7 Easy Tips to Paint a Wooden Door

Painting your interior or exterior door with a pop of colour or a fresh coat of pristine white paint is a great way to spruce up your space. It might seem daunting at first but if you have the tools and know the basics, it is a child’s play.

Are you painting a door for the first time and don’t know where to begin? Fret not, we have got you covered. Here are 7 handy tips that will help you become a pro at painting your home door.

1. Choose the paint

Depending on whether you are painting an interior or exterior door, choose the paint hue and finish. You can either go for timeless neutrals like white, black or brown or opt for statement colours like red, yellow or blue. A semigloss or gloss finish is a great option for both exterior and interior doors are they are shiny, durable and easy to clean. You can also consider going for high gloss enamel paints if you don’t mind the paint showing the imperfections on the door.

2. Decide how you want to paint 

While it may seem too much work to remove the door from the hinges and remove the knobs and other hardware, many painting experts recommend you do so. Removing the door allows you to take the door outdoor to your backyard or your garage and paint it without having to worry about ventilation or messing up your room. You can consider laying the door on a sawhorse, so that you can paint one side and then rotate the door and paint the other side immediately.

3. Set aside the tools 

Before you jump into the painting part, gather everything that you could need to paint your door. Some basic tools that you will need are paint, primer, roller, paint brushes, sandpaper, painter’s tape, drop cloth and screwdriver.

4. Prep the room 

If you have decided to not remove the door off the hinges, then make sure that you put a drop cloth on the floor and cover the furniture in the room. Don’t forget to open the windows and switch on the fans to ensure that the paint for wooden doors dries up quickly.

5. Prep the door

It is crucial that you thoroughly clean your door before you paint it as the dirt and the oil accumulated on it will reduce the longevity of your paints for wooden doors. After you have cleaned it, let it dry completely. Next, scrape off any paint buildup or fill any holes on the door. Follow this by properly sanding the door to ensure that you have a smooth canvas to paint. If you have decided to paint the door while it is intact, then don’t forget to mask the edges, hinges and hardware to ensure that you stick to the area you intend to paint.

6. Prime your door 

A primer helps to hide the imperfection, mute dark colours and helps your door to absorb the paint for wooden doors better.After applying the primer, let it dry completely and then hand sand the door and gently remove the dust from the surface. A pro tip is to hand sand the entire surface after every coat of primer or paint as this will ensure that your door looks like it is done by a professional.

7. Paint correctly 

Painting a flat door is easy as you just must make sure that you paint evenly with your roller and don’t leave drip marks. A pro tip is to use a brush to paint the edges and hinges where your roller won’t be able to reach properly. While painting a panelled door, it is recommended that you first start with the centre recessed panels, then move your way to the horizontal rails and finally cover the vertical borders. If you are not using a sawhorse, wait until the paint has fully dried on one side before you flip the door and paint the other side. An advantage of painting a door without removing it is that you can paint both sides together.

Remember to not rush and remount the door after it has dried completely. Visit the Asian Paints website to get the best deals on enamel paints for your home doors.