Wrap a front door: give uPVC and aluminium front doors a new exterior look
You don't need to replace a weathered, scratched or mismatched front door. Wrap a front door with self-adhesive exterior foil from RENOLIT and Continental and it gets a new surface in a single day – in anthracite, a wood look or to match your windows. Do it yourself or have it done: here you'll find costs, step-by-step instructions and contacts. Side entrance doors and other doors can be wrapped in exactly the same way.
Updated: October 2026 · Guide by makopan GmbH
In short
- Wrap instead of replace: uPVC and aluminium front doors get a new, weatherproof surface with exterior foil – for a fraction of the cost of a new door.
- One length per door leaf: the 1000 mm wide foil covers most standard doors without a visible joint.
- Most popular decors: Anthracite Grey RAL 7016 and wood looks such as Golden Oak and Walnut.
- DIY or professional: we don't do the wrapping ourselves, but we're happy to recommend an installer near you.
Wrapping doors: which front doors and other doors are suitable?
What matters is a smooth, firm and clean surface – the material is secondary. This applies equally to front doors, side entrance and balcony doors, lift-and-slide doors and smooth interior doors.
uPVC front door
The ideal surface: the same foils are laminated onto PVC profiles at the factory.
Aluminium front door
The foil adheres to powder-coated or painted aluminium as long as the coating is intact and free of grease.
Other doors and side panels
Wrap side entrance and balcony doors, lift-and-slide doors, side panels, transom lights and door frames to match your front door. Smooth interior doors can be wrapped too.
Cellar door, garage door, metal door
Smooth, painted steel and metal doors, cellar doors, and smooth garage doors and garage side doors.
Wooden door
Only if the surface is smooth, sealed and firm – not on open-pored wood or wood that still moves.
Not suitable
Rough, porous, flaking or heavily textured surfaces – the foil won't hold permanently here.
Which self-adhesive foil for front doors?
Self-adhesive foil for exterior doors must be UV-resistant and weatherproof – like the exterior foils from RENOLIT and Continental that window profiles are laminated with at the factory. For door leaves we recommend the 1000 mm wide roll; for frames, panels and side panels, 100 to 500 mm is enough.
What to look for in exterior door foil
- UV-resistant: the colour stays stable even on the weather side.
- Weatherproof: designed for rain, frost and summer heat.
- Scratch and impact resistant: a robust surface for a door that gets a lot of use.
- Permanent adhesive: pure acrylic adhesive, application at 15 to 35 °C.
Anthracite Grey RAL 7016
The most popular colour for front doors – grained, smooth or Ulti-Matt. More about anthracite foil RAL 7016.
Golden Oak
Warm oak wood look, matching Golden Oak windows. More about Golden Oak foil for exterior use.
Also popular for wood-look front doors: Turner Oak malt (Continental woodec) and mahogany exterior foil. Popular plain colours in 1000 mm width: Traffic White, Cream White, Basalt Grey 7012 and Wine Red 3005. Every foil in 1000 mm width costs €70.71 per metre (from 3 m). You will find all other decors when you buy window frame foil – just filter by the 1000 mm width. More on structure and weather resistance: self-adhesive exterior foil.
How much does it cost to wrap a front door or have it wrapped?
For a standard front door of about 1.0 × 2.1 m, one length of the 1000 mm wide foil is enough for the outside. The minimum quantity of 3 m costs from €212.13 incl. VAT depending on the decor, plus shipping. For both sides of the door, allow 5 m.
If you have your front door wrapped, you also pay for the installer's labour – the installer will quote you the price directly. For the cost of doing windows, see cost of wrapping window frames.
Prices incl. VAT, depending on decor. Compare a sample on your door first for €0.99: order foil samples.
Paint or wrap a front door?
For uPVC front doors, wrapping is usually the better choice: paint often adheres poorly to PVC, whereas the foil is the same surface as from the factory and is finished in a day.
| Wrapping | Painting | |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | clean, smooth | sand, prime, several coats |
| Duration | done in one day | several days including drying times |
| Appearance | even factory finish, real wood texture | brush or roller marks possible |
| uPVC surface | ideal | paint often adheres poorly |
| Renewing later | peel off the foil with heat and wrap again | sand and paint again |
Wrap your front door yourself in 4 steps
Prepare
Unscrew the door handle, roses and fittings, remove old foil residue, smooth scratches with 120/220/400 sandpaper and clean with the RENOLIT window frame cleaner. This way the foil can be applied without cutting around components.
Cut to size
Cut the foil with 2–3 cm overhang on each side. For doors with panels, wrap each surface separately.
Apply and press down
Ideally take the door off its hinges and lay it flat, peel off the backing paper bit by bit and press the foil down from top to bottom with the felt squeegee.
Edges and final pressing
Wrap the foil around the edges, warm it slightly in cold weather and trim the excess. Only rehang the door after 24 hours.
A second person helps when applying the 1000 mm length. You will find the detailed guide with video on how to wrap window frames.
Have your front door wrapped: installers near you
No time or tools? We don't offer a wrapping service ourselves, but we know installers who apply our foils professionally.
Tell us where your door is – we'll recommend the right decor and a company in your region that can wrap your front door. The same applies if you want several doors wrapped, such as a front door and side entrance in the same decor.
This information helps us
- Postcode and town
- Number and type of doors (uPVC, aluminium)
- Preferred decor, if known
- Photos of the door, including any damaged areas
FAQ: wrapping a front door
Can you wrap a uPVC front door?
Yes, uPVC (PVC) is the ideal surface – the same foils are laminated onto PVC profiles at the factory.
Can you wrap an aluminium front door?
Yes, the foil adheres to powder-coated or painted aluminium as long as the surface is intact and free of grease.
How much does it cost to have a front door wrapped?
Material for a standard door costs from around €212 plus shipping. On top of that comes the installer's labour, which they will quote you directly. We're happy to put you in touch with an installer near you.
How long does a wrapped front door last?
The foils are developed for permanent outdoor use and are UV-resistant. How long the bond lasts depends mainly on the preparation: a clean, grease-free, firm surface and firmly pressed edges.
Does the door have to be removed?
No, but a door lying flat can be wrapped more cleanly. Frames and side panels are wrapped while installed.
Can I remove the foil later?
The foil is bonded for permanent use. If you want to restyle the door later, you can peel it off with heat and remove adhesive residue with the window frame cleaner.
Can I wrap the front door on the outside and inside?
Yes. Each side is covered separately, even in different decors – for example anthracite outside and white inside.
Which foil is suitable for exterior front doors?
A UV-resistant, weatherproof exterior foil of the kind window manufacturers laminate onto uPVC profiles, for example RENOLIT foil (EXOFOL) or Continental foil (skai). For the door leaf, choose the 1000 mm wide roll so there is no joint.
How long does it take to wrap a front door?
The work itself is done in one day. Afterwards the foil should rest for 24 hours before the door is rehung.
Can you wrap a lift-and-slide door?
Yes. The frame and sashes of a uPVC or aluminium lift-and-slide door are wrapped like window frames (see how to wrap window frames) – while installed and with 100 to 500 mm wide lengths depending on the profile width. This way the door matches your windows and front door in colour.
Which foil is suitable for the door frame?
The same exterior foil as for the door leaf, so that colour and texture match. For the door frame, 100 to 500 mm wide lengths are enough depending on the profile width; cover the door leaf with the 1000 mm wide roll.
The right foil for your front door
Anthracite, wood look or plain colour, 1000 mm wide: choose your foil or compare a sample on your door first.