How NOT to Paint a Door

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Take Off the HardwarePainting a door might seem like a pretty straightforward task. Slap on some paint and you’re done right? Not so fast! Painting a door requires more than just a paintbrush, a fancy white suit and a high tolerance to smelly chemical fumes. It takes a bit of skill, lots of knowledge and the right tools to get the job done so it looks like a professional did the work; and not Picasso. If you plan on painting an interior or exterior door; don’t do the following door painting no-no’s (we’ll provide some do-do’s too. . . that didn’t sound right), and you’ll be sure to get a professional looking paint job on your next door painting project.

Leave the Hardware On

First things first. Take off the door by removing the hinge pins, set it on some cloth covered sawhorses and get rid of the hardware. Remove the handles, knockers, hinges, peepholes and striker. If you can’t get rid of it, carefully cover it with blue painters tape and plastic. But before you get carried away with the screwdriver, be sure that you label each hinge. This way, you can make sure that the door works the same when you put it back together as it did before you took it apart.

Don’t Sand the Door

Peeling Paint
Peeling paint because the old coat wasn’t sanded and primed properly
This is a tossup with some nuances. If you’re repainting an old door, use a fine grit sandpaper to smooth out any chips or imperfections in the paint. Don’t worry about getting rid of all the old paint; scuff it up because you can use a good primer to cover the old stuff without worries as long as what’s left has a good bond. The caveat here is if the paint is old, there’s a good chance it has lead in it, in which case you’ll want to follow lead-safe precautions. Those precautions often mean no sanding at all, or sanding with very controlled protective measures. On the other hand, if it’s a new door, sanding it is usually unnecessary and will destroy the commercial primer that’s likely in place already, ruining your new paint job as soon as it’s applied.

Buy the Cheapest Paint

The old saying you get what you pay for is frequently true when it comes to door paint. You’ll need to use the right paint for the job or else you could be repainting the door all over again, soon. Only use a paint or stain that’s suitable for the material you plan on using it on, e.g. fiberglass, metal or wood. Also, you need to use a quality exterior paint on both the inside and outside of an exterior door. Last but not least, repelling stains, fingerprints and other blemishes on both interior and exterior doors is crucial to retaining their beauty and keeping their lifespan long. Be sure you choose a paint that has a high gloss finish and it will be much easier to keep clean without the need for constant paint touch ups.

Use a Paintbrush

Brush Strokes on an Inferior Metal Door Paint Job
Brush strokes are evident on this inferior metal door paint job
Painting a door with a paintbrush is usually a big no-no. Doing so often leaves streaks and lines that look like crap. Most professional painters use a spray gun to paint doors, but there’s a great little secret trick you can use to get a good smooth coat of paint on your doors without using a costly paint gun. Use a small 2-3” roller and roller cover with a very tight nap and you’ll get a nice coat of paint without the brush lines. This works especially well on a metal door. Only use a small stain brush (that’s coated and not loaded with paint) to take care of any runs or hard to reach corners and you’ll have a smooth and consistent paint finish every time.

Paint it Outside

It’s true: you need to use most paint products in a well-ventilated area or else you could forget math and start wearing tinfoil hats in public. If you’ve ever painted a door in the open sunlight, you know that it doesn’t take long for the paint to dry. Paint that dries to fast can make an even finish impossible and almost makes certain that the paint peels off later on down the road. Roller cover lines are evident here and uneven paint (also known as “holidays”) are everywhere. Bugs, dirt, leaves and even bird poop are also sure to get embedded into your paint job when it’s exposed in the open. Wet paint is a magnet for that stuff. Use a porch, paint it in your garage or cover an area up in your yard with a tarp or you could be sanding and repainting your door more than once.

Have any door painting tips of your own? If so, please share them in the comments below!

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About Eric

Since Eric built his first skateboard ramp in his parents driveway; he’s breathed, slept and eaten DIY construction. As a second generation master carpenter who runs two Florida-based construction firms, Eric’s had the chance to work on everything from Mcmansions to your local mall to the cat lady’s bathroom. So when it comes to dealing with construction s@#t; he’s the man—literally. There isn’t a tool or construction material that Eric hasn’t used and abused, and if there is; it’s rocking in a dark corner nervously waiting for him to show up for work.

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6 thoughts on “How NOT to Paint a Door”

  1. Been painting for over 30 years. I don’t like any roller marks on doors. If its a wood door I can roll and lay off a section while maintaining a wet edge. Good advice otherwise.

    Reply
  2. I’m surprised at the problem you had with painting the hinge areas. I’ve done it many times and it hasn’t been an issue. Perhaps the door was tight to begin with? Too thick paint, although you say 1 mil… Hmmm I don’t put paint in the screw ho;es but otherwise I do paint the hinge area. If there’s buildup on an old door, a bit of sanding 1st will retain the proper depth, at least it’s been my experience. Also, I have put wadded newspaper into the lockset holes and/or tape but I do paint behind the strike plate too. Just what I have experienced.

    Reply
    • Hi Sher. Thanks for your comment. Depending on how precisely door hardware fits, you might get away with painting behind and around the hardware once or twice without impacting fit. However, typically the paint buildup can be enough to interfere with the hardware. Generally, I wouldn’t advise painting the area hardware is installed into.

      Reply
  3. Now half way through the project of replacing all of our interior doors, I have attained a sufficient level of mastery in this subject that I can share a pearl of wisdom from my experience. I have decided it’s a necessary inconvenience to ensure that a door actually fits, BEFORE the painting process begins. I’ve found that neglecting to account for the clearance required for a bathroom rug after hanging a fresh painted door creates a situation professionals refer to as, “a pain in the ass”. Removing, re-planing (?), and rehanging a door may leave less than desirable blemishes in your finished product.

    Reply
  4. Do NOT paint inside the hinge cavities!! Sure it looks harmless enough, no masking, nothing to cover up, just paint away!! Until you remount the door and suddenly it’s too big for the hole.. or it doesn’t quite match up everywhere as it did before, or (most likely from my experience) it just doesn’t latch properly or smoothly anymore… Who would think a mil of paint could make any difference? Certainly not I! Or my lovely wife (aka – primary paintress of the manor). Simple as the fix may be; remove door/remove hinges/remove paint/reinstall in reverse order, it does take some time and can be/IS an added irritant to wedded bliss or “newly painted door” happiness.
    ymmv
    billw
    PS.”very tight nap” roller can also be foam roller – no nap! very smooth!

    Reply

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