Our doors are one of the parts of the home which we do not really think about when it comes to home improvements and updating the look of our room or hallway.
However, your room can be instantly updated and made to look brighter or fresher by a new coat of paint.
Painting interior doors is one of the simplest DIY tasks that you can do.
Type of Paint For Interior Doors
The first major decision surrounds what sort of paint is best to use on your woodwork.
The traditional choice for painting skirting boards or doors is gloss.
However, the high shine finish from this sort of paint is out of fashion at the moment.
This is particularly true of modern new-build homes.
Higher gloss interior doors are still fine in older period properties.
Gloss paint is hardwearing, but takes a long time to dry and gives off fumes when being used (although you can get low fume paint).
Satin wood or matt paint dries more quickly and gives a less shiny finish, but can also be less hardwearing.
All good DIY stores will have staff who can advise on the most appropriate paint for the job.
Preparation
The first step in painting a door is to prepare the wood.
This will ensure that it is the best condition to be painted.
This needs to be done with an electric sander or sandpaper.
Rub all over the door to remove the existing paint and provide a smooth and even surface to paint on top of.
We are presuming here that the doors are older and existing paint is thick.
On modern interior doors a light sand should suffice.
Take time to make sure the door is thoroughly sanded and this will give a far more professional finish.
Remove the handles to make sanding easier.
Priming
A layer of primer will provide the base for your top layer of paint.
Use a neutral colour and apply at least two coats of the primer, leaving time for each coat to dry completely before applying the next.
Painting
After the primer has dried completely, it is time to start the job of painting interior doors.
Decant a small amount of your chosen paint into a smaller plastic pot to make things more simple.
Choose a brush which is an appropriate size for the job.
Paint slowly and steadily, always following the direction of the grain in the wood.
This will give you more of an even and professional finish.
Take special care around the edges and use masking tape along any glass panels to stop drips or extra paint from becoming a problem later.
Once your first coat of paint has been applied, you should leave until completely dry.
You should then repeat the entire process for a second coat to make the finish more durable and hardwearing.
Finishing
Once the paint has been applied, carefully remove the masking tape around any glass panels to give a sharp edge to the painting.
You should rub down any areas which look patchy. Repaint these several times until the desired finish you are looking for is achieved.
You should then fix the handles back into place, or buy new handles to match the brand new painted look for your door.
You should keep some of the paint to allow for retouching the door should it get bashed or scratched in the future.
Don't Want To DIY Decorating?
If you would prefer to use a professional decorator instead of painting interior doors, we can help.
We have access to a UK wide network of tradesmen,
This includes painters and decorators looking to provide quotes for interior decorating.
Simply complete our job posting forms around the site with your interior door painting project details.
We will look for up to 3 quotes from local decorators for you on a no-obligation basis.
