Flawless Paint Finish for Doors
If you use the correct method, perfect paint and quality paintbrushes you can easily achieve a flawless painted finish for doors.
07/02/19
Another project on my 'to-do' list is to paint all the newly installed interior doors with a couple of coats of Fired Earth Water Based Enamel. I love using this paint - it dries quickly, has low VOC and will not make the house stink, and because it's water based, it offers easy clean-up. I also like the fact that this paint is a medium-sheen, so it's not quite matt and definitely not too glossy.
I have finished painting two doors, so only another 4 doors to go! That's why I like the fact that this paint dries fast, especially when painting detailed doors. There is a right way to paint doors and it means that you need to wait for paint to dry. Since this paint dries so fast - there's very little waiting involved!
By using the method detailed below to paint interior detailed doors you will be able to achieve a flawless, brush-stroke-free finish that looks stunning on doors. My new doors have a wood veneer on top that has a wood grain pattern and you can see above and below how the doors were easy to paint and came out flawless.
YOU WILL NEED:
Fired Earth non-drip Enamel
Drop cloth
Clean rag (for just in case!)
Sandpaper 120-grit
HERE'S HOW:
1. Remove all the hardware from the door (handles, lock, etc.) to make it easier to paint the entire door.
2. Sand any rough edges with 120-grit sandpaper.
3. Start painting the edges of the door (top and side edges). Pay particular attention to the area surrounding the door lock.
GOOD TO KNOW: Don't apply too much paint to your paintbrush when painting around the edges, as this will result in runs and build up around the edges. It is far better to apply several light coats. Lightly feather any excess paint on the front and back of the door for a smooth, flawless finish.
4. On the door front and back start by applying paint to detailed areas or frames. Use a narrow paintbrush for these areas. A narrow paintbrush will allow you to get into cracks and corners on these detailed areas.
GOOD TO KNOW: After applying paint to detailed areas, use a wider paintbrush to smooth the paint around these areas. Lightly feather the paint into surrounding areas. This will ensure that you don't see any ridges around these spots when you paint them.
5. Now you can repeat this process for any remaining panels...
...Until all the decorative panels are painted. Let these painted areas dry to touch before continuing.
6. The next step is to start painting either horizontal or vertical panels on the front and back of the door using a wide paintbrush. I started with the vertical panels, following the wood grain of the door.
Repeat the above step for all the vertical panels.
7. Finish off by painting the horizontal panels. Lightly feather the edges over the vertical panels and then lightly brush the vertical panels to smooth any paint lines. Allow the paint to dry for the specified time before re-attaching the hardware.
