Painting Advice

"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn) 08/05/2020 at 16:25 • Filed to: None

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I want to paint my front door. It is made of wood. It looks like hell. What do I need to do to make it pretty, with the understanding that my handyman skills are just average (I did install the deadbolt and doorknob you see there, and they work).

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:28

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step 1: sand

step 2: paint

st ep 3 : bee r

Sovande > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:31

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Lots of sand paper. Or a chemical stripper followed by sand paper and some paint. I'd take it off the hinges, remove the hardware and get after it. 

ttyymmnn > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 08/05/2020 at 16:32

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Step 1 needs more specific data. 

ttyymmnn > Sovande 08/05/2020 at 16:33

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I won’t be able to finish it in a day. I will need to rehang it each night. 

Future ND Owner > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:33

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1. Remove door from hinges (it will be much easier to work on when it is horizontal)

2. remove all hardware

3 . lightly sand all six sides of the door (150 or 220 grit)

4. clean up all of the dust from sanding. ( use a vacuum and damp cloth) .

5 . prime all six sides of the door

6 . paint all six sides of the door. Use the best quality semi-gloss or gloss exterior paint you can afford (sherwin williams and benjamin moore are way better than the stuff from the big box stores)

7. reinstall hardware

8. reinstall door

ttyymmnn > Future ND Owner 08/05/2020 at 16:34

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How hard will it be to sand by hand? I have no power tools. Well, I have a drill.

Spaceball-Two > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:34

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Sand at a  low grit, work up to higher grit. Mask, prime and paint. 2 coats should be good. Add a new handle and matching kick plate. All can be done with a frosty cold beverage.

ttyymmnn > Spaceball-Two 08/05/2020 at 16:35

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Handles will stay, but a kick plate would be nice. Won’t be able to see it with the screen door, but I need to replace that, too.

ClassicDatsunDebate > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:35

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Step .5: remove hardware

Step 1: wood filler in dings and gouges

Step 1a: Beer

Step 2: Light sand

Step2a: Beer

Step 3: mask glass (don’t worry you can always use a razor blade to clean up the overpaint)

Step 4: 2 coats of best quality paint like Aura ( are ya gonna miss the extra $20 to get top-of-the-line paint? It’s well worth the quality...and you’re looking at the thing for years)

Stap 5: Beer

ttyymmnn > ClassicDatsunDebate 08/05/2020 at 16:36

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I like the beer part best.

WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:37

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Step 1:

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:38

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Sand it, clean it, mask the glass and knobs, killz it, exterior paint it.

With doors , You may not want to paint the edges. If it's a tight fit in the frame the paint will make it stick.

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:40

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Not bad, but you will want to buy a block. (They're cheap)

Spaceball-Two > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:41

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I’ve done our front door several times. This last go round I used a Modern Masters Front Door Paint. You can get it from Amazon.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:41

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You could “do it right” like all these jokers are advising. But, you could also do the #overland route. Rhino liner all over that door!

You will never have to paint that door again.

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:42

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Ive painted plenty of doors while they're hung. It's not a big deal. Hardware can be left on too. Just use masking tape around the edges.

ttyymmnn > WasGTIthenGTOthenNOVAnowbacktoGTI 08/05/2020 at 16:43

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Oh, okay. I thought you meant this sand.

PatBateman > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:44

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Teal spray paint.  That’ll make it look AWESOME.  

ttyymmnn > Dr_Watson 08/05/2020 at 16:45

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Here’s a follow up: What color would you paint the inside of the door? The interior trim is gloss white. The exterior of the door will likely be a dark green. I’m thinking white like the trim, because it would be weird to have green on both sides. Or would it? The walls are brown.

ttyymmnn > CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever 08/05/2020 at 16:46

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Not sure Mrs. Ttyymmnn will go for that, but I like the cut of your jib.

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:47

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I would make it match the interior room's trim. Making it match the wall color looks weird (I've tried it).

ttyymmnn > Dr_Watson 08/05/2020 at 16:47

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Seems it would be easier to lay it flat, though. Could probably sand it one day, paint it the next.

TheRealBicycleBuck > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:48

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A random orbital sander is less than $50. Remember that lower numbers mean a more aggressive sandpaper. Get some 60 grit and 120 to go with the sander. Also buy real sandpaper sheets and some sanding sponges for the tight spots and curves .

Go easy on the pressure and let the tools do the work. It will be tempting to bear down on the paper, but that will just clog it up faster. Sand everything with 60 to get the old stain/sealer off, then 120 to get it smooth enough for paint. If you want to restain and seal, you might want to go with an even finer grit to make the wood really smooth.

Do all the work with the door resting on a couple of sawhorses. Trust me on this, it will be much easier. You can rehang it at the end of the first day if you haven’t started painting. DO NOT hang a door if the paint hasn’t dried. That’s a great way to mess up the paint and possibly stick the door to the frame or seals.

Do not paint in the sun. It will dry too fast and your brush will end up leaving streaks.

If you decide to stain and seal it, pick your stain and do that on day one. On day two, seal it with UV stabi lized polyurethane. Some companies sell mixed poly and stain in the same can. I think you will get better results doing it separately. Follow the directions on the material you buy, whether it’s stain and poly or paint. Don’t skip the poly if you just stain. The poly is needed to seal the door.

If you choose paint, do it in the morning so your paint is dry by the evening.

Good luck!

ttyymmnn > PatBateman 08/05/2020 at 16:49

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I told my wife I could probably just rattle can it and it would look fine. Like the time my neighbor rattle-canned his Corvette .

ttyymmnn > Dr_Watson 08/05/2020 at 16:51

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That’s also an awful lot of bright white paint.....

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:51

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It is easier, but not necessarily if you don't want to bother. I did a bathroom door two weeks ago and it went fine. Just don't forget the drop cloth.

MonkeePuzzle > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:52

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as Dr_Watson said, get a block. At the paint shop I picked up and 10 pack of sanding sponge/block thingers for onl y a few bucks. the sponginess made it easier to get into the nooks.

ttyymmnn > TheRealBicycleBuck 08/05/2020 at 16:53

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I’ve never used an orbital sander, but it seems like the money:work ratio will work out favorably, and the results will be better. I’m pretty sure we are going to paint, not stain, probably a green that matches the house trim.

Thanks!

ttyymmnn > MonkeePuzzle 08/05/2020 at 16:55

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Bicy cleBuck said I should get an orbital sander. This would be an excuse to buy power tools. I’d likely never use it again, though. Maybe I can borrow one.

Dr_Watson > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:55

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Ive seen plenty of people do both sides of the front door the same color so it sticks out. As long as the green and brown don't clash you could go that route. Take a photo and colorize it on the PC. See what the lady likes.

CarsofFortLangley - Oppo Forever > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 16:58

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Tell her it's tactical. Women love that

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:02

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Plenty of good advice here, but if you paint it in place, pull the latch & lock hardware instead of taping it. The finished product will give you better results than taping it can. Hinges? NBD, they’re easier to mask off perfectly.

T hin coats are better than thick , especially if you’re painting it in place .

ttyymmnn > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 08/05/2020 at 17:03

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Will definitely pull the hardware. If I can remember how I did it...... It’ll be easy to figure out. And there’s always YouTube. 

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:06

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I used something like this on my front door at my old place to give it a little more life. I had some left over after a furniture repair project. It’s cheap, blends the newer and faded parts together and just wipes on. It might be worth looking into for a quick and simple repair and deuglification.

ttyymmnn > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 08/05/2020 at 17:08

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So you just slap that on over the old stuff? No sanding?

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:15

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A new lockset wouldn’t hurt, especially if you end up going with a color that the current gold/brass clashes with. Helps freshen up the look, especially if that one shows much wear. (I’m sure there are some lock patina fetishists enthusiasts out there, but ignore them. This door probably isn’t numbers-matching, anyway.)

I’d second the suggestion of matching the interior side  to the trim, even if that much white seems like a lot, but you could step down from semi-gloss to satin * to lessen the impact

* or whatever the chosen paint brand offers that’s one step less shiny than semi-gloss; just don’t use eggshell/matte.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:21

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I would read the directions on their website, but yeah, pretty much. It really depends on what sort of finish the door already has, whether it’s sealed up tight with a varnish or if the pores of the wood are more exposed. I did a light block sanding first to knock down any edges of the old finish that were cracking and flaking and used this stuff to blend everything together. I would periodically reapply if areas started to fade, but if I was more concerned about it (it was just a rental) I might have put a layer of varnish on after doing the blend/restore to make it last longer. It's mostly meant for furniture, for indoor use, and may not repel UV, but the label or manufacturer probably has more info.

A bottle of this and a fine sanding block will probably set you back $15-20 and might be worth a little quick experimentation. It might be good enough.

ttyymmnn > Dead_Elvis, Inc. 08/05/2020 at 17:26

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If I change the lock on the front, I’ll have to change the back. They match. Previous owner had a deadbolt on the back with a knob on the inside, and the whole back door is panes of glass. Bad guy only had to punch out one pane to reach the knob. I replaced it with a keyed bolt and don’t keep the key in it.

I had thought of satin after we first talked. There is an interior door right next to the front door that is satin white with gloss white trim. So that would be a nice match.

ttyymmnn > Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. 08/05/2020 at 17:28

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Good to know. The door also gets a fair bit of sunlight, if indirect, and it’s clearly faded above the opaque section of the screen door. Paint might be better. 

Dead_Elvis, Inc. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:40

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You can have them keyed to match, or DIY if you’re working with the same brand on both doors; most sets come with instructions on how to do this.

Or did you mean the hardware finish of the front & back doors match? I get the argument for not replacing, in that case. I need to read more carefully.

Full of the sound of the Gran Fury, signifying nothing. > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:44

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https://www.howardproducts.com/product/sunshield-wood-conditioner/

https://youtu.be/GAuXZ6mTYkA

I didn’t know that they have a sun protector for wood which helps with the UV issue. Take a look at this video from a woman in Houston that refinished her door - pretty impressive results.

And looking at the manufacturer’s website, it looks like fine steel wool is the preferred method for preparation. Come to think of it, that's what I used as well...

Sovande > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 17:59

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You can probably strip it and prime it in a day. Then get it rehung and do the finish coat? You can certainly sand or use remover with i t in place, it just seems harder to me. 

I hate all things paint related so my first instinct would be to call a pro.

Sovande > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 18:01

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My parents front door is stained  dark green on the inside and outside. Their trim is all white. It doesn’t look bad. 

ttyymmnn > Sovande 08/05/2020 at 18:04

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I had not considered a green stain. Hmmm. I thinking, though, that I’d have a to get all the way down to bare wood to make that work. 

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 18:09

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that’s actually a pretty nice door. its increasingly hard to find all-wood doors t hat arent beat to shit or covered in 200 layers of paint. especially with lites, and especially with lites that arent rectangles. idk if you can sell the door, but it would be a shame to paint it unless significant parts of your house are also original and it would disrupt the character. i like old stuff, sue me

Sovande > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 18:09

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You could used a random orbit sander and have the big areas done in an hour or two. T hen go back and sand the details by hand. Unless you are going to reapply  or whatever is currently on the door, I would sand all that old stuff off anyway.

ttyymmnn > notsomethingstructural 08/05/2020 at 18:15

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The house was built about 40 years ago, and I’m sure the door is original. How hard would it be to restore the stain? Same as painting?

Nom De Plume > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 19:34

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Who knows if you’ll read this or how sensible anything after the first number of comments got.

Sanding is a skill. Practice on something you can check the flatness of afterwards easily. Uneven surface is a bad surface. Remove the door to your garage or outdoors if heat allows. Clean it up as evenly and well as your newly found skill allows.

I’d say restain it instead of applying paint that will crack and peel in the heat. I doubt many others accounted for the elements down there. I’m sure your local hardware store or a wood working place can recommend the correct stain and UV sealant for a the outer surface of a front door.  

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 20:15

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I would consider refinishing it over painting it. That’s a nice door.

ttyymmnn > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo 08/05/2020 at 20:35

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It’s probably 40 years old, original to the house. 

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 21:39

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As with all things it depends how good a job you want to do. You really just scuff for paint. Some coarse steel wool or sandpaper maybe some putty and primer you’re good to go. Staining you can try to patch it as it is and it’ll look pretty good, but to really do it right you have to sand off any clear finish to bare wood, and if you really   can’t match the stain you have to sand that off too. It is much easier to sand off finish and stain than it is to sand off paint, f inish and stain.

I personally would try to give it a decent scuff, try to stain the faded areas to match, and do a layer of a clear finish over the top of everything. Get something that’s like marine grade f inish for an exterior door. Unless you have an immaculate $2m house, I personally think it’s better for things to look a bit “lived-in” and this should look nice without trying to be a full-blown restoration. It also doesn’t preclude you from painting down the road, but painting basically precludes you from going back to stain.

ttyymmnn > notsomethingstructural 08/05/2020 at 22:17

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Good thoughts. Thanks. Part of the issue is that we have a screen door, which would basically hide anything we do to make the door more attractive. I don’t want to lose the screen door, because we like to keep the front door open during the day to let light in. We have considered getting a different door with a bigger window to let the light in while keeping the door closed. Might be possible to find a used door, but what are the odds it will fit?

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 22:28

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Pretty good actually, most front doors are 36x80 or 84 . Measure the leaf of the door and not the frame. A 60’s-70’s house you probably won’t have to shave a replacement leaf  or anything crazy - your frame should be pretty level and true. 

ttyymmnn > notsomethingstructural 08/05/2020 at 23:27

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Leaf? Not a term I’m familiar with. 

notsomethingstructural > ttyymmnn 08/05/2020 at 23:40

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The leaf is the part of the door that hangs on the hinges

ttyymmnn > notsomethingstructural 08/06/2020 at 00:18

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That’s what I figured. 

Beefchips > ttyymmnn 08/06/2020 at 02:05

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If you really want to paint it then  a bright color contrasting to the house. Bonus points for some flowers matching it in the front yard. But I’m with the other comments saying refinish it... that’s a little more classy and understated