Quick tips for painting interior doors
Painting seems like an easy task. After all, you probably see pictures on Facebook and Instagram of your friends or neighbors updating their living spaces with pleasing paint colors and unique touches. It seems easy, right? Except not every surface in your home makes for a great canvas. And interior doors are among the hardest to paint - despite looking as if it's the easiest thing to update. Multi Lakes Handyman Services has some tips for making it easier to paint the interior doors in your home or office.
What do you do with the doors?
This might see obvious but what's the most effective way to paint your interior doors? You could take the door off the hinges or you could keep them on and figure out how to paint the door while still on its hinges. Truthfully, there are pros and cons to both options. Either way, you're likely only going to be able to paint one side at a time - allowing plenty of time for drying.
Prepare the door and the area
This seems like a no-brainer but before you start painting, you'll need to figure out a few things. First, figure out what type of paint is currently on your door. It'll save you a lot of time in the long-run. Another time saving tip? Put the drop cloth down before you start prepping the door. Next, start removing door knobs and any other hardware from your interior door. In the long run, this makes painting the door easier and it gives you an opportunity to inspect the hardware and see if you need an upgrade. Gently sand the door to make it easier for the primer or paint to absorb. If you're planning on sanding, make sure you remove any dust from the area before you prime or paint the interior door. If you see any holes, gaps, or chips around the area, sand it down or fill it in to make it easier to paint over.
Picking out paint & materials
Want professional results? You'll need to purchase top-notch tools and materials. Put your investment into either a 2-2.5 inch sash brush to paint the door and trim; or a microfiber roller sleeve (if you prefer a roller) because the finish will come out smoother. When you're painting an interior door, you should look into higher quality items like painters tape, drop cloths, paint trays, and even sandpaper. Higher quality items can make the job go smoother with less mishaps in between.
When picking out paint, white may seem like the easiest choice but try a paint with a pop of color to perk up the room. Also think about what color you want the trim to be. Ensuring your trim is complementary in color is half the battle.
Get ready to paint
Before you start painting, make sure you are well-rested and hydrated. Why? Because you're going to want to paint without breaks. Given the surface of interior doors, the completed look will be better if you don't take breaks. Even taking a few minutes to rest can mess up the look because the paint won't dry evenly. If you're painting with a latex paint, a second coat can usually be applied after four hours. However, if you're using oil-based paints, it will be about 24 hours before you can apply a second coat. While some painters recommend sanding after the first coat is dry with a 320-grit sandpaper, it's not always necessary. If you choose to sand again, remove any paint dust that lingers with a clean cloth before applying a second coat.
Save time and money by hiring a handyman
Some people would rather hire a professional handyman for the job - and that's OK but there are some time saving measures you can take if you decide to paint an interior door on your own. For one, you can paint with a sprayer when you get to that stage. You can also utilize a smoothing tool for edges so yo don't need to tape. But, at the end of the day, it all comes down to planning. When you plan properly, you can save yourself time and money in the long-run. It's better if you can plot out any of the points listed above before you start painting so your painting project goes more smoothly. If you decide it's not worth the effort, call us instead.
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