Many people are now looking toward home renovations due to the ongoing pandemic. Because of this, more and more people are more inclined to do things on their own. That is why we have prepared an easy guide that can help you through painting your wood door as a part of your home renovation plan. Read on further to find out how to do this.
#1: Pick a good colour
The colour you choose is entirely up to you and your approach to styling your home. However, here are some colours that you can’t definitely go wrong with: white, dark grey, and black. These colours are definitely some of the most accommodating in terms of home design and can make anything look elegant, including your door. To make sure you are choosing the right colour, set up swatches and see how they fit the room. You can paint on paper and stick it on your door, or paint over the door if you are sure you want to change the colour. Sit on it and stare at it for a while. Try opening and closing the door just to see how it looks when the light hits it differently. After choosing your colour, you can now proceed to the next step.
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#2: Get your tools ready
It is always better to have all that you need right in front of you and most certainly efficient as well. Gather all that is necessary, preferably, have all the stuff listed below:
For cleaning and polishing your door:
- Sponge or cloth
- Medium-grit sandpaper
- Wood filler
For painting your door:
- 2” paintbrush
- Paint roller and tray
- Interior/exterior paint
#3: Prepare your door
Your door should definitely be prepped for a painting job. First, remove all hardware such as knobs, latches, etc. from your door. You can choose to paint it hung or lay it down on sawhorses. Then, clean it from all dirt and grime by soaking the sponge/cloth in warm soapy water. Wipe it down on all surfaces. Sand down all imperfect or uneven surfaces. Fill gaps or cracks with wood filler, let dry, and sand down the excess.
#4: Prime your door
Priming is an important step in painting to make sure that it sticks to your door well. If you are transforming your door from a relatively dark to a lighter shade, or vice versa, you can choose a tinted primer that can help you get close to the colour you want without adding more coats of paint. Wait for the primer to dry before proceeding with the last step.
#5: Paint your door
This is the final step to your painting job. If you have a panelled door, then you might want to follow the stroke directions as in the illustration below. Be sure to use the paintbrush for more intricate surfaces and the paint roller for long and flat surfaces for a quicker job. Paint from the panel to the midsections to the edges. Apply two to three coats and wait to dry. Put the door back and all the hardware and there you have it! A freshly painted door to match your newly renovated home!
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Pieter Boyce
Wooden Window and Door Specialist
This article was written on behalf of Fortis & Hooke by Pieter Boyce. Pieter has an intense passion for English Architectural history and has been specialising in the conservation of original wooden windows and doors for decades. His exceptional knowledge of timber windows and doors, both listed or non-listed, is attributed to his hands-on approach to learning all aspects of the complete restoration of original features as well as having personally surveyed thousands of items throughout his long tenure as a head surveyor for one of the largest window and door restoration companies in the UK. He now runs a boutique wooden window and door consultancy and fervently champions the retention of original windows and doors. To learn more of Pieter’s services, visit his website at www.boultonboyce.co.uk.