The decorative covering of a door deteriorates over time and loses its attractiveness. If the old paint is cracked and peeling in places, it is recommended to remove the old coating before applying a new coat. But it also happens that the surface has only lost its shine, has become dull, or spots have appeared on it, but the layer itself lies smoothly and has retained its integrity. In such cases, there is no point in carrying out work to remove the old coating. High-quality removal old layer paint that has retained its strength will not work. It is difficult to remove. As a result, you can only damage the doors or get a surface whose quality is much lower than the original version.

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.

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. On the background 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 complex design 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 and varnish material.

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. Besides, color palette, presented in 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.

• Nitro enamels. They dry quickly, but at the same time a volatile, caustic solvent evaporates, which can cause ill 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.

Color selection

Having decided on the coloring composition, let’s briefly dwell on the choice of color. The manufacturer's catalog will make the task easier, but if it is not available, you can choose the right color yourself. Please note that the color will change as you apply a certain number of layers.

The color palette is chosen based on personal preferences, but it is possible to select a color depending on the design style of the house or apartment.

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.

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 chlorinated 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.

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 by such an event as painting the door 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 paint interior doors with your own hands, just thoroughly wash the surface of the door to remove dirt and greasy stains, fill all cracks and gaps with putty. It's better to take car ones epoxy paints with 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 if you use a vibrating sander on large flat surfaces (counters, panels). the main task when working with a painted door - 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 of the door to completely dry.

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.

Important! Secondary varnishing rarely gives the expected results. As a rule, the surface should be close to ideal. If you don’t want to tinker with the old coating, then it’s better to paint varnished interior doors that have lost their appearance or coat them with a tinted glaze.

The main difficulty in this situation is selecting putty to match the base material. But 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.

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. Re-painting of panels interior doors performed with just one 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.

• 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 schemes

First, a little theory. The interior door can be panel or panel. Depending on this, the execution scheme and the order of staining will depend.

If it is a panel-type canvas, then painting is carried out in 3 stages:

1. Coloring begins from the upper corner in the transverse direction. The movement of the brush goes from left to right.
2. the second layer of paint is applied in the longitudinal direction.
3. the third layer is similar to the first.

Please note that three layers cannot be applied at once; after each coating, time must pass for the composition to dry.

For work, it is better to use a roller, as the brush may leave streaks.

If it is a paneled door, then first all the recesses are painted with a brush, and then the rest of the panel, but with a roller.

Stages of work

All work can be written in the form of the following algorithm:

• It is better to remove the door and twist the fittings. If there is no such possibility (or desire), then handles, hinges, locks and glass are sealed with film and masking tape. It will be difficult to remove the paint. The tape must be removed before the paint dries.
• Washing and drying the door surface.
• Removing peeling areas, filling defects, sanding. Each layer is sanded after complete drying.
• Selecting the type of paint material.
• Applying a primer (paint diluted with the same type of solvent). This will improve adhesion and reduce the likelihood of bleed through putty areas.
• Application required quantity layers of paint or varnish.

For ease of work and control over dipping the tool into paint, use a paint tray.

It is more convenient to paint the canvas if it is located in a horizontal position. This way you won’t get unsightly streaks if there is too much paint in the corners and sides of the door leaf. Many people use specially prepared sawhorses for convenience, or take the easier route and place the door on 4 stools.

Protection of fittings from smudging. This is not a whim, but a reasonable step. It is advisable to twist it and put it aside for the duration of the work, but suitable option and with its protection, for which it is recommended to use masking tape.

Drips resulting from painting can be easily removed if you use a sponge, and then hide its traces by going over the area with a roller.

While the painted canvas is drying, make sure that no accidental dust gets on it or that a stray midge does not stick to it. To do this, it is better to do coloring in a special workshop.

Video on how to properly paint entrance blocks in a house or apartment:

You can update interior or entrance doors different ways. Painting without removing the old layer is the simplest and most quick way, which home craftsmen most often resort to. Result: beautiful door without much effort!

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Ira 01/30/2020 15:56

It’s better not to paint interior doors. the paint will stink for a long time

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Painting doors is a procedure that is performed due to various circumstances. But it must be taken into account that this event can be quite difficult. Particular care should be taken when painting interior structures that are not made of natural wood. There are many nuances that lead to things not working out. desired result. Therefore, you should study and follow certain rules developed for independent work.

The paint for interior doors is selected with special care. It is necessary to understand that you first need to find out what kind of coating the parts to be painted have. If the material of the canvases is wood or MDF, the following compositions are used:

• Nitro enamels. Many craftsmen rightly consider nitro enamels to be the best paint materials that exist today. Their arguments are based on the fact that the resulting surface has many positive qualities. So, it is durable and is not afraid of various impacts. This substance is easy to work with. Indeed, the advantages seem undeniable, but we must not forget that nitro enamels have a very pungent odor, which disappears within 2-3 days, provided that constant ventilation is established. Therefore, it is immediately worthwhile to provide for the preparation of a separate room or the presence of a hood for carrying out such work.

Nitro enamels allow you to create a durable coating, but have a very unpleasant odor

• Alkyd enamels. Opponents of the previous option are inclined to believe that you should not overpay for materials, so you need to pay attention to alkyd enamel. The fact is that this composition is much cheaper than nitro enamel, but has similar qualities. Yes it is. However, in addition to positive properties, such enamels were adopted and negative points. They take a very long time to dry and have a specific smell.

The main advantage of alkyd enamel is its low cost.

• Acrylic enamels. There are far fewer supporters of acrylic enamel. Although this is only explained by the more complex process of its application. After all, the peculiarity of this material is that it needs additional protection. For this, varnish is used, which is applied in several layers. In fact, the absence of odor and complete environmental friendliness make this composition ideal for work at home.

Acrylic enamel odorless, but needs additional protection

• Colored varnishes. Colored varnishes on wood are used less often. The fact is that they are designed to cover natural wood and veneer. Although they can be used to work even with fiberboard, the effect is not very impressive.

Colored wood varnishes allow you to create spectacular decorative coating

Particular attention is paid to compositions when the question arises of how to paint correctly laminated door? It must be taken into account that laminate has very low stability. In general, it is very difficult to paint such doors; all work must be done with the utmost care and painstaking care.

All the compositions described above can be used for work, but with one condition. It consists in the fact that the surface must be completely cleaned of the old coating, but in such a way as not to damage the base. Next, impregnation with antiseptics and primer is carried out. To create a new layer, it is recommended to use stain, which is covered with a protective layer of varnish. If you want to use paint, then the primer is applied in several layers. Of course, what paint to paint the doors with is up to everyone to decide for themselves, based on the requirements of the interior.

Stain allows you to prepare the door leaf for further decoration

Preparation rules

Interior doors for painting require careful preparation. It should be noted that in order to obtain the most desirable and visually beautiful coating, all work must be carried out with the condition that the canvas will be removed. That is, the process should be carried out in a convenient place, on horizontal plane. This will provide the most complete access to all parts of the structure, and will also allow the compositions to be applied so that a uniform surface is obtained.

Do-it-yourself preparation of interior doors occurs in several stages:

You can start painting the doors only after all the preparation steps have been completed. It is worth noting that many are negligent in such an important event as dust removal. You need to understand that the smallest particles will cause the paint to roll off and also lose its appearance.

Removing dust followed by priming the surface is an important stage of preparatory work.

On a note! Door paint is purchased only from trusted and reliable stores. The label must contain information that indicates for which work this composition is suitable, as well as preparation instructions.

Choosing a paint application tool

How to paint interior doors correctly? This issue requires very careful consideration. It is impossible to obtain a coating that will have an excellent visual effect if the technology is performed incorrectly. It is assumed that the application of paint (varnish) can be carried out manually or mechanically.

Of course, with some care and patience, you can complete the process quite well with a brush. It is necessary to understand that natural materials are the easiest to process.

Painting technology

How to paint an interior door with your own hands? The work itself is not difficult. But it is important to follow the sequence of applying each layer. The procedure is performed as follows:

• The surface is carefully checked. It must be prepared in compliance with all the nuances.
• The composition is prepared according to the instructions.
• The first layer is applied using the selected tool.

Using a foam roller when painting doors is not recommended

On a note! It is unacceptable to use a foam roller. The fact is that this material is destroyed under the influence of nitro enamels. In other cases, it promotes the appearance of bubbles, which makes it difficult to obtain a high-quality coating.

• The applied layer of paint must dry well.
• The coating is treated with abrasive. Zero grade sandpaper is suitable for this. It is convenient to use a grinder with a special attachment. But if you don’t have the proper experience, then you skip this stage at home.
• Painted areas are wiped well with alcohol. It is important to remove the resulting dust.
• The next layer is applied. It also needs to dry.
• The surface is polished.

After all the manipulations, the interior door takes on the desired appearance. To protect it, varnish is applied. Of course, this composition can be used as an independent element. It is applied in the same way as paint, but the number of layers is increased. It is important to do thorough sanding between coats to achieve the desired effect.

How can you paint a door? The question sometimes seems very difficult. This is true. But if you follow the existing rules, you will get a coating that will please the eye for a long time.

When installing new ones in the bathhouse wooden doors care should be taken immediately to protect them from negative impacts. Steam, high temperature, and drafts from ventilation contribute to the deterioration of wood, its deformation and loss of visual appeal. Painting the doors will help you avoid this - a simple and effective method. The most important thing is to choose the right paint and apply it correctly.

Paint and varnish products are classified as follows:

• by type – varnishes, paints and impregnations (oil, wax, stains, penetrating and film-forming);
• By chemical composition– organic and water based;
• by method of application - internal, external and combined;
• in terms of protective effects - from temperature and humidity fluctuations, from mechanical damage, from chemical and organic irritants.

In addition, all coatings are divided into transparent and opaque. The first includes varnishes, glazes and oil impregnations, the second includes paints and enamels made on acrylic, alkyd, polyurethane and oil bases.

Type of wood processing compound	Basic properties
	Suitable for painting interior and exterior doors, has high moisture resistance. Transparent, emphasizes the structure of the wood. Disadvantage: long drying time.
	Safe for health, suitable for any wood, quick-drying. Provides high protection against ultraviolet radiation, gives the surface increased resistance to dirt and moisture.
	The most harmless to health, non-flammable, used indoors. Not suitable for external doors. Preserves the natural texture of wood and its original color.
	Easy to apply, penetrates the wood well, gives the wood a darker shade. Used for treatment before painting.
	Penetrates deeply into wood, perfectly protects against moisture, fungus and dirt. Gives additional strength and a pleasant shine to the surface.
	Suitable for outdoor and internal surfaces, creates a durable, dense coating with water-repellent properties. Has high hiding power with a glossy or matte effect.
	It is easy to apply, has low hiding power, thanks to which it preserves the texture of the wood. It has high breathability, so it allows the wood to “breathe”.

Opaque paint for bath doors is used less often, since the natural grain of the wood fits more harmoniously into the interior. Traditionally, the interior decoration of a bathhouse is made of wood, which is why doors with a pronounced texture look better.

But if tiles are used to decorate the walls, you can make the doors plain by choosing the appropriate color.

When using paint it is required Preliminary processing surfaces with antiseptic impregnation and fire retardant if the door is in a steam room. It is advisable to choose all products from one manufacturer, this will improve their interaction and make the coating better.

The optimal choice for bath doors are alkyd-based varnishes and paints, the main advantage of which is considered to be resistance to temperature fluctuations and water resistance.

And one more thing: paint and varnish products should only be purchased from specialized stores where storage conditions are observed, especially temperature conditions.

Wood varnish prices

wood varnish

How to paint new doors

Untreated wood absorbs moisture well, and if new doors are installed in a bathhouse without impregnation with protective compounds, they will very soon swell and stop closing tightly. Therefore, before installing the doors, they need to be properly prepared and painted. All work should be done indoors to prevent dust from getting on the paint.

Step 1. The door leaf without handles, hooks and loops is laid on a flat, stable surface. During the manufacturing process, the material was already amenable to grinding, but small roughness or protrusions could remain. Therefore, using a grinder or sandpaper, the doors are processed again on both sides and at the ends. Remove any uneven surfaces and wipe off any dust.

Step 2. If paint is chosen for the doors, the canvas is first impregnated with a primer. The recesses are treated first, then the flat areas. Since the doors are in a horizontal position, drips do not form and absorption occurs more evenly.

Step 3. Allow the surface to dry completely and treat it a second time.

Step 4. Now you can paint. For a panel door, a roller is more suitable; for a paneled door, use a narrow brush. The paint should not be too thick; if so, thin it with solvent. You should not apply the paint in a thick layer, as this will only reduce the quality of the coating. Depending on the coverage, you may need from 2 to 4 layers of paint, each of which must dry completely before applying the next.

Step 5. While the door dries, paint the opening. You cannot leave it untreated for the same reason as doors; besides, a painted door in an unpainted opening does not look very harmonious.

After the paint has dried, the hinges, handle, and hook are screwed onto the door and installed in the opening.

If stain is chosen for the door, no primer is used. The stain penetrates deeply into the wood, coloring the fibers and increasing the protective properties of the material. There are several ways to apply stain, which give different results.

Way	Description
Trituration.	This method requires a stain with a long drying time. Using a roller, apply the composition to the door leaf and rub it thoroughly with a foam swab or a piece of thick fabric. You need to rub with force, centimeter by centimeter, so that the liquid penetrates well into the pores of the wood. The painted surface has a very pronounced pattern.
Spraying.	The stain is chosen in light colors and 2-4 layers are applied using a spray gun. This method of painting gives a less pronounced texture, but perfectly hides minor wood defects.
Regular application.	Suitable for flat surfaces. The stain is applied using a roller, resulting in the surface being painted evenly and without streaks.
Staining with a brush.	The product is generously applied using a wide brush, first along the fibers, then across. Thanks to this method, the wood acquires a deeper and richer shade.

Advice. To avoid discrepancies in color, stain should be purchased in reserve and mixed well in the jar before use. Coloring pigments tend to settle to the bottom, as a result of which when painting doors, one part may differ in tone from the rest.

Prices for stain

wood stain

Using oil or wax impregnation

Treating doors with oil impregnation also has its secrets. If applied incorrectly, streaks and darker areas may appear on the surface. Before use, the impregnation must be stirred very well, and this must be done several times during the work process. Apply impregnation in any convenient way - roller, brush, spray or foam sponge. The number of layers depends on the porosity of the material.

So, take a little product and distribute it evenly over the surface from edge to edge. It is more convenient to do this according to the width of the door leaf. Next, the impregnation is thoroughly rubbed with a brush or rolled out with a roller, avoiding sagging. The surface dries in 8 to 12 hours, depending on the composition and air temperature. The second layer is applied no later than 24 hours later, otherwise it will not be able to absorb well and its protective properties will decrease.

Wood impregnation prices

impregnation for wood

Painting old doors

Old doors in a bathhouse can also be revived and made no less attractive than new ones. Although this process is more labor-intensive, anyone can handle it. For convenience, the door must be removed from its hinges and laid horizontally, but if for some reason it cannot be removed, you will have to work this way.

Step 1. The door leaf is removed from its hinges and laid on flat surface. Unscrew handles, hinges, remove locks. If you can’t unscrew them, wrap them with tape or foil.

Step 2. Using an abrasive attachment, remove all layers of old paint to the base.

If there are putty areas, the putty is also completely cleaned off. There is one more convenient way remove paint: heat the top layer of coating with a hair dryer until the paint begins to swell, and then scrape it off with a metal spatula.

Step 3. Sweep away pieces of paint and dust from the canvas, and then carefully sand the surface. IN hard to reach places It is convenient to use sandpaper. After sanding there should be no rough areas, small irregularities or scratches.

Sanding the door leaf

Step 4. Carefully inspect the door from all sides, check the tightness of the connections, and, if necessary, strengthen the frame with metal corners and screws.

Step 5. The resulting recesses and cracks must be repaired with new putty. Under alkyd paint The putty will work in any color, but it won’t show through anyway. If you plan to treat the surface with oil impregnation, wax or varnish, the shade of the putty should match the color of the door leaf.

Advice. If the wood has become very dark over time, you can bleach it a little: mix bleach with water in a ratio of 1:3 and moisten the surface generously. When it brightens, the door is washed well clean water and air dry.

Sanding dried putty

Step 8. Use a damp cloth to wipe off dust from all sides. Next, cover the door with an even layer of primer. Instead of a regular primer, you can use an antiseptic impregnation. Joints and recesses need to be treated especially carefully.

Step 9 For painting you will need a thin brush and roller.

When the primer has dried, take a brush and first paint all the jumpers, recesses, decorative overlays, panels. Next, using a roller, smooth, wide areas are painted.

The paint is applied in a thin and even layer, carefully rubbed in one direction. The second layer can be applied no earlier than the first has dried. In this case, the top layer is always applied perpendicular to the bottom one, that is, if the first layer was applied along the width of the doors, then the second one must be done longitudinally. It is especially important to follow this rule when using a brush that leaves strokes.

Step 10. Leave the canvas to dry and begin painting. door frame in the doorway. It’s exactly the same here: use a thin brush at the joints, and a roller on smooth areas.

Wood paint prices

wood paint

If the door is not removed from its hinges, for convenience it is fixed with wooden wedges on both sides so that there is maximum access to all parts of the door. The wedges should be secured as firmly as possible, otherwise the blade may move during operation. All further actions are performed in the same way. When painting, be careful not to allow drips to form. Handles and hinges, and other fittings should also be cleaned of dirt, sanded, and lubricated for ease of movement.

When treating doors with stain, it should be taken into account that splashes that fall on clean wood leave dark spots that are visible through 2-3 layers of dye. Therefore, if you are painting a door that has not been removed from its hinges, it is recommended to apply the stain very carefully and from the bottom up. The roller or brush should not be dipped into the liquid too much to avoid drips. A canvas with streaks and dark spots looks sloppy even under a layer of varnish.

When using a water-based stain, wood fibers tend to straighten, causing the surface to become rough. Sanding with fine-grain sandpaper will help eliminate such a defect. After secondary treatment with stain, the canvas remains smooth.

Video – Painting wooden doors

Video - Door painting technology

The loss of the original aesthetic appeal of a wooden door is not a reason to part with it. Why waste savings if all options for its restoration are available to craftsmen ignorant of the intricacies of woodworking. It is certainly difficult to master the secrets of cabinetmaking in a couple of days, but painting wooden doors will not cause any difficulties. However, there are nuances in this simplest matter, without knowledge of which it is difficult to achieve an ideal result.

How will we paint our wooden door?

The choice of compositions for coloring wood is very extensive. First of all, let's decide whether it is desirable to preserve and highlight the natural beauty of a natural array or whether it is necessary to completely hide the texture pattern by covering it with a continuous opaque layer. Taking into account our own taste preferences, we will pay attention to:

• opaque enamels and coloring compositions with acrylic, polyurethane, alkyd, perchlorovinyl and obsolete oil base, which is rarely found in domestic products;
• transparent and tinted varnishes, oil impregnations, stains that refresh the color of wood or give new shades.

We won’t talk about taste priorities. Let’s just listen to the advice of experienced painters who recommend that home craftsmen purchase:

• acrylic dyes with water based, because they have an optimal consistency for working with a brush, excellent spreadability and decent coverage, somewhat inferior to oil paints;
• alkyd paint and varnish products, characterized by high water-repellent qualities, resistance to temperature fluctuations and drying speed.

Important. All dyes with an alkyd resin base are applied only to a completely dry surface. If the wood is wet, the paint layer will peel and peel due to air bubbles formed underneath.

Those who want to find out how to paint a wooden door have no doubt guessed that painting is carried out in several stages. Often using two different formulations. First, impregnation is used with or without a tinting effect, then a decorative coating is applied. It is important to choose formulations that work flawlessly in tandem. For example, drying oil is not applicable before varnishing. Only stain!

Even if you decide to refresh the color of the canvas and jambs exclusively with stain or oil impregnation, one layer is not enough. Two or three stages remain to be completed, the surface will tell you. You will have to paint as many times as necessary for the perfect result.

Sequence of the painting process

Since the list of components door design It’s not just the canvas; the stage preceding the whole action is the competent preparation of the object. You can, of course, limit yourself to painting only the canvas, but then the jambs with the lintel will be different. This means that home craftsmen who decide to paint their doors with their own with my own hands, you need to do this:

• remove the door leaf from the hinges and place it on two stools, a work table or sawhorses. If you plan to use a caustic alkyd composition, it is advisable to place it in the yard, on the terrace or balcony;
• Without removing the panel, block it with wedges so that the panel brush has access to all door elements. Locking is also necessary so that the door does not accidentally close during the drying period, and the dye layer is not irreparably damaged.

It is recommended to remove the canvas, but if it is impossible to do according to the rules, then we will use the second option. The fittings also need to be dismantled. In a hopeless case with non-removable hinges, handles should be wrapped in paper and secured with tape, but it is better to wrap them in foil so that all parts are tightly sealed. It is better to fix the lock mechanisms and seal them with tape.

Wood surface preparation

The most significant multi-step process that requires diligence in order for coloring to give the desired result. We will prepare according to the following standard scheme:

• First, we remove all layers of paint, primer and putty materials down to the wood. Those who are not afraid of dust and dirt can use grinder or a homemade device made from a handy block with medium-grain sandpaper glued or nailed to the working side. It’s easier for owners of construction hair dryers; they heat it up and remove the bubbled paint with a spatula. There is also a simple, but expensive method - special wood removers.
• Then we undergo initial sanding, as a result of which small dents, paint residues and scratches are eliminated. We sand with a machine connected to a vacuum cleaner, or simply with medium-grain sandpaper.
• We putty large imperfections by purchasing a putty that matches the wood if we plan to cover the door with a transparent composition: oil, stain, varnish. If we paint with opaque enamel, it is not necessary to select the color of the putty. Don't forget about the gaps between decorative elements the canvas and the canvas itself, between the jamb and the lintel.
• We maintained the period indicated by the putty manufacturer in the manual and sanded it a second time with sandpaper. First, we use a machine attachment or a simple abrasive cloth with medium grain, and at the finish we use a fine-grained analogue.

Advice. Deep dents under opaque paint can be repaired with auto putty, which does not contain fiberglass.

Note. Natural wood that has darkened under a layer of old paint or varnish can be lightly bleached with a mixture of one part bleach and bleach with three parts water.

Everything was processed, cleaned of old varnish or paint, and any putty that had come out. We vacuum, wipe with a damp cloth, dry, and start painting.

Painting a door without special effects

That is, at the beginning of the creative path of a future phenomenal painter and cabinetmaker, we will not get carried away with artificial aging. We will not create the impression of photo wallpaper or a painted array with uncovered structural lines. At the initial stage, we will learn how to paint the door evenly without frozen smudges or spots visible under the varnish.

This video will demonstrate how to paint using a sprayer:

If you only have to paint one or two doors, purchasing a sprayer is not cost-effective. We will stock up on a narrow panel brush for a canvas with the same name and a roller for all types of canvas.

Note. Before starting the work process, the brush needs to be fluffed up; all loose hairs need to be helped to come out and be removed.

Let's decide on the type of construction and the painting scheme that depends on it:

• The panel door is painted in three steps. It is more practical to use a roller; it will ensure uniformity and will not leave hairs. Let's start covering from the end, more precisely from the upper left corner of the canvas, directing movements to the right side. We paint the canvas until the very end, and dry it for as many hours as the manufacturer requires. The second step of coloring is carried out in the longitudinal direction, and the third in the opposite direction to the initial stage.
• Let's start painting the paneled door with a brush. We will use it to go through the recesses in the canvas, trying to avoid an excess of paint. We complete the painting with a roller, following the steps listed above.

What to do if you decide to paint with stain?

The door prepared for painting needs to be slightly moistened, then the wood will not absorb moisture and the dye will lie smoothly with a very liquid consistency. We will paint everything that is located horizontally with stain first along the fibers, then in the transverse direction, and at the finish again longitudinally.

We will begin to cover the jambs and the canvas that has not been removed from the hinges from below, so that drops and splashes of dye do not fall on unpainted areas. This is what we do if we open the door with varnish. If the finishing composition is opaque, dark drops will not interfere at all.

After treatment with water-soluble stain, the wood fibers that have absorbed moisture are straightened. You will need to sand them with sandpaper after the first layer has dried. Then we will clean it from dust and cover it again.

Note. The wooden surface that has dried after painting is lighter than when the dye was applied. The richness of color is achieved by repeated opening.

Alcohol stain will not stimulate fiber straightening. There is no need to sand the door after treating it and it dries in half an hour. However, its water-soluble counterpart is considered a safer, completely non-toxic dye, and therefore more popular.

How to create imitation wood correctly

You can imitate a wood pattern on literally any material, for this:

• we paint the canvas with yellow, light gray or light beige paint and dry it to the condition specified by the manufacturer of the coloring composition;
• Using a brush, cover the entire area to be treated with liquid soap;
• Apply a layer of dark paint that we like and wash off with liquid soap.

For DIYers who want to know how to paint a wood-effect veneer door or a budget-friendly plywood door, there is another way. To implement the idea, you will need a specific brush, which is now available in construction stores. Apply this brush using movements similar to combing. soft fibers. We paint the treated surface with dyes of different colors. Thanks to changes in the structure, curls will spontaneously appear, creating the illusion of wood. After drying, sand the surface.

If you follow the rules, you can paint or varnish the door yourself without any problems. There will definitely not be any special complications along the course. Since the canvas has two sides, it is better to start testing strokes from the “wrong side”. Once you get the hang of it, you can restore not only doors, but also cabinets and other wooden and veneer furniture in a similar way.

Suppose you have good-quality doors, but you can clearly see from them that the canvas is no longer new, or, on the contrary, you purchased a new, unfinished wooden panel and want to give it a luxurious look. In both cases, painting the doors will save the situation, and then we will tell you in detail how to paint a door with your own hands in the two above-mentioned options, plus we will analyze what paint to paint the doors in a given situation.

In order to paint a door with your own hands, you do not need high qualifications.

In this case, door paint is not the only option; you can just as easily coat the door good varnish or wax. The technique for applying these compositions is almost the same, while the visual effect can differ radically.

Varnish or paint

Using door varnish is completely justified when the door leaf is new. Old canvases can also be varnished, but they should not have large (visible) traces of putty or stains that are not characteristic of wood. Plus, preparing old doors for applying varnish is much more difficult; we will dwell on this issue in more detail a little later.

As for gloss, there are matte, semi-gloss and glossy varnishes. Based on color, these compositions are divided into colored and transparent, and the colored group is also partly transparent, it just has a peculiar shade. In addition, no one is stopping you from varnishing a pre-painted door; this option is possible, only the compositions must be compatible with each other.

There is an important nuance here - if you don’t have a good spray gun at home, then we don’t recommend you apply glossy varnish yourself; in home-made conditions, achieving high-quality gloss is often not possible.

Door paint is almost a win-win option, especially if you are far from painting skills. Here you can choose the color and what paint to paint the doors, which means you have the opportunity to adapt to a certain type of design. It takes the same amount of time for paint to dry as for varnish, in this case it all depends on the type of composition.

Modern paints are good for painting any doors, especially old ones, with your own hands.

If varnish, what kind?

The choice here is quite wide, it all depends on the owner’s ambitions, where the doors will be installed and the size of the budget.

• The most affordable option In terms of cost, oil varnishes are considered. Such compositions are made on the basis of drying oil with the addition of a film-forming hardener. The varnishes are quite stable and harmless from an environmental point of view, but can take up to 3 days to dry;

The main advantage of oil varnishes is their low price.

• The next contender in the budget niche is alkyd varnish. The base is alkyd resins mixed with an organic solvent. In terms of performance characteristics, alkyd compositions are better than oil-based ones, but they also take a long time to dry, plus organic solvent“smells harsh”;

Alkyd varnishes are more suitable for interior work.

• We do not recommend nitro varnishes for home doors; of all the advantages, they only have a short drying period (up to 2 hours) and a luxurious shine. But doors under nitro varnish will not shine for long, because such compositions are not resistant to ultraviolet radiation and mechanical damage. And most importantly, nitro varnishes are very toxic when drying and “stink wildly”;

Nitrovarnish is considered the fastest drying.

• Urethane-alkyd or as they are also called “Yacht” varnishes will be an excellent choice if required painting the front door. They do not fade in the sun, are indifferent to humidity and are resistant to mechanical damage, but the price is high;

Yacht varnish is considered universal.

• A good alternative to yacht varnish would be a polyurethane composition. Considering that neither the entrance nor, especially, the interior doors will be constantly “watered” sea ​​water, then polyurethane varnish is close to ideal, especially for entrance doors. Plus it costs much less than a yacht;

Polyurethane varnish is one of the most durable.

• At the moment, acrylic varnishes are an almost ideal option for both interior and entrance doors. These compositions are water-dispersed; in other words, water acts as a solvent, so they do not smell when dried. Acrylic compounds cannot be called cheap, but there are absolutely no complaints about them in environmental terms, plus they allow air to pass through.

Acrylic compounds are considered absolutely harmless.

Choosing paint

The range of paints that are suitable for doors is a little poorer, but in general the list and performance characteristics similar.

Oil paint is now practically not used for completely painting doors. True, if we are talking about old doors in utility room who need repainting repaint the old canvas oil paint would be an acceptable solution. Firstly, previously doors were mostly painted with oil paint, which means there would be no problem of the compositions being rejected. Secondly, such an “update” will cost pennies.

Alkyd enamel for wood is an excellent low-budget choice. It is suitable for both entrance and interior doors, and feels equally good in wet and dry rooms. There are only 2 problems here - the smell and the long drying period from 1 to 3 days.

Alkyd enamel is considered one of the most acceptable options for painting doors.

If there are small children in the apartment and they cannot be taken out for several days while repairs are underway, then the most the best solution There will be an acrylic coating. The fact is that acrylic paint for wood is perfect. In residential areas it looks luxurious, does not burn, is harmless and dries in about a day.

If you plan to first paint your door and then varnish the door, keep in mind that the paint base and the varnish base must be the same. For example, for acrylic paint you need to take acrylic lacquer etc. Otherwise, there is a high probability of rejection and the doors will simply peel off.

Acrylic paint for doors is perfect.

Is it possible to use impregnation?

In the wake of the passion for everything natural, some owners are trying to abandon synthetic dyes altogether and treat the wood with oil and wax impregnations. The option is good, but if you make a completely natural impregnation from beeswax and linseed oil, it will be very expensive.

• Flaxseed oil – 40%;
• Turpentine – 30%;
• Beeswax – 30%;
• Rosin – 5% of the total mass.

For doors, you can make a cheaper composition, it contains 55% ordinary paraffin and 40% gasoline, plus the same 5% rosin. And for those who don’t want to bother with self-production impregnation for doors, ready-made compounds are sold, but the level of naturalness of these compounds depends on the integrity of the manufacturer, because there are no GOST standards for such products.

Not everyone wax impregnations for wood are made from natural ingredients.

Door painting technology

Do-it-yourself painting of new and old doors is approximately similar, but there are still small differences, so we will consider these 2 options separately. First, let's look at the tool.

Tool

To properly paint a wooden door, one brush and desire are not enough; you need at least a minimum set of high-quality tools.

• Brushes – wide for large sectors of the canvas and narrow for hard-to-reach places;
• Roller – it is not advisable to take foam rubber, it leaves small bubbles on the canvas, it is better to take a roller with a 5 mm pile;
• The grinding machine is perfect option, if it is not there, then you will have to be content with a block with sandpaper stretched over it;
• Spatulas – rubber and metal;
• Screwdriver or set of screwdrivers.

The final result largely depends on the quality of the tool.

Painting an old canvas

From the type of coloring how to paint old door, it doesn’t particularly depend, it doesn’t matter what kind of paint you used, the main thing is not to make mistakes during the preparation and painting itself.

Before painting old doors, they need to be properly prepared, but first, it is highly advisable to remove the canvas from its hinges and lay it on trestles or on a table. The point here is not so much about ease of work, but about the fact that in a horizontal position when painting there will be no drips.

First, the doors must be removed and laid horizontally.

The next step is dismantling all the fittings, that is, handles, canopies, locking plates, etc. If something cannot be removed or you simply don’t want to remove it, then this part needs to be sealed with masking tape or wrapped in foil.

It is advisable to dismantle the fittings before painting.

• Most safe way Cleaning involves using a sander. You can, of course, try to sand off the old paint by hand, but few people can achieve such a feat of labor;
• If you heat up old paint with a hair dryer, it can be easily and efficiently removed with a steel spatula, although this method requires a hair dryer;

Using a hair dryer gives one of the best results.

• There is an option to clean off the paint with a steel scraper, but after that you will have to sand the canvas well, because there will be a lot of scratches;
• Paint removers are sold on the market; you apply the composition to the canvas and after a while you clean everything off with a spatula. The option is acceptable, but such removers are very harmful, plus they are toxic and have a strong smell, so the advisability of using them for home doors is a big question.

Some craftsmen recommend using drill attachments with metal cord brushes to remove paint. Indeed, such a method exists, but it is used to artificially age wood. The cord brush selects soft fibers from the massif, and only the veins remain on top. If this decor suits you, you can try it, but your doors will definitely not look newer.

Processing the array with a cord brush is used only when artificial aging wood

When the paint is removed, take wood putty in the color of the solid wood and seal all small cracks with a rubber spatula, after which you sand again with fine sandpaper.

Bleach old wood You can use chlorine bleach, 1 part white to 3 parts water.

Chlorine bleach (bleach) can be used to bleach wood.

If the door is paneled (prefabricated panel), then first paint the recesses and shaped parts with a small brush, and then use a roller or wide brush to “walk” over all planes. You just need to comb out the brush before use so that all the hairs that don’t stick well fall out.

When painting well with a roller, it is better to work on planes.

Important: after the first staining, pile rises on the wood, visually it is almost invisible, and the surface becomes rough to the touch. The pile is removed with a couple of strokes of fine sandpaper, but this must be done.

The doors are painted 2 - 3 times, each subsequent time is applied only after the previous one has dried, and in order for the composition to lie evenly, the direction of movement of the brush must be alternated, that is, the first time we paint along the canvas, the second across and the third again along.

Painting new doors

If the door is not painted, then the step of removing the old paint is eliminated. But in any case it is necessary to sand the doors before finishing; believe me, there are plenty of splinters and burrs.

Most often, new wooden doors are varnished, because it is simply a pity to hide such beauty behind a layer of colored paint. Before processing, pine doors need to be wiped well with acetone, this will remove the resin from the canvas. If you are satisfied with the color of the wood, then you can begin applying the first layer of varnish.

For those who want to emphasize the texture of wood and change the shade, there are stains. You only need to choose a shade and apply the stain with a brush to the canvas. After the canvas has dried, you can begin applying wax or varnish.

Stain gives wood a brighter appearance.

When waxing, 2 layers are enough, and after a couple of days, when the composition is absorbed, you will need to polish the canvas manually with felt. The varnish can be applied up to 7 layers, here, the more layers, the better the door will look, but there should be at least 3 such layers. And do not forget to remove the lint with sandpaper after staining or the first layer of the composition.

Conclusion

It is possible to varnish or paint the doors yourself, but you should take into account all the small nuances that were described above. In the video in this article seasoned craftsmen give their recommendations, don’t doubt that everything will work out for you.

If desired, the old door can be completely reanimated.