Painting wooden doors: rules for doing paint and varnish work yourself

It would seem that what could be simpler than painting a door? A flat surface that you just want to roll a roller over. The child seems to be able to cope. What if the canvas is covered with dark varnish? What if a layer of epoxy resin is applied on top?

The door can also be figured or made of wood-based materials of dubious quality. And I want the perfect white color.

So why give up your dream? Of course, there is no need to give up anything. People fly into space, and then there is a door. Of course, you will have to tinker not only with the roller.

Paint for an interior door over varnish

Good day everyone! The apartment has wooden doors of good quality from the previous owners, but they are covered with transparent or yellowish varnish (one, maximum 2 layers).. Now the renovation of 2 rooms + a corridor is being completed and there is no money left for the doors. You could leave it as is, but the color doesn't suit it. Need a dark color. Because I don’t understand paints - a lot of questions arose:

1. How to prepare the doors? Do I need to remove the varnish completely (this is very problematic) or just make it matte?
2. What grit sandpaper should I use? Or are there varnish removers?
3. What paint or dark varnish should I use? (paint must have minimal odor since there is a 5 month old baby at home)?
4. Do you need soil or not?

I can only paint with a brush or roller - I have no other options. You need to paint it brown, dark gray, black. It is not necessary that the structure of the tree be visible..

Alexey_oz wrote: should I remove the varnish completely (this is very problematic) or just make it matte?

Not necessarily, for this there are now primers for old paint -,. All these soils are water based.

Alexey_oz wrote: What paint or dark varnish should I use? (paint must have minimal odor since there is a 5 month old baby at home)?

Water-based paint or varnish. Apply everything, for example, with a velor roller. The length of the pile is about 4 mm. If you need to clean up the varnish a little, the sandpaper is 220-240.

The VGT company produces various varnishes and paints, maybe you can choose something from them, consult with consultants. When I painted with matte and glossy paints from various manufacturers, from my little experience I concluded that matte paints have greater coverage than gloss; paint consumption is usually written on the can or on the manufacturer’s website. If the paint appears dry, be sure to add the recommended amount of water, usually up to 5%, sometimes 10-15%. I wish you good luck and success.

Alexey_oz, How did you determine the number of layers of varnish by eye? Renovation in 2 rooms, and the child is 5 months old. It's not the smell that's terrible, it's the dust. If you weren’t afraid of the smell, then any alkyd paint tinted in the color you want would solve the problem. With doors and varnish, you need to understand what kind of varnish it was and how water-based paint will behave on it. Take the ceiling paint and brush the door once from the back end - if the paint has spread and no traces of the brush are visible, then everything is OK. If the paint has dried, but brush marks remain, then the varnish was organic and will either have to be completely sanded off (very labor-intensive) or primed. I can recommend Dulux Super Grip Primer - water-based, does not stink, can be applied to almost anything (any surface that does not absorb water). Paint the top with water-based emulsion tinted in the color you want. Just don’t use matte water-based emulsion - it’s too dirty for a door - dirt will accumulate in the place where you often touch the door with your hand. PS If time is more important, then just paint Dulux Diamond Soft Sheen (aka Diamond Eggshell) - water-based, almost odorless, tinted in any color, can also be used over old oil-based (alkyd) paints, the only drawback is that it’s expensive.

Which paint to choose

First, decide what paints are used to apply to the door:

• Alkyd enamels. This is the most affordable option. Film strength is average. The advantages include a large range of colors and compatibility with MDF, fiberboard and wood. The main disadvantage is the long drying time and the characteristic pungent odor. Among materials of this type there are a large number of glossy coatings.

• Acrylic enamels. This type of paint is a water dispersion of acrylates. The main advantage over other compositions is the absence of odor and quick drying. In addition, the color palette, represented by hundreds of colors, allows you to create unique shades yourself. To protect the surface, it is additionally coated with parquet transparent varnish.
• Oil-based tinting paints are great for transforming interior and entrance doors. Absorbing into the wood texture they give it a unique shade. The only condition for their use is wood, without any coating.

Variety of paints and varnishes

• Nitro enamels. They dry quickly, but at the same time the volatile, caustic solvent evaporates, which can cause poor health and even poisoning. If you take precautions and use personal protective equipment when working, then this option deserves attention. After the solvent has completely evaporated, the coating becomes safe. It is considered a high-quality and fast method of painting.
• Colored varnishes, glazes. These materials are used for painting varnished door panels. Used in cases where there are no significant cracks or chips on the base. To fully restore the varnished surface, the old varnish must be removed, or you can refuse to re-varnish and paint over the interior doors after puttying.

How to paint a lacquered door to transform it

It often happens that you are quite tired of varnished doors, but there is no money to purchase new ones. You can find a way out of this situation, transform the door so that it pleases not only you, but your entire family. But in order to do this correctly, you need to know the technology of preparatory work and the process itself, how to paint a varnished door. In this article we will tell you how to reproduce all these works.

We prepare tools and materials before painting

•Liquid for degreasing.

•Spatula, screwdriver, brush, roller or spray gun.

Preparing the door surface for painting

In order for the paint to adhere well to the surface of the varnished door, it must be pre-treated before painting. Therefore, before painting a varnished door, it should be prepared for this process. You should not skip the preparatory work, since 80% of the successful finishing of the door as a whole will depend on them.

Surface preparation process

•We prepare the place where painting will be carried out. This process can take place on site, then paper or oilcloth is placed under the doors. If you decide to remove the door from its hinges, then prepare a special table on which the doors will be painted.

•All locks, handles and decorative elements are removed, and the surface of the door is degreased with an alcohol or vinegar solution.

•Using a hair dryer, remove the varnish coating from the heated surface of the door with a spatula. This process is carried out until the paint layer is completely removed.

•All surface irregularities and old coating are sanded with sandpaper to a smooth, rough state.

•If there is such a need, then the surface of the door is coated with an antiseptic.

•If there are defects, cracks and chips on the surface of the door, they should be removed using wood putty. The best option for this would be a fine-grained composition that dries quickly.

•After drying, the areas treated with putty must be sanded.

•Then the door leaf is primed in two approaches. After the first layer has dried, the second is applied.

Related article: How to make a door stop with your own hands

Painting a lacquered door

Now we come to the climax of our article, where we will learn how to paint a lacquered door. Work should begin by painting all the recesses and door edging. You need to pay special attention to the joints. Next, the entire surface of the door is painted. You shouldn’t put a lot of paint on the roller to avoid smudges, and if they do happen, you should remove them as quickly as possible before the paint dries. If after the first layer, the door leaf is not uniform and there are bald spots, then you need to apply a second layer of paint.

Painting an old door that has already been painted

It also happens that you have to restore a fairly old door leaf that has already been painted. Here you will have to work a little more. Now we will tell you how to paint a varnished door if it has already been painted previously.

•Locks and handles are removed from the door.

•The door surface is thoroughly washed and dried naturally.

•The door leaf is processed with sandpaper.

•The areas that are not to be painted are sealed with masking tape.

•The surface of the door is treated with a thin layer of primer. You should not apply a lot of impregnation, since it will not be absorbed into an already painted surface, but will stand out as separate puddles on the surface of the door or smudges if the doors are painted in a suspended state.

•After this we proceed to applying the main paint. This should be done after the primer has completely dried. The coating layer should be as thin as possible; it is better to have two or three thin ones than one thick one. Just keep in mind that before applying a fresh coat of paint, the previous one must dry.

Now you know how to paint a lacquered door to breathe a second youth into it. If you follow technology, you can quickly turn an old, boring door into a fresh and attractive one. Now you don’t need to waste money on purchasing a new door; try restoring the old one.

Features of working with different surfaces

If the old door looks good, but the coating has only faded and worn out, then it can be quickly updated with the help of such an event as painting the doors without removing the previous layer. The tactics of work will depend on the type of coating available:

Painted doors

This option will cause the least amount of trouble with preparation and has every chance of getting a high-quality surface. To repaint such doors, it is enough to thoroughly wash the surface of the door to remove dirt and grease stains, and fill all cracks and gaps with putty. It is better to take automotive epoxy compounds with a hardener. Such putties do not shrink when dry, and all defects can be repaired in one go. After the putty has dried, the surface is sanded with fine (120 grit) sandpaper. It is better to use a vibrating sander on large flat surfaces (counters, panels). The main task when working with a painted door is high-quality painting, which is achieved by applying several uniform layers of material. The duration of the work will directly depend on the time it takes for the next painted layer to dry completely.

Old painted door

Lacquered doors

If you decide to renew the varnish surface by applying a new layer, it should be taken into account that all defects will remain visible.

The main difficulty in this situation is selecting putty to match the base material. But the wooden surface is not monochromatic in nature. Even if you spend a lot of time and use several shades of putty, you will still end up with stains on the canvas.

How to paint a door correctly: useful tips

1. Before painting the doors, the structure must be carefully inspected and repaired. During operation of veneered doors, the material may peel off at the bottom. The coating should be carefully separated from the door base, coat the underside of the veneer and panel with special glue, and press the elements using clamps. To ensure a tight and even fit of the veneer, you can lay boards or pieces of plywood on top. Painting should be started only after the glue has completely dried.
2. It is often necessary to sand and paint a door frame without removing it. To avoid staining adjacent surfaces, they must first be covered with masking tape.
3. During painting, you need to squeeze the paint roller well so that drips do not form on the surface.
4. Drips from the brush can be removed with an ordinary sponge. It is enough to blot the drip areas and “walk” with a roller.
5. The hinges and latch lock are not painted, but are left in their original form.
6. The protrusion of the frame, which often comes into contact with the door during opening/closing, is recommended to be painted 2-3 times, since these parts are regularly rubbed down.
7. Before use, new brushes should be combed out and kept in water for several hours - this will soften the bristles.
8. Painting protective tape from the door leaf or areas adjacent to the frame should be removed immediately after painting. If this is done after the paint has dried, some of the paint will be removed along with the tape.
9. During the drying process, it is necessary to exclude the possibility of direct sunlight, midges and dust coming into contact with the painted surface.

Opening with varnish - practicality and durability of wooden doors

Let's consider the technology of how to properly varnish a door:

1. The first stage is preparation. The order of preparatory activities is fully consistent with the paint application technology.
2. Mix the selected varnish directly in the jar to obtain a homogeneous mass (during storage of paintwork materials, the material may delaminate). Stirring is done very slowly so that bubbles do not form.
3. The first layer is a primer. It is performed with diluted varnish, diluted with water or solvent (depending on the type of base). The primer is applied along the wood structure with a brush. You cannot stop while painting, otherwise a stain will form on the surface that will have to be sanded.
4. After the primer has dried, sand the door with fine sandpaper to remove protruding wood fibers.
5. Applying a layer of varnish. This layer is applied in a cross direction with the previous one.

The door is opened with varnish until a perfectly smooth surface is formed. You will have to apply at least three layers.

Choosing paint and varnish for interior doors

An old wooden door that has lost its attractiveness can be easily restored by painting. To give the canvas a truly new look, you need to choose the right paint and do the preparatory work. Painting compositions based on aggressive solvents are a thing of the past. An excellent choice for painting a door block is odorless enamel, stain or water-based varnish.

Material Compatibility

It is not so easy to understand the modern variety of materials. Chemical compositions for the uninitiated person are a secret behind seven locks, and when buying a material to apply to old paint, many rely on luck, hoping that the old layer will not react in any way to contact with the new chemical. There are some recommendations according to which you should select the material depending on what the door is painted with.

Variety of colors

Therefore, before you go for paint, you need to clarify what the canvas is painted with.

• Epoxy and polyurethane compounds contain aggressive solvents. Cyclohexanone or xylene are capable of destroying materials that are reversible polymers obtained by natural curing (nitrocellulose, vinyl, copolymer-vinyl chloride compounds). Simply put, epoxy or polyurethane paint will destroy the coating made with nitro paints.
• Epoxy and polyurethane materials are applied only over the same compositions or primers, maintaining drying intervals for each layer.
• Silicate compounds are generally not applied over any other types of paints.
• Alkyd paints are not aggressive and can be safely applied over any material.
• Copolymer-vinyl chloride compounds and compounds based on chlorine rubber are applied only over acrylic, epoxy, and silicate materials.

Important! To update the door, it is better to use paint of the same type as the previous layer.

Compatibility table

Despite the recommendations of the material compatibility table, it is better to use an experimental test: apply the new material to a small area of ​​the canvas and see the reaction.

What to consider when choosing paint?

Having decided to independently restore interior wooden doors, you need to learn an important rule: odorless paint is intended for interior work, and all other enamels and varnishes are for external use.

When choosing enamel for windows and doors, take into account the characteristics of the canvas:

• The door block is made from different types of wood and waste from the woodworking industry. The density of the material determines the amount of paint absorption before it dries. An extra layer is an additional cost. When choosing an expensive paint and varnish material, it is wise to use drying oil. After impregnation, loose wood will be covered with a film, and paint absorption will decrease.
• The consumption of varnish or enamel for doors depends on the surface. For a smooth one, just apply two thin coats of paint. Rough material requires more layers.
• When restoring door blocks, it will not be possible to completely remove the previous coating. The new paint and varnish material should not contain aggressive substances that corrode the old paint. During the reaction, swelling and peeling will appear on the canvas.

Additionally, when choosing a paint and varnish material, the intensity of use of the door block, as well as the level of humidity and ambient temperature

The choice of color is a personal preference. The new canvas looks beautiful under clear varnish or with the addition of stain. After cleaning, it is better to cover the old door with enamel, choosing the desired color.

Frequent changes to the interior are not complete without repainting the door block. To avoid future difficulties, choose a paint material that is easily removed from the surface.

Selection of paint and varnish material

At the same time as preparing the door leaf for painting, take care of purchasing high-quality paint and varnish material. Most old doors were covered with paint, which over time loses its attractive appearance, cracks and peels. Now in the retail trade there is a large number of paint and varnish coatings for wooden doors. And in order to choose a worthy and reliable option, the consumer needs to decide what he wants to see in the end, after the restoration of the door leaf. Some people want to preserve the naturalness of wood, preferring transparent varnishes and paints, while others choose compositions that completely cover the original structure of the door. Based on his preferences, a person can make a choice in favor of:

• Acrylic paints, polyurethane, perchlorovinyl or oil bases, or opaque enamel.
• Stain, varnish, oil impregnation. These compositions will give the wooden base richness and brightness.
• If you want to choose an odorless paint coating for wooden doors, we recommend giving preference to acrylic compositions. When choosing, look at the shade of the dye, keeping in mind that after application to the surface of the wood, the solution will still differ in color.

Experts and craftsmen in this field advise painting wood with acrylic paint. This material is made on a water basis, which allows it to be evenly absorbed and distributed over the entire surface to be painted. In addition, the consistency of acrylic paints allows them to be applied with a regular paint brush without any problems. Painting a wooden door can also be done using other compounds:

• Alkyd paint and varnish solutions. Their main advantage is their high drying speed and excellent water repellency characteristics. Also, such compositions have good resistance to temperature changes.

Apply alkyd paints only to a well-dried surface. If this requirement is neglected, the paint will soon flake off and flake off the wet wooden surface.

• Varnish. Varnishing wooden doors involves choosing the right shade of the solution. It must exactly match the interior design of the room.

How to treat a wooden door?

Wood has a big disadvantage - it absorbs moisture. An expanded sash cannot be closed or opened normally. To prevent a wooden door from swelling from dampness, before painting it must be treated with a protective impregnation and preparatory measures must be carried out.

1. The process begins with removing the sash from its hinges and dismantling the protruding fittings. The canvas is laid on a horizontal surface, sanded and thoroughly cleaned from dust.
2. When using paint, the clean surface of the wooden door is impregnated primer. The first layer is allowed to dry and the second treatment is performed.

3. The panel door is painted with a roller, and the panel door with a brush. Depending on the structure of the material, 2 to 4 layers of enamel are applied.
4. If stain is used instead of paint, the surface of the wooden door is not primed. The door leaf is simply sanded and cleaned of dust. The stain itself is a protective impregnation that penetrates deeply into the wood.

A wooden entrance door needs to be treated especially well, since outdoors the door is constantly exposed to moisture and temperature changes.

Features of door painting

Old doors in apartments and houses were made of solid wood. And therefore, in this article we will pay more attention to the question of how to paint wooden doors. To begin with, it is worth noting that, regardless of the material, there are three stages of painting the door leaf. This:

• Preliminary cleaning of the door leaf. Preparing a door for painting begins precisely with the stage of stripping its surface of the old coating. The quality of the prepared surface will depend on how correctly this process is performed. The cleaned door should be perfectly flat and smooth;
• Primer of the canvas surface. Primed doors for painting will contribute to the correct and uniform distribution of the coloring matter along the plane, and will also ensure a high level of adhesion. Such characteristics determine the quality and durability of the entire door structure;
• Coloring. Painting a wooden door does not differ fundamentally depending on the type of wood. A coloring solution is applied to pre-primed doors for painting. We will look at the technology of painting door structures with a roller below.

Each of these stages influences the achievement of the final result. That is why they should be given individual attention.

Painting a wooden door

How to paint a wooden door?

The paint for the door leaf must meet high performance characteristics and be safe for human health. Conventionally, paint and varnish materials are divided into two groups:

• It is better to paint new wooden interior or entrance doors with transparent The applied layer is a decorative glaze that does not hide surface defects. A transparent coating can highlight the interesting structure of new wood.

• Opaque paints or enamels for windows and doors are made from solvents with added pigments. Under a new layer it is easy to hide wood defects, uncleaned areas of old paint, or simply give the door block a new original look.

Related article: How to remove the handle from a plastic door

Most often, when restoring a wooden door, preference is given to opaque paints.

From a wide variety of interior work, it is best to choose safe water-based paint or varnish. From the street, a wooden canvas can even be coated with nitro paint.

Alkyd paint

It is advisable to use alkyd paint during major renovations when no one lives in the apartment. During this period, all toxic odors will have time to disappear. The dried surface can be matte or glossy, but in any case it repels moisture well.

Alkyd quick-drying enamel is characterized by the presence of a pungent odor. Its popularity is justified by the variety of colors, low cost, and resistance to aggressive environmental influences.

Alkyd varnish

Due to their transparent structure, it is better to cover a new wooden interior or entrance door. The disadvantage is the strong odor and long drying time. A shiny transparent glaze will highlight the beauty of natural wood.

Acrylic paint

The best choice to paint interior wooden doors indoors. The advantage of the coloring composition is the absence of a toxic odor, as well as the ability to preserve the wood texture. A thin layer allows the wood to “breathe”.

Acrylic enamels dry quickly, and after painting there is no toxic odor indoors. Another advantage is the large selection of colors. The disadvantage is the high cost. After drying, the surface becomes matte. Additional opening with acrylic varnish further increases the cost of painting a wooden structure.

Acrylic lacquer

Acrylic varnish is perfect for covering a new, unfinished interior door. The non-flammable composition, harmless to human health, will preserve the color and texture of the wood. The wooden door leaf on the street side is not coated with acrylic varnish.

Thermal enamel

It is unreasonable to use it for an interior door block. The paint is expensive and its main purpose is to protect the painted surface from low and high temperatures. If desired, you can paint a wooden or metal door at the entrance to the house. Thermal enamels differ in their scope of application. For wooden panels, Bosny aerosol paint is suitable, which can withstand, depending on the brand, heating up to a temperature of +200°C or +650°C.

Nitropaint

The most durable and durable paint for wooden doors is nitro varnish or nitro enamel, but it is better not to use it for interior door blocks. They are highly toxic and can only be handled in well-ventilated areas. Nitro paint is suitable for the front door. If it needs to be removed in the future, it will not be easy to do.

Polyurethane paint

Polyurethane paints, characterized by good adhesion to wood, are gaining popularity. With proper preparation of the wooden surface, you can not be afraid of the appearance of blisters on the door. The dried layer of paint is completely harmless to humans, retains its bright color over a long period of use, and is also resistant to scratches. The main advantage of the polyurethane layer is elasticity. If the wood is slightly deformed, cracks will not appear in the paint.

Coloring technologies in detail

Having processed the door leaf, you can start painting. When carrying out work, several rules must be taken into account:

• apply paint in 3 layers;
• Apply each new layer after the previous one has dried;
• paint doors with panels with a brush, immediately removing excess;
• roll panel wooden doors;
• Place the initial layer from the upper left to the lower right, the second from top to bottom, the final layer from right to left;
• Before work, rub and fluff the paint brush so that loose bristles come out.

Alkyd enamel

If the door is on hinges, then paint from top to bottom, moving the brush left and right: this way the drops will not flow onto the painted part of the surface. If the door is removed from its hinges and lies on a horizontal stand, then you can start painting from any edge.

Apply enamel in 2 layers: apply the second after the first has dried. Paint consumption – 50-80 g per 1 m2. How long it takes for a layer of paint to dry depends on the component composition, ambient temperature, and percentage of moisture. A water-based composition usually dries in half an hour, while paints based on alkyd resins take more than a day to dry. If the wooden door is paneled, then first paint the panels, then the recesses and protrusions, and finally go over the wooden panel with a roller.

To create the effect of wenge wood, it is necessary to paint the wooden surface with an appropriate decorative impregnation based on oils. It should be applied in at least seven layers after applying the main coloring composition.

Stain

To prevent the wood from absorbing excess moisture and to ensure that the composition lies evenly, the door leaf must be slightly moistened. Apply stain to the wooden surface first along the grain, then transversely. The final layer is also longitudinal.

Cover the side surfaces and wooden elements from bottom to top so as not to drip onto unpaved areas. Proceed in this order if the final layer is planned to be an opaque composition. After processing, the wood will absorb moisture, its fibers will swell, so you will need to sand it with sandpaper and repeat the steps.

After painting, a dried wooden door looks lighter. Therefore, it takes so many coats to achieve the desired shade. If you want to get the job done faster, use alcohol stain. Then the treated surface does not need to be sanded again. Although water-based stains are more popular because they are safe and do not emit a pungent odor.

Impregnations

Stir the impregnation thoroughly to prevent stains from forming on the coated wooden door. Work using a brush, sponge, or spray bottle. Apply the composition to a wooden canvas, spread evenly with a brush, roll out with a roller. Leave to dry for a day, after this time apply a second coat.

Wood imitation

To create the visual effect of wood on metal or any other door material:

1. Paint the door white, beige, pale yellow or gray-yellow. Leave to dry.
2. Take liquid soap. Use a brush to cover the desired area.
3. Apply dark paint.
4. Remove the soap coating.

Painting laminated doors

If the door has no noticeable defects, then after sanding and priming, use stain or tinting varnish to restore it.

To properly paint a laminated door, use the same algorithm as when painting a regular wooden surface:

1. Prepare the surface. Clean, sand.
2. Apply putty to the dried surface and sand it with sandpaper. Repeat the steps.
3. Thin the paint with solvent to the optimal consistency. Apply in 3 layers.
4. If desired, seal the final coat with clear varnish.

DIY varnish coating

It is preferable to paint with a spray gun, but you can also paint with a brush. Fill the spray bottle with either diluted or heated to 60 ° C composition. Solvent and white spirit gasoline solvent are suitable for diluting oil varnish. Dissolve the remaining varnishes with construction (646, 647) or auto-thinners (649, 650).

After the first application of varnish, wood fibers may rise. Remove them with fine-grained sandpaper. Sand carefully so as not to remove the protective coating, exposing the wood. Wipe the canvas with a soft, clean cloth and apply a second layer of varnish. If necessary, repeat the steps again. Apply each new layer of varnish when the previous one has dried well.

Advantages of stain and varnish

For wood, stain and varnish not only give a beautiful appearance, but also additionally protect the natural material from aging. A combined coating of two components is often used. The stain penetrates deep into the wood, where, together with tannins, it forms a protective barrier against moisture and preserves the natural color of the wood from fading. The varnish creates a decorative shine on the door and also additionally protects it from moisture.

Door painting technologies

The quality of the door coating depends on the tool, application method and professional skills of the craftsman.

Tools

Door painting is done using the following tools:

• Brushes. It is not recommended to paint the entire canvas with just one brush. If you lack experience, the surface will end up with streaks. It will not be possible to apply a thin, even layer of paint with a brush. But without this tool it will not be possible to paint hard-to-reach places, corners, layout patterns or panel margins. Therefore, when painting canvases with a complex configuration, first work with a brush, painting over problem areas.
• Roller. Repainting panel interior doors is done with just a roller. The roller bobbin must be fur, polyamide or polyacrylic. These materials are resistant to most aggressive solvents.

Important! For painting work on door restoration, foam rollers are not used.

Working with a brush

• Compressor (spray gun). A spray bottle will allow you to get an even, thin layer. The result is a perfectly smooth coating. The process of applying paint is much faster than manually.

Related tools you can’t do without:

• gloves;
• paint tray;
• rags;
• masking tape;
• sandpaper;
• putty knife;
• and what you have at your disposal: stools on which you will place the canvas, or sawhorses.

In addition to paint and varnish, prepare putty, primer and solvent.

Painting veneered fabric

A wooden door covered with veneer cannot be painted with compounds based on aggressive solvents. First of all, this applies to nitro paint. Due to chemical exposure, matte spots will appear on the veneer. It is better to choose water-based, glyphthalic or polyurethane-based tinted varnishes.

To paint a varnished veneered wooden door, the surface is cleaned using a special floor solution. After removing the old varnish, the veneer is primed, and when dry, it is painted.

It is necessary to renew the entire wooden door block if the coating is damaged over a large area. It is easier to wipe out small scratches by matching the color of paint or varnish.

Features of painting over an old layer

At first glance, painting a wooden door over an old layer seems like a trivial matter: just go ahead and paint it.

Painting the door

But in fact, in order to paint a wooden door and get a surface that will be no worse in quality than factory painting, learn a few rules:

• The surface of the door, regardless of its condition, must be carefully prepared. Against the background of the old paint, cracks and potholes are invisible, but after applying a new layer they will appear and ruin all your efforts.
• The right choice of material for painting an interior door. It’s not just a matter of proper selection of color, surface texture or the strength of the film formed. It is important to consider the compatibility of materials. Many paints are not compatible with each other, and if chosen incorrectly, the old coating may curl or bulge when it comes into contact with the new material.
• Decide on the correct paint application technique. For doors with a complex structure, it is possible to obtain a smooth and neat surface with proper selection and combination of painting techniques and painting tools.

The last rule, common to all cases of working with paint, is to strictly follow the instructions for applying the selected paint material.

How to paint wooden doors

An important condition for quality painting is to prepare the surface well. The wood is treated with an antiseptic against fungi and sanded. Much attention is paid to the coating material: for example, varnish can advantageously present the beautiful texture of the canvas, and paint of a certain shade will help to fit perfectly into the interior design.

How to paint a wooden door with your own hands

To do this, you need to have tools (heat gun, spatulas, sandpaper or grinder, brushes and rollers). The door is prepared for painting: to do this, it is removed and the layer of old coating is removed. The wood is sanded to perfection, and then covered with paint or varnish in several layers and allowed to dry.

How to beautifully paint a wooden door

When painting a door, consider the overall design of the room. Pay key attention to color. For example, light and pastel colors are in fashion now. Such a door is advantageous: it looks beautiful and visually expands the space.

Related article: Is it possible to make a door in a load-bearing wall?

How to paint wooden doors in a country house

Varnish (matte, glossy, colored) is suitable for this purpose. Keep in mind that the structure of the wood, including its defects, will be visible under the varnish layer. There are many types of impregnations, waxes and varnish-based oils. Before choosing paint for a door, consider its properties.

How to paint old wooden doors

To begin, the door is removed from its hinges. Then it is disassembled, leaving the canvas itself. Old paint or varnish is carefully removed. The wood is covered with the first layer of varnish or paint and left until completely dry. After this, apply a second layer, which must also dry completely. The finished surface is polished.

How to remove old paint from a wooden door

It is best to remove old paint using an industrial hair dryer. You will also need a spatula and fine sandpaper. Warming up the old paint, pry it up with a spatula and remove it. The remaining particles on the wood are rubbed with sandpaper.

You can find out more about how to remove old paint here.

How to paint a solid pine door

The main advantage of pine wood is its texture. Therefore, it is better to coat the door with colorless varnish. The biggest mistake is using regular oil paint. It is also not allowed to apply varnish to wood that has not yet dried.

How to paint a fiberboard door correctly

For a smooth and well-sanded surface, varnish is suitable. Alkyd varnishes are applied without preliminary preparation of the door. If the fiberboard surface has flaws, it is sanded, primed and painted. To add shade, stain is used.

How to paint a varnished wooden door

For this it is better to use varnish, but only with a tint. It is not recommended to use paint over old varnish - it will not stick. Therefore, before painting it is necessary to remove the old varnish coating.

Is it possible to paint veneer doors?

Before painting a veneer door, you need to decide whether to leave the solid color or change the color completely. In the first case, varnish is suitable, in the second - paint. Priming is used if it is decided to coat the veneer with paint. This measure is necessary if the wood has many flaws.

DIY door painting

Before you start painting the doors, you need to carry out the preparatory stage of work. First you need to decide what means will be used to apply the coating.

Painting methods:

• using brushes;
• roller;
• spray bottle.

Then you need to prepare the tools and materials,

1. Preparation of the necessary material: prepare paint, solvent, brushes (or roller, spray gun).

Cover the surface around the perimeter of the doors that will not be painted with masking tape. Place a protective film on the floor. Prepare a rag so that you can wipe off paint if it gets on your clothes, hands, or smudges. It is better to work with gloves. If you use nitro enamel or alkyd paints, you must wear a gauze mask.

1. Preparing the door.

To paint a metal door with your own hands, you need to clean the door leaf from the old coating.

The process of removing old paint from a wooden door

To do this, use metal brushes, grinder attachments, abrasive meshes, and sandpaper. It is necessary to remove any remaining paint and remove rust. The old layer is especially carefully removed if the canvas was previously painted with a color different from the new paint.

1. Surface primer.

Before painting the doors, the prepared surface is impregnated with an anti-rust agent. After the canvas has dried, cover it with a layer of primer. It is best to use compounds from the same company as the main paint coating. The primer will ensure deeper penetration of the enamel into the surface layer of the metal and improve adhesion to the door leaf.

1. Coloring rules.

Depending on the method in which the paint will be applied, its consumption varies. The least amount of paint is used per 1 square meter when using a spray gun. Paint and varnish compositions are diluted according to the instructions, using exactly those solvents that are indicated in it or those that are similar in composition. For a brush or roller, the paint should be so thick that it does not run off. Ready-made formulations must be mixed thoroughly before use. It is recommended to use fine-pile rollers.

Please note that paints and varnishes for a spray gun should have a more liquid composition compared to those applied with a roller and brush. Read the instructions carefully; manufacturers provide detailed information about the proportions and solvents used.

Applying a second coat of paint on a metal door

The paint is applied in several layers, each previous one must first dry. The peculiarity of painting work is that if the surface is painted with a brush or roller, the layer is applied first in the horizontal, then in the vertical direction. Paint 2-3 times. In this way the layers of paint are leveled.

Applying paint to a door with a brush

The spray paint should be applied in such a way that it lays down in an even thin layer and does not form smudges. To do this, you need to choose the right spray distance. The same rule applies to paint packaged in spray cans.

Spray painting a metal door

Shake it for 15 minutes before use. Manufacturers' recommendations indicate the optimal pressure in the spray gun; for example, for hammer paint it is 6 atmospheres. Watch the video for detailed instructions on painting a metal door.

Metal door painting option

The ingredients included in the composition suppress the development of the metal rusting process. The modern market of paint and varnish products offers a wide range of effective products that will transform a metal door and ensure their reliable protection.

How to paint metal doors

Painting metal doors is fundamentally different from painting wooden doors.

How to paint a metal door

The metal surface is cleaned, wiped and dried. At the same time, rust and old coating are removed, and uneven surfaces are primed. Paint for metal doors can be alkyd, graphite, acrylic, hammer, epoxy. It is applied in several layers, after which it is allowed to dry completely.

How to paint a scratched door with spray paint

The damaged area is sanded to prevent rust. Then the area is wiped with solvent. Next, the metal doors are painted with powder paint in several layers, and the first layer can be made with primer.

Recommendations for choosing door colors

The color of the panel is selected based on your wishes. The main recommendations include:

• drying the surface before applying alkyd enamel;
• combination of shade of canvas with furniture;
• choosing a solid wood door coated with oil impregnation for a wooden home;
• combination of an aged door with antique items;
• choosing a dark-tinted door for lacquered furniture;
• use of water-based paints.

During the process of painting a door, you need to follow proper techniques and safety measures.

How to Paint Other Types of Doors

How to paint a laminated door

The first stage is surface preparation. It is cleaned of dirt and unevenness, and then puttied. Then the coating is matted with fine sandpaper and wiped with white spirit. The paint is coated in several layers and waited for it to dry completely.

How to paint a dermantine door

There are special water-based paints for restoring dermantine and leatherette. As an option, you can use a primer with high adhesion, onto which any paint with a high content of plasticizers can be applied.

How to paint a plastic door

For plastic, water-dispersion and acrylic paints are used. The surface is wiped with a special cleaning liquid or hot water to remove dirt. Then the door is treated with fine sandpaper and wiped dry with a napkin. It is best to apply the paint with a spray gun, as it does not leave streaks.

How to stain pressboard doors

The canvas is covered with a layer of stain. Excess of the latter is removed with a rag. The structure of the wood appears through the stain, which is very similar to natural wood. When the stain dries, the door is opened with varnish. In appearance, such a door is no different from the one made from solid wood.

What color to paint the door frames in the kitchen

Designers advise choosing bright, rich colors for the kitchen that give a good mood. Delicate pastel shades and traditional white are also suitable. Contrasting doors look good: the canvas is bright in color and the jambs are neutral, or vice versa.

How to paint interior doors in an interesting way

A safe option is to paint the door moldings in a contrasting color. Geometric compositions made from different colors look original. Stencil patterns, vertical stripes, and circles typical of the pop art style look good. Acrylic, an odorless paint for interior doors, is well suited for this.

How to paint interior doors white

If you don’t know what paint to paint interior doors, choose white - it’s a win-win option. The door is pre-primed and dried. Start painting from the ends or recesses (if there are any). Apply a minimal amount of paint to the brush. The accumulated paint in the corners of the panels is removed with a sponge.

How to paint a door antique

The painting technology is no different from painting a regular door, with the exception of the materials used - stain, patina, special waxes and colorless varnishes. An important condition when painting is that the wood texture should be clearly visible.

So, important conditions when painting a door are careful preparation of its surface and the choice of high-quality paints and varnishes. A bright palette, special aging effects, unusual design solutions - all this will turn the door leaf into a real work of art!

Selection of paints and varnishes

Paintwork materials are classified according to the following criteria:

• By composition (water and organic based);
• By protective effect (against organic and chemical substances, mechanical influences, changes in humidity and temperature);
• By method of use (internal, external, combined);
• By type (impregnations, paints, stains, varnishes).

1. Paints. Can be used to process new and old doors. There are no difficulties in choosing, but due to incompetence people choose the wrong material. Paint and varnish compositions can be transparent or opaque. The first compositions include certain pigments that exhibit the woody structure. But opaque coatings consisting of organic solvents (oil, alkyd and other types) are often used.

The most popular is alkyd enamel, the cost of which is affordable. This coating is highly durable and has a wide range of shades. But the enamel smells bad, its unpleasant odor remains for 2 days, so they work with it outside, first removing the canvas from the hinges or vacating the room. An alternative solution is acrylic enamel, which also has many colors but does not have a toxic odor. Dried paint does not have much strength, so it is additionally treated with acrylic varnish to protect it from mechanical stress.

Rice. 2. Paint on wood

A more durable coating for wood doors is nitro paint, which has optimal strength. The composition is toxic and sometimes leads to allergic reactions, so you need to wear protective equipment when working with it. If an old surface is treated with nitro paint, the panel is prepared and sanded in advance to a light shade.

2. Varnishes. They are traditional coatings that add shine to wood and protect its surface. Typically, varnish is used to coat doors in rooms with high humidity (baths and saunas).

There are many different varnishes:

• Acrylic. The material is resistant to negative influences, humidity and ultraviolet radiation. There are matte and glossy finishes without a toxic odor.
• Nitrocellulose. Wooden doors can be treated with varnish. The coating is not suitable for treating bathrooms and saunas, as it has insufficient strength and cracks quickly.
• Water based varnish. It has no unpleasant odor. Due to different additives, the properties of the material may differ.
• Polyurethane. The varnish has high strength and adhesion to wood, and comes in matte, semi-gloss and glossy. In addition to wood, polyurethane varnishes can be applied to parquet, veneer, and countertops.
• Oil varnish. There is no pungent odor. The composition contains a lot of fatty resins, so the old coating is removed from the door in advance. It is better to apply with a brush due to the thick consistency.
• Polyester. The composition has a pungent odor, is highly durable, but is toxic, so it is suitable for treating street doors.

It is better to paint interior doors with acrylic or polyurethane coating, and resistant materials are suitable for external work or rooms with high humidity.

Rice. 3. Varnish on wood

3. Stains. The purpose of such compositions is to tint the wood and provide temporary protection from negative influences. But it requires constant updating of the layer that emphasizes the wood structure.

There are several options:

• With a varnish base (azure). The composition reduces the duration of work, but aesthetics are difficult to achieve, so a single-color surface can be obtained by spraying with a spray gun;
• With oils. Must be diluted with solvent before use;
• With water. It takes longer to dry, but there is no toxic odor. The composition penetrates deeply, giving a more saturated shade and a clear pattern that looks beautiful;
• Alcohol based. It dries quickly, but is more expensive and has a strong odor.

To protect wood from fungus, moisture and dirt, oil wax is used, which penetrates deeply into the surface. The coating adds strength and shine.

If you are choosing what to stain the surface of the door with, then you need to take into account the drying time and the resulting effect.