Doors and baseboards seem to get dirty faster than anything else. Everyone has to touch the door when they are coming or going so they take a beating over time. A quick and simple way to change up the look of your home and give it a much cleaner appearance is to give your interior doors a new paint job! Certain paint colors stand up well to staining and offer camouflage for all the dirt and grime they come in contact with. If an accent wall is not your thing but you are looking to add some tone or color to your life, painting your doors is a great way to add a pop of color to your home and really change the look of things. Now, when it comes to painting doors, the devil is in the details. The prep work is very important if you want a nice smooth, long lasting finish that will last for the years to come. L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc is here to offer some tips to make this process go more smoothly.

Choose Your Door Paint Color

You get what you pay for, you will want to choose a good quality paint that matches your ideal color scheme. Grays, blues or even bold colors such as red or black work great for doors. If you would like help choosing a color because you are unsure, L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc can help you with this decision.

Take the Door Off its Hinges

To avoid unsightly drips and runs, you will need to take all of your doors down and place them on a saw horse or other surface that will allow the door to lay flat. Next you will need to remove the hinges, plates and door knobs from the door. Put all hardware into a Ziploc bag that is clearly labeled with which door it came off of to avoid any mix ups and make your life easier.

Clean Door Before Painting

You will want to use a scrubby sponge and a Trisodium Phosphate (degreaser) cleaner to remove all the fingerprints, grease and grime on the door. Paint will not adhere well to a dirty surface, so it must be thoroughly cleaned first. This will ensure you get a clean, professional look in the end. Allow door time to dry completely before moving on.

Fill Holes & Cracks in Door and Sand

Paint will accentuate any flaws the door may have. Even the tiniest of holes will show and compromise the finish of the paint being applied. Dents and holes that are 1/8 inch or smaller can be filled in easily with some spackle. Deeper holes and dents will likely require a two-art filler or epoxy wood filler. After the holes have been filled in, you will need to sand the door to make it smooth again.

Primer for Doors

Primer helps new paint to adhere to the surface of the door better. It also aids in preventing future staining and allows the topcoat to apply smoothly and evenly. Prime the whole door. If the door is already white, then a white primer will be fine. If your door is already painted in a color and you’re looking to change that color, then a gray primer will work best. Allow ample time for primer to dry to check for any flaws, repair any flaws you may find before proceeding. Then sand the door again. A quick sand will smooth out any bubbling or ridges that may have happened in the priming process.

Paint the Interior Door

Now you get to see all your hard work come to fruition. Use a high-density foam mini roller for the best finish. Using a brush will likely leave brush marks or lap marks. For smooth doors, start at the frame and work the roller from the bottom to the top. Apply your good quality paint evenly to whole door, allow ample time to dry. For paneled doors, paint the recessed areas of panels with a wide angled brush, then roll your paint over the raised areas second. Next you will cover the center of the door with your roller, followed by rolling your foam roller across the middle of the door. The sides of the door will then be done next. Finish your project by using an angled brush or your foam roller to coat the outer edges of the door. Allow the door plenty of time to dry completely (about two days) before putting hardware back on the door and re-installing.

Interior Painting & More in Amagansett, Bridgehampton, East Hampton, Hampton Bays, Montauk, North Haven, North Sea, Noyack, Quogue, Shelter Island, Sag Harbor, Sagaponack, Shinnecock Hills, Southampton, Springs, Wainscott, Watermill, Westhampton, West Hampton Beach, New York

L.W. Winslow Painting, Inc hopes this helps make your home improvement project a bit simpler. For all of your painting needs, contact our office!