How to Paint a Door

A door is likely to be the first thing you see when you enter a room, so it should look nice. Painting a door is easier than painting an entire room, but as with any good job, quality is in the details.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Angled Paintbrushes
• Masking Tape
• Paint Trays
• Paints
• Masking Tape
• Body Compounds
• Primer Paints
• Primers
• Ladders
• Putty
• Putty Knives
• Sandpaper
• Screwdriver Sets
• Ladders
• Sandpaper
• Paint trays

1. Remove or tape over the doorknob, the strike bolt and the hinges.

2. Take the door off its hinges and lay it across two sawhorses or a table to paint. (You can paint it as it hangs, but you get a better effect if you take it off its hinges.)

3. Check for cracks and holes, and fill with putty. For really big problems (like a hole where a security lock once went), fill with an epoxy filler (such as Bondo brand) - the same stuff that's used on car bodies.

4. Apply a coat of primer if you're down to a raw surface. Allow to dry.

5. Apply one or two coats (depending on how well it covers) of semigloss or glossy paint; they're the most durable and easiest to clean.

6. Paint in even strokes with a high-quality brush, perhaps one with a tapered end.

Tips & Warnings

• Paint the jambs (the area the door closes into) first, the trim around the door next, and the door itself last.
• If you have a drip of paint that gets too dry to spread, let it dry all the way, then sand it down and paint over it.
• On exterior doors, be sure to paint the top and bottom edges, even though you can't see them. This will help protect against rot and swelling.
• Don't use a roller on a door, even if it's perfectly flat. It's just not a good look.
• Avoid loading up too much paint on your paintbrush, or it will collect in the door's details, puddle up and perhaps drip.

[ettaariane]

on 12/1/2007 I have been a decorator for 30yrs and a female one at that. I can paint a door in 10mins each side, no paint on hinges or fixings, no drips and I use a roller and brush and obtain a perfect finish. A four inch mohair roller is fine. Try not to use foam or emulsion type roller, these can leave small particles which destroy the professional look of the door.
A coat of undercoat should follow the primer, before the gloss coat.
The secret to a lovely finish is to use a minimal amount of paint on your brush and roller - no drips, ever.

[carmarche]

on 9/7/2007 Actually a roller can be a great help if used together with a brush. (I also highly recomend adding product called "FloTrol" to your paint. It is a spraying and brushing agent and is widely available.)

Using a "small diameter" trim roller, apply paint then use a good quality 2 or 2.5 inch dry angle brush to immediately "tip out" the wet paint. (light, smooth, straight strokes which remove any roller pattern and paint pooling.

This method can cut door painting time by 75% which is great if you are doing many interior doors. It is also fine for knocking out an exterior door quickly with perfect results.

[nanomatrix]

on 7/25/2007 I found the one coat Killz tint paint product in Walmart works really well on a previously painted\primed surface. Saved us some time, but what was even better is the paint can is plastic has a poor spout and lid to close the paint back up. I thought it was top notch!

on 8/8/2006 I just repainted most of the doors in our house and I first cleaned them, gave them a light sanding with 200 grit, then cleaned them again and sprayed them outside (with a HVLP spray gun) on sawhorses with gloss paint. This gave the doors an unbelievably smooth finish that looks great, and is easy to clean.

on 6/30/2006 When a door is lying horizontal (like on saw horses), do not start your paint at the top or bottom edge of the door. When your brush/roller is loaded with paint, the paint will pool along the edge, causing the paint to dry thicker at those spots and leaving a ridge that is not wanted.