what kind of paint for doors

What Kind of Paint for Doors – A Step by Step Guide

Do you want to know what kind of paint for doors is the best? Doors of any material, especially if outdoors, require periodic maintenance, especially repainting.

Obviously, this process will be different for the various types of materials with which doors are made. In spite of this differentiation, if you carry out painting with a brush, it does not present excessive difficulties in execution nor does it require a particular skill.

Therefore, once you choose the right product, with patience and time you can easily try your hand at painting doors. Fortunately, in this guide, we will find out the best paint for doors.

What Kind of Paint for Doors

Techniques and Advice

Wooden Doors Indoors

You need the following materials and requirements. Remember some items within the same process may have alternatives.

Free space where you will carry out painting. It should be well ventilated and dust-free.

Two trestles: You will need them to support the door during painting.

Brushes: It is best to have more than one with different shapes and sizes. The result of the work depends very much on the quality of the brush you choose. So our advice is to choose good brushes with soft synthetic bristles. You will need at least three of them:

  • A medium size, flat one to paint flat areas
  • Another medium sized, round one to paint edges, relief parts, and hard to reach corners
  • A small round one for retouching

Sandpaper of different grains. You will need them to remove any pre-existing layers of old paint. Start with the coarse-grain sandpaper and finish with the fine-grain one. When sanding, you must take care care to avoid heavy marking of the wood.

Chemical paint stripper: It can make the removal of the old paint faster and less burdensome. In fact, it makes it easier to detach it from the wooden surface. In addition, it makes it easy to remove it with a spatula or scraper.

Wood filler: It serves to fill cracks and fissures.

Other Tools to Have

Spatula/spatula: They are for paint stripping operations (removing old peeled paint and working in critical areas).

Screwdrivers / pliers: You will use them dismantle locks and handles.

Rubberized paper, cardboard, newspapers, and plastic sheets: You will use them to preserve floors, walls and any glass (of the door to paint) during painting operations.

Cleaning rags.

Protective kit (overalls and work shoes, rubber gloves, inhalation mask, and protective goggles).

What Kind of Paint for Doors – The Paints You Need

Water impregnation: It is a primer that does not seal the pores of the wood of the door. Moreover, it performs the dual function of protection and of clinging for the next coat of finishing varnish.

It is best to use those that contain biocides in their formulation. The biocides inhibit the development of mold and keep parasites away.

Finishing varnish for interior wood: This is an enamel that, when drying, forms a compact and covering film that seals the woodwork. The varnish film not only ensures protection, but also improves the aesthetics of the door.

It ensures the coloring and finish that you want, which can be glossy or satin-finish. It is also possible to opt for a transparent varnish that leaves the natural grain of the wood visible. You can dissolve the enamels in both water and/or in organic aliphatic/aromatic solvents.

What Kind of Paint for Doors?

The cost per liter and the yield of the varnish is another important evaluation. The technical data sheet indicates the yield provides the square meters that a liter of paint can cover. Usually this parameter varies between 8 and 15 m2/liter.

The Steps to Take

If the door is new and the wood is bare and without varnish, it is sufficient to wash it with hot water and ammonia. It enables you to remove any traces of grease that could affect the adhesion of the varnish film.

If old varnish covers the door, it is necessary to remove it completely and bare the wood. The easiest way, even if long and laborious, is to use up the old varnish with sandpaper.

You should start with coarse-grain sandpaper and end with fine-grain sandpaper that will not strip the wood excessively. When the varnish is completely worn out, dust the wood thoroughly.

Alternatively, you can use a chemical paint stripper.  Use a brush to transfer the paint stripper, which has a gelatinous consistency, onto the varnish. Leave the product to work for about twenty minutes.

The final effect is a swelling and a soaking of the sheet of paint. You can easily remove it with a spatula and scraper.

Proceed by small areas, and you will completely remove the varnish, and lay the wood bare. At the end of the process, wash the the naked wood carefully to remove all traces of chemical product.

Use the corrosive paint stripper with caution to avoid it coming into contact with your skin and eyes. Make sure you use rubber gloves, protective goggles, and a mask to protect yourself from inhaling vapors.

What Kind of Paint for Doors – Apply the First Coat of Impregnating Agent

On clean and dry wood, apply a first coat of impregnating agent with a brush. Then wait about ten hours for the impregnating agent to be absorbed and give a second coat. Wait for it to dry again.

On the impregnated and dry wood, give a quick passage of sandpaper with a very fine weave, and remove the dust carefully. You use the light sanding to prepare the surface for the next finishing stage.

Using the brush, give the first coat of finishing varnish, taking care to slightly increase the dilution by adding a 10/15% of water. Let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Give a second and last coat of enamel to the original dilution. Let it dry for another 24 hours.

If necessary, make final touches with the brush.

Conclusion – What Kind of Paint for Doors

If the finishing varnish is transparent and the door’s wood discolors in some places, some treatment may be necessary to even out the color. You should carry out the treatment immediately after laying the wood bare and before you apply the impregnating agent.

To even out the color, products known as stains are used, which are solid stains diluted with water or alcohol. We recommend water-based stains that give a less intense and therefore more manageable color. However, whatever the type of stain you use, it always gives a glimpse of the natural grain of the wood.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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