Tips On How To Paint A Door Using 7-Steps

 

How To Paint A Flat Door: Sand The Door Surface

 

Upon removing all of the door's hardware, you will want to begin the process of sanding the door's surface. Ideally, you want to achieve a smooth and even surface that you can layer coats of paint on. This will give you the cleanest result.  By sanding the door, you will effectively remove all of the existing paint and coating on the door which can make it much more conducive to holding the paint as well as possible. While you can always consider using an electric sander, you can keep it simple and more affordable by using a basic sanding block. As soon as the surface is smooth, you can brush off the dust with a tack cloth.

 

Paint The Edges

 

In order to paint a completely flat door, you will want to begin by painting the inside edge of the hinge. From there, you will want to work around the door in a single direction. By starting from the inside bottom, you can then move onto the header, and then go down the striker side. To maintain better control, use a brush for such a narrow space. Likewise, you want to be careful to avoid loading up too much paint on your brush at a single time. Having excess paint will cause the paint to drip.

 

Paint The Flat Door

 

From there, you will want to paint the surface of the door. You can apply the paint with a 4-inch foam roller with a closed-end. You will want to use either two or three roller widths around the full height of the door and across the face of the door. In order to get rid of any and all lines, you can lay off the finish by brushing in a bottom to top motion with a lightly coated small roller or even a light brush. By utilizing this technique, it will help the roller get an even application while allowing the edge to maintain enough moisture which can help you achieve a smooth looking finish.

 

Sand The Door

 

This process is very similar to painting a paneled door. In order to do this, you will want to remove all existing hardware on the door including the door handle or doorknob. From there, you should sane the door's surface the same way you would a completely flat door. Using a sanding block for this process is recommended because it can help you sustain complete control over the process including the areas near the edges and corners of the door. As soon as it is sanded smooth enough, you can wipe the surface down.

 

Paint The Door

 

You will want to paint each respective panel beginning with the panel on the upper-left and moving down the face of the door in order of sequence. When painting each panel, you should paint around the edges of the panel with a fine enough paintbrush. During this process, you don't necessarily need to worry about painting outside the lines because you will be painting over it after. As soon as you have painted the lines, you can utilize a roller around 4-inches in order to paint the panel's center.

 

Paint The Stiles

 

You want to paint the stiles as soon as all of the other panels are painted. You should begin with the vertical stiles in the center and then move on to the horizontal ones. You can finish off by painting the vertical stretches that stem from the outermost portion of the door.

 

Edges And Finish

 

Lastly, you should be looking to paint the final door's edges. You will want to avoid any runs or sages as you are painting. From there, you can allow the paint to completely dry. Then you should sand very lightly and look to apply a second coat of paint. As soon as that is dry, you can re-attach hardware or attach brand new hardware and install the door.

 

Tip: If you are looking to take the route of painting with the door already installed, you should keep the paint from getting on the floor by using a newspaper or by sliding cardboard under it. Likewise, you will want to use wood shims to hold the door steady during the painting process. Prior to painting it, you should cover all of the hinges with the appropriate painter's tape. Once the paint is completely dry, you can remove the tape and replace the hardware on the door. Why not finish your freshly painted door with new mortice door knobs?