
Southern Door Refinishing was built around a single specialty — restoring iron and wood entry doors for homeowners who want the work done properly. What started as a hands-on craft became a focused business, because doors in Florida's coastal climate need more than a fresh coat of paint. They need rust treatment, the right primers, and a finish that can hold up to salt air, humidity, and direct sun. That focus is the reason the results look and last the way they do.
A lot of door work fails within a year because the surface preparation was skipped or rushed. At Southern Door Refinishing, the process starts well before any paint is applied. Every door is inspected, stripped back to clean metal or bare wood, treated at the source of any damage, and primed correctly before finishing. Professional HVLP spray equipment is used on every project — not brushes, not rollers. The goal is a result that holds up for years, not just long enough to look good at first glance.
Our Team
Owner & Lead Door Refinishing Specialist
Gerry handles every project personally, from the initial assessment through surface preparation, finishing, and final inspection. His approach is methodical — each door goes through the same detailed process regardless of size or scope. Homeowners across Naples, Miami, and Fort Myers rely on his work because the results speak clearly in the before-and-after.

Iron doors take a beating in Florida's climate — salt air, humidity, and direct sun wear them down fast. We strip the old finish, remove rust and surface damage, then rebuild the door from bare metal using professional primers and topcoats. The result is a smooth, factory-quality finish that protects the door and restores its presence at the front of your home.

Wood doors lose their color and protection over time, especially with Florida's heat and moisture. We prep the surface carefully — sanding, cleaning, and correcting any damage — before applying a fresh finish that brings the grain and warmth back. The work is done with attention to how wood moves and responds, so the finish holds up well season after season.

When a door has years of wear, fading, or neglect, a full restoration is the right approach. We assess the door's condition, address structural and surface issues, and work through a complete refinishing process. The goal is to return it to a state that matches — or improves — what it looked like when it was new.

Rust is the enemy of any iron door, and it gets worse the longer it's ignored. We remove rust manually and mechanically, treating deep corrosion at the source before any primer or paint goes on. Surface preparation is the most important step in refinishing — it's where long-lasting results are built or lost.

Not every door needs to be black. We offer a range of custom paint finishes and specialty looks, including textures and tones that match the architecture and style of the home. Every finish is chosen and applied based on what the door needs and what the homeowner wants to see when they pull into their driveway.

A copper faux finish adds depth and character that a standard painted door simply cannot replicate. We apply this by hand using a layered technique that creates a realistic, high-end metal appearance. It's a popular choice for homes in Naples and Coral Gables where the entryway is a design feature, not just a functional element.

We use professional HVLP spray systems on every project — the same equipment used in high-end automotive and furniture finishing. This produces a smooth, even coat with no brush marks, roller texture, or uneven buildup. The finish looks cleaner, cures harder, and holds up better than anything applied with a brush and roller.

Garage doors cover a large portion of a home's front face, and a faded or peeling garage door pulls down the entire look of the property. We refinish garage doors using the same methodical process as entry doors — proper prep, quality primer, and a durable topcoat that stands up to daily use and direct sun exposure.

A quality topcoat is what keeps a refinish looking good for years instead of months. We apply a protective clear coat that seals the finish against UV damage, moisture, and rust. This is the final step in our process, and it's what separates a job that holds up from one that starts peeling again before the year is out.


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Assess & Quote
It starts with a real look at the door. Before any price is given or work is scheduled, the door's condition is evaluated — rust depth, paint adhesion, surface damage, and what finish options make sense for the style of the home. This assessment shapes the entire project plan. Homeowners get a clear quote based on actual conditions, not a generic number pulled from thin air. Call (888) 365-6104 to get the process started.
Prepare the Surface
This is where most of the work happens, and where most shortcuts get taken by others. The old finish is stripped, rust is removed manually or mechanically, and the bare surface is cleaned and corrected before any primer is applied. Epoxy or rust-inhibiting primer goes on next, creating a foundation that lets the topcoat bond properly and resist moisture over time. No new finish holds up without this step being done right.
Finish & Protect
Once the surface is properly primed, the finish coat is applied using a professional HVLP spray system. This produces a smooth, even result that brush-and-roll methods cannot replicate. A protective clear coat is applied last, sealing the finish against UV damage, salt air, and everyday wear. The job site is cleaned before we leave, and the homeowner can see exactly what the door looks like — and why the process matters.
Ready to get started?
The cost of iron door refinishing in Naples depends on the door's size, its current condition, and the finish you choose. A single iron entry door typically costs less than replacing it outright, and the result is often indistinguishable from a new door. For an accurate number, we assess the door first — contact us at (888) 365-6104 to schedule a look.
Most iron and wood door refinishing projects are completed in one day. More involved restorations — doors with heavy rust, deep surface damage, or multi-layer old paint — may require two visits to allow proper drying and curing time between coats. We will give you a realistic timeline before we start so you can plan around it.
Yes, most doors are refinished in place. We prep and tape the surrounding area carefully so the frame, glass, and hardware are protected throughout the process. For doors with significant rust or structural issues, removal may be recommended — but in most cases, the work is done on-site with no disruption to the entryway itself.
Repainting means applying paint over whatever surface is already there. Refinishing means stripping the door back, treating any rust or damage, priming correctly for metal or wood, and then applying a finish with professional equipment. The results last significantly longer because the prep work creates a clean surface for the new coating to bond to properly.
We work on both iron and wood exterior doors. Wood doors require a different prep process than iron — the surface responds differently to moisture and sanding — but the standard for quality is the same. Whether your front door is a carved mahogany slab or a painted iron double door, we can assess it and restore it.
If the paint is peeling in large sections, rust is visible on an iron door, or the wood surface is cracking or fading significantly, a full refinish is the right call. Touch-ups work for very small areas of early wear. Applying a new topcoat over failing old paint will not hold — it needs to come off before anything new goes on.
It does, and we account for that from the start. Salt air and UV exposure in Naples, Miami Beach, and Coral Gables are significantly harder on exterior finishes than in most other parts of the country. Using rust-inhibiting primers, UV-resistant topcoats, and HVLP spray application helps the finish hold up well in these conditions — typically several years with basic maintenance.
We serve both Southwest Florida and the Miami-Dade area, including Coral Gables, Coconut Grove, and surrounding neighborhoods. Iron door refinishing in Miami follows the same process as our Naples work — the coastal climate challenges are similar, and the client expectations are consistent. Call (888) 365-6104 to discuss your project regardless of which area you are in.