suggest what I can put over the paint to protect it until we can afford a new door?

Could I use this on it?

I woldnt bother. If it begins to look a bit worn just re paint it. I once used bathroom emulsion on an outside wall, and it was fine for years.

It was okay? That would be a relief for me. Did you do it accidentally? I was careless I think.

No, it was deliberate. I only wanted a couple of litres of paint, and masonry paint was in huge tubs and very expensive. I was broke, so bathroom satin emulsion it was, painted on the rendered wall of a small single storey extension. It was pale green, and after about five years I painted it pink. Sounds awful, but it looked lovely with the tubs and hanging baskets - it was a little cotswold cottage and I loved it. Happy days!

leave it until it goes wrong.

When it needs doing:
Sand it only lightly (I'd use wet-and-dry, as used for cars, with water).

It might be zinc-plated steel. Zinc is soft and if you sand through it the steel will rust.

You can get a preservative metal primer for any bare patches. Oil-based undercoat and gloss topcoat are more durable than water based.

That sounds really pretty Lucisky

Thanks PigletJohn I hope it looks okay for a while. I won't make the mistake again though