Interior doors tend to take a lot of abuse and can only be cleaned so many times! At some point you will need to have the doors repainted. The most common interior doors installed in homes today are 6 panel textured doors. These doors have multiple panels instead of a constant flat surface. Painting an interior paneled door requires a bit more work, but can save you money over hiring a professional painter. The video below will show you how to paint an interior paneled door. The materials you will need are: a screwdriver or drill, a good quality paint brush, painter’s tape, drop cloth, and the paint.
The first step to painting an interior paneled door is to remove the handle and accompanying hardware using a screwdriver or drill. Removing the handle will make the door easier to paint and protect the handles. Some people prefer to take the door off the hinges to paint, but that is not necessary. Leaving the door hanging during the painting process means you will not have to worry about finding a place to lay the door to dry. The door will be painted with a brush, and taking the door off its hinges causes more work than necessary. By leaving the door in place, you only need to mask the hinges with painter’s tape on both sides of the door.
Before you begin painting, make sure there is a drop cloth below the door to protect the floor. If you find any imperfections in the door, sand them down a bit with light grit sandpaper to make them smooth. The door will then need to be wiped down to remove any dust and debris. This process can be used for closet doors too. With a closet door, you have the option of just painting the outside of the door since most times, the inside is never seen.
The best paint to use when painting an interior paneled door is a latex enamel for the hard durable finish. The best sheen to select is a satin or semi-gloss for its ease of use. The gloss sheen is more difficult for the average DIY person because it can show brush strokes and other imperfections.
It’s also important to use a high quality angled paint brush. A quality paint brush will have uniform bristles which makes for a smoother finish and much easier application. The angled brush will also allow you to get into the tighter corners with less difficulty than a rounded brush. A quality brush, if taken care of properly, will last many years and is definitely worth the extra cost.
The doors painted in this video show square & rectangular panels with edges. Professional painters recommend you begin by painting the edges of all these panels when painting an interior paneled door. Always brush with the grain of the wood instead of against the grain. Once the edges of those panels are painted, paint all the centers of the panels. The next step is to paint the cross sections of the door in between the square panels while aligning your brush strokes with the grain of the wood. Finally, paint the outer flat border, and lastly the side edges.
After covering the door with the first coat of paint, allow it to dry for about 45 minutes. Once the door is dry, paint the second coat of paint using the same method and sequence.
Using the guidelines and tools in this video will allow you to paint just like the professionals! You will love the results!
