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Studio Blog

March 14th

Door Painting

 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 job well done, quality is in the details.

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

Step 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.)

Step 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.

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

Step 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.

Step 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.

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