Ideas for painting interior doors.
Its Incredible what a new coat of paint can do to a space. Although it seems like a small change, fresh paint on your door makes a home look totally different. Moreover, painters and decorators in birmingham advice you to choose colour carefully as it can amp your personality and create a whole new mood. Plus, you provide an extra protective layer on your door each time you add a new layer.
Yet, different door surfaces call for a different approach to painting. Some doors are flat, others panel and others have intricate molding. Each unique style requires a specific method of painting. Fortunately for you, we’ll cover all the approaches that painter birmingham uses on different door styles.
Let’s dive in!
What You’ll Need
First, ensure you have all the tools and ingredients necessary to complete the job. These include:
- Tack cloth
- Drop cloth
- Screwdriver
- Sanding sponge
- Paint roller
- Paintbrush
- Paint
- Painter tapes
How to Paint a Flat Door
i. Sand the Door
For the best result, you can remove the door from where it is attached. Then, proceed with sanding the surface. The goal is to achieve a smooth surface where you can paint a fresh coat. Sanding removes the previous paint and rough patches so that when you paint a new coat, the door will look better and hold the paint. Once you’re through with sanding, wipe off the dust using a tack cloth.
ii. Paint the Edges
To paint a flat door, Birmingham decorators advise that you start by coating the edges. Begin with the inside hinge edge taking one direction. So instead of passing the brush-up and down, roll it only upwards. Work on the bottom edge, the header and finish with the striker side. During this process, use a narrow spaced brush, so you have better control. Also, avoid loading the brush with too much paint; otherwise, it will cause visible drips, something you should avoid to achieve aesthetic.
iii. Coat the Flat Door
Here, you’ll need a 4-inch foam roller to coat the flat surface of the door. Run at least two or three rollers over the height of the door and across. If some lines appear to form on the door, take a light brush and lay off the lines from bottom to top. This technique allows you to finish the job quickly while keeping a wet edge and smooth finish. Let the paint dry before reinstalling it back.
How to Paint a Panel Doors
The process of painting a panel door is similar to that of a flat door, at least the first few steps. First, you’ll need to sand the door. But, you should use a sand block as it comes in handy when dealing with the detailed edges and corners on a panel door. Wipe the surfaces with a tack cloth.
Painting the Door
Start with the upper left panel and work your way down the door. Then take the upper right panel and then the bottom one. For each panel, start by painting the edges using a paintbrush. It will seem a little harder to keep within the lines. But, it’s alright since you’ll paint over. So, once you’re through with the edges, use a 4-inch roller to coat each panel.
Coat the Stiles
The other step is to paint the stiles between the panels. Start with the middle vertical stiles and proceed to horizontal stiles. Then, paint the outermost stretches, including the header and the bottom margin.
Coat the Edges
Contrary to how you start with edges while coating a flat door, it is the last step when coating a panel door. Paint and lay off all the sags and drips. Let the paint dry. Sand lightly and apply another layer of coat. Let the door sit for several hours before reinstalling the door.
You can choose to paint the door while it’s still installed. If so, ensure you slide the cardboard to cover the floor below the door. You also have to hold the door steady; otherwise, you’ll do a shoddy job. Use wood shims to hold the door. Additionally, cover the hinges, doorknob, and any other door accessory you don’t want to paint. You can do so by applying a painter tape and cutting the excess with a precision knife. The only surface that should remain open is that you intend to paint. Remove the painter tape once the paint is dry.
To find out more contact our Painters and Decorators in Birmingham today by clicking here.
