Painting an old wood door. How beautiful to paint

  • 27.06.2020

Give your doors a "fresh breath" and you'll be surprised at the amazing impact they have on a room.

Set yourself up for success

Are you planning to paint an interior door? You will have to decide whether to take the door off its hinges or leave it in place, there are pros and cons to both. Regardless of which path you end up taking, advice from professional painters and interior designers will make your job easier, from choosing colors and tools to fitting hardware.

Read also: 5 important steps when painting furniture

1. Determine the previous type of paint

Before applying a fresh coat, find out what type of paint is currently on the door. Dampen a rag with alcohol and wipe its door. If the paint transfers to the fabric, it has been painted with latex paint and no primer will be needed. If nothing remains on the rag, you are dealing with oil paint. If you are hoping to use the newer latex, you will need to first sand and then prime the surface.

Another reason for identifying an old type of paint is health concerns. Until recently, when painting, paints were often used that contain lead, which can be absorbed by the body, which negatively affects internal organs and brain. This type of paint must be removed from the surface of the door without fail.

2. Get quality tools and materials

For professional results, you need top-notch tools. If you prefer to use a roller instead of a brush, then consider the microfiber option, which holds more paint and provides a smooth surface when you apply the paint. Don't skimp on sticky wipes, paint trays, and sandpaper.

Read also: 18 tricks that will make the painting process much easier

3. Consider amazing colors

Traditionally, doors are made in monochrome colors, but designers are now using interior doors to introduce unexpected color accents that add zest. This works especially well when the door itself has interesting paneling and moldings that can be updated with bright colors.

Photography - unknown

4. Choose the best paint

Fingerprints and dirt are to be expected on the door surface in areas of heavy use. So choose a paint that creates a glossy or semi-gloss finish that is much easier to wipe down. Glossy paint also makes interior doors stand out from the walls.

5. Choose the perfect shade for your slopes

Here's a rule of thumb that designers use: if your door is painted white or another neutral color, make sure to trim it in the same color. If you choose a darker shade, complement it with an off-white or neutral color of the slopes.

If you want to paint the door a darker color, paint the sills first, let them dry completely for at least 24 hours, protect them with masking tape, then paint the door.

Photography - drivenbydecor

6. Dismantle correctly

You can, of course, protect the floor under and around the door and paint without removing it from the hinges, but professionals know that for best results, you'd be better off taking the time to remove the door. In a horizontal position, it is easier to sand and prepare for painting. In addition, in an upright position, there is a high chance that gravity will lead to the formation of streaks.

7. Remove the door handle

Splashes of paint on a doorknob are signs of sloppy work. More importantly, moisture in the paint can adversely affect the hardware, potentially clogging the mechanism; grinding and cleaning products can also damage internal mechanisms.

To avoid such problems, remove the handle. Use a screwdriver to remove the screws. If you can't see the screws, look for a small metal slot on the side of the handle. Then use a pin or paper clip with which you can loosen door handle. You can then unscrew the plate that holds the handle in place.

8. Fill holes and cracks

Painting a door, especially an old one with wood veneers and moldings, usually requires some effort to prepare the surface. Fill all small holes and crevices with putty. Place a small amount of putty or wood filler on the spatula, fill in the gaps with it, and let it dry for about two hours.

Photography - drivenbydecor

9. Treat the surface

After all imperfections are filled, cured and finished, sand the entire surface of the door with 120 grit sandpaper. Wipe the door with a cloth dampened with mineral spirits or use sticky wipes to remove dust from the surface. Apply a primer if you will be painting with an oil based paint. When the primer is completely dry (preferably overnight), gently sand the surface again, this time using sandpaper with a grain size of 220.

Photography - bhg.com

10. Paint non-stop

Now that you're ready to start painting, do it all at once without stopping. If you stop even for a few minutes within a coat, the paint may dry unevenly and cause spots to appear. Latex paints can dry and be ready for a second coat in about four hours. Oil paints must dry 24 hours before applying a second coat. After the first coat has dried, professionals often recommend sanding again using 320 grit sandpaper. Remove any remaining paint dust with a clean cloth and apply a second coat.

Photography - bhg.com

11. Painting panel doors

The main method for painting a flat door is with long, smooth strokes or vertical strokes of the roller. But often panel doors are installed, which must be painted in the following order:

  1. First paint over the ends of the door;
  2. Next, paint the inner rectangular panels;
  3. Then paint over vertical stripe between panels;
  4. Moving on to horizontal stripes;
  5. Move on to paint the edges of the door.

Photography - make-self

12. Save time with a sprayer

If you're short on time, a sprayer can transform a door in half the time traditional methods. Make sure it can work with latex paints, which produce less toxic fumes than oil paints, dry faster, and are easier to clean up.

13. Speed ​​up drying time

To minimize drying time, apply the paint in good light, being careful not to create a thick coat that takes longer to dry and may end up looking uneven. If you are using a brush, dip the bristles halfway into the paint, then lightly tap the edge of the tub to remove excess. When using a roller, place it in a special tray so that the paint is evenly distributed over the surface of the roller.

Advice: After painting, turn on a fan or open windows to increase airflow. In hot and humid climates, run a dehumidifier if possible.

14. Leave the door open

If you are painting the door without removing it from its hinges, warn family members and guests not to touch or close the door for at least two days to protect the edges and slopes. Remember that drying time depends on the type of paint used. Oil paints usually take longer to dry than latex paints.

15. Install new handles for a total makeover

Decorating doors with new fittings is of great importance. Functionality is key, but most interior doors use a simple type of lock, as opposed to exterior doors where security is paramount. Also decide what type pens will be on the new door.

Suppose you have solid doors, but they clearly show that the canvas is no longer new, or vice versa, you have purchased a new, unfinished, wooden canvas and want to give it a luxurious look. In both cases, painting the doors will save the situation and further, we will tell you in detail how to paint the door with your own hands in the two options mentioned above, plus we will analyze what paint to paint the doors in a given situation.

In order to paint the 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 well cover the door with a good varnish or wax. The technique for applying these compounds is almost the same, while the visual effect may differ dramatically.

Varnish or paint

The use of door varnish is fully justified when the canvas 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. By color, these compositions are divided into colored and transparent, and the color group is also partly transparent, it just has a peculiar shade. In addition, no one bothers you to varnish a pre-painted door, this option is possible, only the compositions must be compatible with each other.

There is important nuance- if you do not have a good spray gun at home, then we do not recommend you to take on the application of glossy varnish with your own hands, in artisanal conditions it is often not realistic to achieve high-quality gloss.

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

Modern paints are good for painting any, especially old, do-it-yourself doors.

If varnish, what kind?

The choice here is quite wide, it all depends on the ambitions of the owner, the location of the doors and the size of the budget.

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

The main advantage of oil varnishes is the low price.

  • The next contender in the budget niche is alkyd varnish. The basis is alkyd resins mixed with an organic solvent. In terms of performance, alkyd compounds are better than oil ones, but they also dry for a long time, plus the organic solvent “smells hard”;

Alkyd varnishes are more suitable for internal works.

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

Nitrolac is considered the fastest drying.

  • Urethane-alkyd or as they are also called "Yacht" varnishes are an excellent choice if required. front door painting. 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 is a polyurethane composition. If we take into account that neither the entrance, nor even the interior doors will be constantly “poured” with sea water, then the polyurethane varnish is close to ideal, especially for entrance doors. Plus, it costs much cheaper than a yacht;

Polyurethane varnish is one of the most durable.

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

Acrylic compounds are considered absolutely harmless.

Choosing a 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 for full coloring of doors is practically not used now. True, if we are talking about old doors in the utility room that need repainting, repainting the old canvas with oil paint will be an acceptable solution. Firstly, before the doors were mainly painted with oil paint, which means that there will be no problem of rejection of the compositions. Secondly, such an “update” will cost a penny.

Alkyd wood enamel is a great 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 a 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 a few days yet renovation in progress, then the best solution would be acrylic coating. The fact is that acrylic paint for wood is the best. In residential areas, it looks luxurious, does not burn, is harmless and dries in about a day.

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

Acrylic paint for doors is the best.

Is it possible to use impregnation

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

  • Linseed oil - 40%;
  • Turpentine - 30%;
  • Beeswax - 30%;
  • Rosin - 5% of the total mass.

For doors, you can make the composition cheaper, it contains 55% of ordinary paraffin and 40% of gasoline, plus the same 5% of rosin. And for those who do not want to mess with self-manufacturing impregnations for doors, ready-made compositions are sold, but the level of naturalness of these compositions depends on the decency of the manufacturer, because there are no GOSTs for such goods.

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

door painting technology

Do-it-yourself painting of new and old doors is approximately the same, but there are still slight differences, so we will consider these 2 options separately. Let's start with the tool first.

Tool

To properly paint a wooden door, one brush and desire is not enough, you need at least a minimal 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 pile of 5 mm;
  • A grinder is ideal, if it is not there, then you will have to be content with a block with emery stretched over it;
  • Spatulas - rubber and metal;
  • Screwdriver or screwdriver set.

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

Painting an old canvas

How to paint an old door doesn’t depend on the type of painter, it doesn’t matter what kind of paint you took, the main thing is not to make mistakes in the preparation and painting itself.

Before you paint the old doors, they need to be properly prepared, but for starters, it is highly desirable to remove the canvas from the hinges and lay it on the goats or on the table. The point here is not so much in the convenience of work, but in the fact that there will be no streaks in a horizontal position when painting.

First, the doors must be removed and laid horizontally.

The next number is the dismantling of all fittings, that is, handles, awnings, lock plates and so on. If something cannot be removed or simply reluctance to remove, then this part must be sealed with masking tape or wrapped in foil.

Before painting, it is desirable to dismantle the fittings.

  • Most safe way cleaning is the use of a grinder. Of course, you can try to clean off the old paint with sandpaper by hand, but few people can do such a labor feat;
  • If you heat up the old paint with a building hair dryer, then it can be easily and efficiently removed with a steel spatula, although this method requires a building hair dryer;

Using a building 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 washes are very harmful, plus they are toxic and smell strongly, so the advisability of using them for home doors is a big question.

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

The processing of the array with a cord-brush is used only for artificial aging of wood.

When the paint is removed, take the putty on the wood in the color of the array and close up all the small cracks with a rubber spatula, after which you grind it again with fine emery.

You can bleach old wood with chlorine bleach, 3 parts water for 1 part whiteness.

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

If the door is paneled (prefabricated canvas), then first paint over the recesses and curly parts with a small brush, and then with a roller or a wide brush you need to “walk” over all planes. Only the brush must be combed out before use so that all the hairs that do not hold well fall out.

Good painting with a roller is better to work on planes.

Important: after the first staining, the pile rises on the tree, visually it is almost imperceptible, and the plane becomes rough to the touch. The pile is removed with a couple of strokes of thin emery, but this must be done.

The doors are painted 2 - 3 times, each next time is applied only after the previous one has dried, and in order for the composition to lie flat, the direction 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, respectively, the removal stage old paint disappears. But in any case, it is necessary to grind the doors before finishing, believe me, there are enough chips 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 should be wiped well with acetone, so you will remove the resin from the canvas. If the color of the wood suits you, then you can start 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 stain with a brush on the canvas. After the canvas dries, you can start applying wax or varnish.

Stain gives the wood a brighter look.

When waxing, 2 layers are enough, and after a couple of days, when the composition is absorbed, you will need to polish the canvas with felt manually. 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 pile with emery after the stain or the first layer of the composition.

Conclusion

It is realistic to varnish or paint doors with your own hands, but you should take into account all those small nuances that were described above. On the video in this article experienced craftsmen give their recommendations, do not hesitate, you will definitely succeed.

If desired, the old door can be completely reanimated.

If you are the owner wooden doors, then over time you may encounter a certain problem. The thing is that during the operation the tree will lose its appearance. To restore and protect it, you need to paint wooden doors in an apartment or house.

But, this raises a number of questions: how to paint a wooden door? How? What paint to use? What should be considered when painting a wooden door? If you have never encountered painting wooden doors, then this article is for you. Yes and for experienced builders she will be helpful.

Choosing a paintwork material for a wooden door

What can be called the most important detail in painting any surface? That's right, paint. The durability of the coating, its quality, appearance, etc. depend on its choice. Therefore, the choice of paintwork material for wood must be approached very seriously. Some people think that the quality of the paint can be neglected, however, in our case this is unreasonable. Quality is always higher than price!

Advice! There is a small way to save on quality paint. In the event that its expiration date comes to an end, stores make discounts on such goods. If you want to paint wooden doors right away, then you can safely buy such a composition.

So what paint is better to paint wooden doors? After all, the range of goods is very large. First you need to know what paints and varnishes are divided into two types:

  • Transparent.
  • Opaque.
  • Transparent lacquer, different kind impregnation and protective glaze. In the event that you want to emphasize the very structure of the tree, while maintaining the natural color, then such wood-effect door painting is just for you. As for opaque compositions, this includes paints familiar to us. To work with wood, nitro paint, acrylic compounds and alkyd enamels are most often used. Paint for wooden doors of each type has its own characteristics.

    Alkyd enamel

    Let's start with alkyd enamel. It can be called the most affordable in price. Pleases the presence of a wide range of colors and shades. After applying and completely drying the paint, a coating appears on the surface, which is strong, durable and resistant to external factors. The wear resistance of the material is excellent. Consumption is economical. Door paint dries fairly quickly.

    If we talk about the lack of paint, then we note a not very healthy smell that will be kept in the room for at least two days after painting. Paint fumes adversely affect the health of people who have allergies or respiratory diseases. It is also not recommended to use alkyd enamel for painting the wooden doors of a children's room.

    Nitro paint

    This composition has a high aesthetic property, a large palette of colors and shades, which is much more than that of alkyd or acrylic paints. The main advantages of paint are durability and a high level of wear resistance. But, the harm to the health of nitro-paint is even higher than that of the previous version. The fumes are toxic, so painting wooden doors with this paint should be done in a well-ventilated area. And you can’t go into the room until the composition dries.

    acrylic enamel

    Here we come to the third option. Acrylic enamel is The best decision to paint interior wooden doors. Water-based acrylic enamel is easy to apply, has excellent hiding power, fits perfectly on wood, and when dried, does not emit any toxic and unpleasant odors.

    Among the disadvantages of paint can be noted the high cost and low strength. But, in order to impart wear resistance to the coating and preserve it appearance, the paint is covered with a special acrylic varnish.

    varnish

    Varnishes are used for solid wood doors. Opening with varnish will protect the wood from moisture, sunlight, dirt and other negative influences, as well as paint. But, due to its transparency, the coating will emphasize the structure of the tree. And if you want to give it a certain tone, then buy a tinted varnish.

    Now you have to decide on the composition. And if you chose acrylic paint, then there is new question: what color to choose?

    Choosing a paint color

    We have already mentioned that the range color solutions quite large, so everyone will be able to realize their design decisions. Some paint the door white, while others decide to use red or black. But, the choice of color should not be done from own desires. The interior of the rooms and their design should be taken into account. After all, you must admit that snow-white doors will look inappropriate in a room that is made in eco style or where dark tones predominate.

    Modern design defines three main trends in painting doors between rooms:

    • delicate pastel colors: light blue, peach, green, pink, lavender;
    • rich dark tones: brown, cherry, blue, chocolate;
    • bright colors such as red, orange or yellow.

    Here are a few paint color tips everyone should know before they start painting their interior doors:

  • If you have wooden house, then it is better to cover the solid wood doors with ordinary varnish or transparent oil impregnation.
  • In the bedroom, where pastel colors should prevail, the doors should be the same, white, blue, lavender, etc. They will create coziness and comfort. The same goes for children's rooms.

  • Dark tones (cherry, chocolate, red walnut) are used for the living room to give it luxury, taste and sophistication.
  • Adherents of the classic interior, which has antique or old furniture, can use the artificial aging of the interior door.
  • Paint the door frame not to match the walls, but darker or lighter.
  • With such simple rules you can quickly decide which paint to buy to paint your wood doors. So, when you figured out how to paint the doors, decided on the color of the paint, you can proceed to the technology of work.

    We collect tools and materials for work

    Any painting is carried out with certain tools. There are three ways to apply paint: with a brush, roller or spray gun. The best option is a roller, it is faster to work with than with a brush, and it is cheaper than an airbrush. Nevertheless, to get to hard-to-reach places, brushes will not interfere. So the set of tools is as follows:

    • roller and bath;
    • paint brush;
    • rags;
    • masking tape;
    • gloves;
    • sandpaper;
    • 4 stools or 2 goats;
    • putty knife;
    • vacuum cleaner.

    As for the materials, they are:

  • Solvent.
  • Putty.
  • Lacquer material.
  • Primer.
  • Have you collected everything you need? Then we start work.

    Preparatory work

    To begin with, wooden doors for painting should be prepared. The first step is to take them off their hinges. Now lay them on a support (2 goats or 3 stools). When working with alkyd paints, it is better to work on fresh air. Dismantle the fittings so that no extra items remain. Handles with loops that are non-removable, wrap with paper or foil and secure with tape. Lock the lock mechanism and seal it with tape.

  • Removal of the old coating, if any (paint, putty, primer). We need to remove everything down to the tree. To make it easier, you can use a grinder, wood cleaner, or sandpaper.

  • After that, sand the doors to remove scratches, dents, and remaining paint. Vacuum the surface after sanding.
  • If there are flaws on the tree, then finish them with putty. Pay special attention to cracks.
  • When the putty dries, putty the doors again. In this case, first with a canvas of medium grain, and then fine-grained.
  • Note! If the tree has darkened over time, it can be restored (lightened) with a special solution. This bleached solution consists of water and bleach combined in a ratio of 1:3.

    After such preparation, painting wooden doors with your own hands will not be difficult.

    Door color schemes

    The fact is that the door leaf itself can be different. Depending on this, the procedure for performing staining at home and tools also change. Door designs can be as follows:

  • Shield fabric. In this case, you need to paint the door in 3 steps. A roller is used, since it leaves no traces, lint and painting is done economically, evenly. The process should start from the top corner, moving in the transverse direction from the left side to the right. When the first layer is applied, wait for it to dry. Now you can apply the next layer, only in the longitudinal direction. Again, wait for the layer to dry. At the end, a third layer of paint is applied, according to the same principle as the first, in the transverse direction.

  • Paneled canvas. Here you already have to work with both a roller and paint. Such doors are characterized by patterns and recesses. To begin with, with a paint brush, all the recesses of the door that are beyond the power of the roller are processed. Make sure that the paint does not leak due to excess. When all hard-to-reach places processed, you can start working with a roller. Painting should be alternate, as in the first case.

  • Now that you have decided on the staining technology, let's move on from theory to practice.

    Coloring process

    Further work will not be difficult, you just need to follow the instructions and follow each step correctly. The process itself can be divided into certain stages:

  • Lay the doors that have been prepared in a horizontal position on a surface covered with polyethylene. If the doors have glass, protect them with masking tape.
  • Prepare paint according to package instructions.
  • Take a paint brush and use it to process all the small elements of the doors, panels and details that protrude.
  • Using a roller and a tray, start applying the first layer of the coloring composition.
  • When the entire canvas of the wooden door is processed, leave it to dry completely.
  • Apply a second coat in the opposite direction.
  • To get a brighter and more saturated color, it is better to paint a wooden door in three layers.
  • After drying, it remains to turn the canvas over and paint in the same order.
  • As you can see, the process is simple and within the power of any ordinary user. To see everything clearly, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with this video:

    In order to avoid any mistakes, it is important not to forget about the rules that experienced painters adhere to. What are these rules or nuances? Here is their list:

  • When working with veneered doors, delamination of the material is often observed in the lower part. This can be corrected by carefully separating the coating from the base, treating the wrong side of the veneer and the base itself with glue for such work and gluing it into place. Use clamps for this. For a snug fit, a board or plywood is laid on top. When the glue dries, you can start painting.
  • You can paint wooden doors without removing them from the hinges. But at the same time, adjacent surfaces should be protected so as not to stain them. For this, newspaper and masking tape are suitable.
  • When working with a roller, squeeze it well. Otherwise, smudges may appear.

  • If smudges form when working with a brush, you can get rid of them with a simple sponge. Just blot the spot and go over it with a roller.
  • It is not necessary to paint the hinges and the lock of wooden doors.
  • The weak point of wooden doors are the ledges of the frame and the edges of the doors. When opening or closing, they contact, so they are more often overwritten. They need to be painted in at least 3 layers.
  • When working with new paint brushes, brush them out and submerge them in water for a few hours. Due to this, there will be no villi, and the bristles will soften.
  • Masking tape with which you protect surfaces should be removed immediately after the painting work is completed. If you do this after the paint has dried, the tape may peel off the coating.
  • During the drying time of the wooden door, it should not be exposed to direct sunlight, insects, dust and dirt.
  • If you follow these rules when painting a wooden door, you can achieve best quality painted surface. It will also extend operational period paints.

    Conclusion

    That's all you need to know if you decide to paint your doors. Thanks to these tips and instructions, the work can be done quickly and easily with your own hands, without special skills in painting. Your wooden doors will be like new, and home comfort will last for many years. Don't be afraid to start painting, just buy necessary tools and materials, gather your strength and act!

    After repair, it is often necessary to update old interior doors or buy a new door leaf for painting. It is much cheaper than buying expensive doors, and even an old one. wooden surface can be transformed beyond recognition. Any door leaf must be properly prepared for painting or varnishing. But the simplest and most affordable method of finishing or updating is considered self-painting interior doors.

    Preparing to paint an old door leaf

    No matter how high-quality the surface of the door, over time it will lose its chic. During operation, scratches and chips appear, the paint peels off, the varnish fades, the hinges loosen. And if you can somehow put up with this before the repair, then after the transformation of the interior design, painting of interior doors or a complete replacement is necessary. Any repair requires sophisticated equipment and tools, and updating a door requires basic brush and roller skills and primitive fixtures.

    If everything is done according to technology, neatly and competently, then even a specialist will not undertake to say whether it is an old door or a new one, especially if you replace the fittings. Yes, and doing “creative exercises” on an old wooden door is not so scary, so this is ideal for beginners in repair. For example, in the children's room - the original painting of interior doors, photo:

    You can practice with a more experienced mentor in changing locks and latches, or retire, imagining yourself as an artist with a canvas to create exclusive! Yes, and a simple replacement of hinged hinges and handles does not require making holes and hinges in the door leaf, if all dimensions are met. And if the old holes no longer fit, then they select fittings with wider overlays to cover old defects. Therefore, before painting, it is worth deciding on the desired degree of transformation. old door, choose the type of painting or another kind of new finish. For example, paste over one side with photo wallpapers with a view of the alley into the summer garden.

    Strong doors without defects are often painted while standing nearby, without removing them from the hinges, laying old newspapers on the floor. This is often done on hastily, do without eliminating defects and puttying dents in places where the old paint peeled off, over several old layers. But this is an illiterate door repair, and with such painting streaks and streaks of paint are formed, brush strokes are visible.

    Attention: Some interior doors are problematic to remove from the hinges, as they are installed together with the frame. And this is the only reason for such an illiterate repainting. It is not necessary to remove if these are sliding interior doors hidden, only one surface is allocated for painting. Then sticky quick dry paint on a smooth surface evenly applied with a roller.

    If you do the restoration and painting of the previously used interior door in accordance with all the rules, then first the door leaf is removed from the hinges and the fittings are carefully removed. With problematic dismantling of hinged hinges, locks and handles, it is easier to close them with masking tape, which will protect the metal from accidental brush strokes. It is removed after the paint has completely dried, so as not to touch the freshly painted surface, the edges of which will reach for the adhesive tape. The holes for the lock are plugged with cotton.

    Tip: If there is a glass insert or stained glass, then decorative element complex shapes are completely pasted over with adhesive tape, and rectangular - around the perimeter. Moreover, this must be done on both sides for the general painting of interior doors with your own hands.

    Multi-layer painting of the door has long been morally obsolete, and it does not look aesthetically pleasing. Removal of old paint is done by several methods, for example, by heating blowtorch or building hair dryer. And this is also an archaic way that experienced craftsmen do not use. The old layer was heated and removed with a sharp spatula, and what remained was cleaned with sandpaper. At the same time, the paint remained in small cracks and wood texture. Worst of all - a terrible smell of burnt paint, so they "cleaned" the doors on the street.

    Today, a special liquid (wash) is used to remove paint, but it also has a specific smell, and not every paint will “take”. There are also recipes for homemade mixtures, for example, based on solvents and caustic soda. These compounds soften the old paint, and then it is easier to carefully remove it with a spatula - in the direction of the wood fibers.

    A smooth door leaf is also processed with a grinder or a universal tool with a suitable nozzle. Next, they clean it with a fine-grained "skin". After that, all defects and recesses must be puttied, especially under glossy paint. Ideally, any painting requires a special primer that matches the type of paint chosen. Without a primer, it is impossible to uniformly coat new interior doors for painting even with very high-quality varnish or enamel.

    Attention: The new paint must be compatible with the old coats and primer, otherwise it will react and ruin everything!

    To repaint an old door you will need:

    • at least 1 liter of paint, for example, imported Tikkurila, and white spirit (another solvent);
    • 2-3 paint brushes of different widths;
    • an empty container with a lid for preparing a more liquid solution and a stirring stick;
    • roller with nozzles;
    • fine-grained emery;
    • soft sponge and cotton rags;
    • glue, screwdrivers, spatula, (for restoration);
    • masking tape;
    • old newspapers on the floor, so as not to stain with drops of paint;
    • pencil, metal ruler (another marking tool);
    • level and wooden blocks for leveling a horizontal surface.

    Advice: The best way obtaining an impeccable paintwork - work on a verified horizontal surface.

    How to choose paint?

    A creative approach when choosing a dye or varnish when painting interior doors also affects the final result.

    1. Alkyd enamel is the most common and affordable. A rich palette makes it possible to choose the right shade for the interior. It gives high-quality painting in 1-2 layers. But, with all the advantages, it has a significant “minus”, a persistent smell, which “stays in the apartment for 2-3 days. Therefore, in a room for children and people sensitive to chemical components, only ready-made doors are recommended, which were previously painted in a separate room and had time to dry and weather.

    2. Universal acrylic paint is suitable for home painting, because it does not have a persistent odor. But the cost of painting interior doors will be more expensive, especially in 2 layers. A rich palette and high-quality surface are the main advantages. But there is also a drawback - the paint is not very resistant to mechanical damage, therefore it is often fixed with acrylic-based varnish.

    3. Of the domestic products for painting interior doors, the most famous is nitro paint. A smooth shiny layer is a high cost, but not everyone tolerates it with a smell. In the house, you can paint only in a respirator, with open doors or a balcony, in the absence of household members.

    Tip: Do not rush to paint over a new door leaf with a wood texture. Perhaps covering with a colorless or colored varnish will be an excellent alternative. If 1 coat seems to be of insufficient quality, after complete drying, apply a second, more liquid coat of paint.

    How to choose the type of paint? Use tips. Everyone decides what he likes, but it is important to know the properties of paints:

    • over 1 standing oil paint(on drying oil) latex paint can be applied, on water-based paint - acrylic enamel;
    • matte surfaces better hide fingerprints of children;
    • the glossy surface looks great, but all the defects of the door leaf are shown;
    • semi-gloss acrylic paint is suitable for all types of interior spaces (home, office), is not afraid of temperature changes during ventilation;
    • high-quality latex enamel is scratch resistant, but similar to the usual oil paint.

    The door is prepared, what to do with the paint?

    1. A can of paint is carefully opened with work gloves on an outstretched hand, it is undesirable to inhale fumes, a respirator is desirable.

    2. Pour some of the paint into an empty jar, where it is easier to dilute it with a solvent (white spirit or others). Stir with a stick to the desired consistency, it is convenient to paint with a brush when it is like liquid sour cream.

    3. For smooth new surface a thinner paint spread by a roller will do. Too liquid enamel gives gaps, viscous - lumps, so a couple of strokes are made “for testing”, and then the viscosity is adjusted.

    4. With a thin brush, slowly paint over hard-to-reach places around decorative overlays, milling places, glazing beads and panels. Smooth surfaces are quickly painted with a roller. It is possible that the paint will shine through, then a 2nd layer will be required, but it is in 2 layers that the highest quality painting is obtained.

    5. Before picking up a little paint on a brush or roller, do not forget to mix it - heavy particles settle. They work with a roller in a horizontal and vertical direction, and with a hard wide brush - along the fibers.

    6. After complete processing of one side of the door, leave it to dry completely. Then they turn over to the other side, paint over in exactly the same way, at the same time processing the ends. And it is desirable that the paint layer on the ends be as small as possible so that the door does not “stick” in the box.

    7. It is necessary to work with a brush on wood along the fibers in order to minimally distort the texture. But smooth wood after painting will become rougher, because the fibers are swollen and ruffled. The second layer will “smooth” the fibers, or rather, fill the pits between them. It makes sense to sand the roughest places with sandpaper before re-painting.

    8. Part of the grains and villi from the brush moves and sticks and is difficult to remove. It is advisable to sort out a new brush, fluff it, soak it in water, rinse it in a solvent and work a little on a control surface without paint.

    9. Fittings and locks are installed after all surfaces have completely dried. If it is convenient - put the locks and handles after the door is already on the hinges.

    10. When painting on hinges, paint from top to bottom, in a horizontal position - from the middle to the edges. A new smooth canvas can be quickly painted with a roller, leaning the door against the wall at a slight inclination.

    Note: If interior doors are painted by a specialist, the price of the work is the time spent plus double the cost of the paint. Drying time can also be taken into account, so painting it yourself is much more economical.

    Technology for painting interior doors - video at the end of the article.

    Painting the door with wood varnish

    Lacquer is a resinous transparent or translucent synthetic base based on resins, polymers and a solvent. Excellent for wood, and when the solvent evaporates, a beautiful latex layer is obtained, emphasizing the dignity of the pattern of natural wood fibers. Lacquering also performs a preservative function, protecting the wood from changes in humidity and temperature.

    There are several varieties of varnish, for example, for outdoor and indoor use. According to the degree of light reflection (shine), wood varnish is distinguished as:

    • high gloss;
    • glossy;
    • semi-gloss;
    • semi-matt;
    • matt.

    By type of basis, the most common:

    • alkyd;
    • acrylic;
    • alkyd-urea;
    • polymeric;
    • oil;
    • water based.

    Colored varnish has a certain color (toning). But often the wood is stained and then varnished to improve the decorative properties of the door leaf. There is also furniture, parquet and universal varnish - ask the shops for instructions.

    Original design techniques for updating an interior door

    1. A combination of 2-3 colors involves painting the base color and finishing over the base. This is a beautiful technique, but one cannot do without skill, thin brushes and masking tape when it comes to painting overhead parts (molding).

    2. The original drawing will perfectly decorate the kitchen or nursery, but it must comply with the overall design concept. The original technique is a landscape or a plot motif on the door.

    3. An effective texture will be obtained by “imprinting” interesting surfaces:

    • jeans;
    • crinkled foil;
    • fur strokes;
    • coarse sponge.

    4. Exclusive door decor - a solution you came up with if you have artistic skills and talent. This technique can be used on the eve of family holidays to surprise dear to my heart of people. For example, a twisted heart in the form of a monogram with initials.

    No matter how high-quality the doors are, but time passes, and their external renewal is required. To paint a door means not only to correctly apply, but also to choose the right composition. Only this ensures that the effect is expected.

    In the house, almost all frames and canvases are made of wood. And therefore it is with them that the owner mainly has to deal, since plastic, aluminum or glass cannot be painted. Therefore, it is first worthwhile to figure out how different paints on wood differ.

    Training

    1. Decide on the advisability of applying one or another composition, as well as what color the door should eventually acquire. There are quite a few nuances on this point.
    • If the canvas is made of solid wood, and even more valuable breed, then it is better to emphasize the texture of the material than to completely cover it with an opaque layer of paintwork.
    • For doors made of MDF or paneled structures, everything is exactly the opposite - the painting of doors of this type is carried out with any composition that falls on the base, reliably hiding all its possible defects.
    • Take account general style decoration of the premises. This will help you choose the right shade of paint and varnish composition for processing the frame and sash. If it is difficult to make a decision, then you should focus on neutral options. For example, paint the door white.

    1. Assess the conditions for the use of the composition. Competent painting of any door assumes that the place of its installation is taken into account. The explanation is simple - all rooms are different in specifics. Since LKS, regardless of the variety, perform not only a decorating function, but also a protective one, it is necessary to take into account such factors as the values ​​​​of humidity and temperature in a particular room, their possible fluctuations, intensity, and the like. It is on them that the wood “painfully” reacts.

    Only an analysis of all factors will give a clear understanding of what exactly and how to paint a wooden door.

    It is necessary to take into account the specifics of the work ahead. Paint is applied to wood different ways– brush, roller, spraying. The expediency of choosing a technique is determined design features canvases. And here it is necessary to focus on the fluidity of the composition, its consistency. It is clear that it is not difficult to dilute paint for wooden doors; white spirit, synthetic solvents, and the like are on sale.

    But how will their introduction affect the final color of the base? Will peeling, warping of the old paint begin? Such moments are necessarily taken into account when reconstructing a worn-out door, repainting it. Not all formulations are compatible.

    Varieties of LKS

    Transparent

    The expediency of their use follows from the definition: such compositions reliably protect the base without hiding its texture. For example, for doors in buildings made of wood (log cabins) - the best choice. This group of LKS includes various varnishes (colorless and with tinting components), impregnating compositions (including complex action), glazes.

    Opaque

    In everyday life, it is these LKS that are usually called paints. It is worth noting that not all of them are suitable for use at home, and therefore, when choosing a composition, you need to carefully read the instructions and manufacturer's recommendations!

    • Oil. The cheapest paints that are gradually losing their popularity. They reliably protect wood from external factors, they are sold in a large assortment. But painting wooden doors with your own hands with such a composition is inconvenient in the sense that you have to wait a long time for it to dry completely.
    • Acrylic. They are based on water, and therefore it is these paints that are most often used to color wood. Advantages - fast hardening of the layer, its elasticity, good fluidity of the composition, the absence of harmful components.

    Paints of this group do not differ in wear resistance. To keep them on the wood longer, it is advisable to apply another layer on top - cover with a special acrylic varnish.

    • Nitroenamels. They are characterized by a large color palette (up to 15,000 different shades). With their help, the problem of how best to repaint the door is solved quickly. If you add such a plus as increased wear resistance, then one of the acceptable options. But there is a negative point - toxic fumes. In the process of work, it is necessary to organize effective ventilation of the room. In some cases, it is recommended to use a respirator.
    • Alkyd paints. Painting interior doors with compositions of this group gives many advantages - the durability of the protective layer, a large selection of shades, low cost of registration. But the downside is that it's sharp, bad smell stays indoors for a long time. In this plan alkyd paints identical to nitro enamels. Moreover, harmful substances under certain conditions continue to be released into environment even after curing the compound. When deciding which paint is better to paint the wood, you need to understand that the use of these LKS for updating interior doors in bedrooms, children's rooms is not recommended.

    Operating procedure

    Preliminaries

    • To reduce the consumption of LKS and ensure maximum convenience of work, it is desirable to dismantle the door. The place where to place it is selected based on the properties of the selected paint. It is better to treat wood with nitro enamels or alkyd compounds outdoors (on the veranda, in the yard, under a canopy).
    • All fittings are removed - handles, latches and so on. If some elements are non-removable (for example, glass inserts), they are securely closed (with adhesive tape, PVC tape). In extreme cases, a layer of lubricant is applied. This is necessary so that these sections of the door are not stained with a coloring composition during operation.
    • Base cleaning. This is where the stage of proper staining of the door leaf begins. All previously applied layers are removed - as a result, the tree should be completely bare.
    • Assessment of the state of wood and the degree of its damage. This allows you to choose the right compositions (priming, impregnating) and the type of paint.

    At this stage, it is advisable to reconstruct the door leaf if its work for some reason does not suit you. For example, if necessary, outweigh the hinges, you can sample wood. If you need to rearrange the handle, make drillings.

    Web preparation

    • Wood grinding. At this stage, minor defects in the material (scratches, dents) can be leveled, which will facilitate further painting. If you work with a household grinder, you won’t need much time for this, and the leveling quality will be high. It is only necessary to regularly remove wood dust and monitor the condition of the base.
    • To get rid of dark spots, it is advisable to “lighten” the tree. In everyday life, chlorine bleach is used, further diluted with water (3 to 1).
    • After the canvas dries, it is impregnated with an antiseptic composition and dried again.
    • The remaining defects (small cracks, for example) are eliminated with putty.
    • The door prepared in this way is subjected to repeated, fine grinding.

    Coloring order

    • The stability of the canvas is checked. If necessary, to protect the base, a film or old cloth is placed under the door.
    • First of all, the paint is applied on a special difficult sections- protrusions, curly bends and the like. That is, everything that does not fit the definition of " Smooth surface". If a paneled door is being processed, then you should start by applying the composition to its recesses.
    • Full coloring of the door is correctly done in three stages. First, LKS is applied in a horizontal direction, from top to bottom. After the layer dries - re-painting, but with a vertical movement of the roller. The third "entry" is done similarly to the first.

    This technology will ensure the uniformity of the color of the door and the complete absence of various furrows, dried drops, gaps, streaks, and the like. In addition, applying the composition in several layers increases the color saturation. If the paint was repeatedly diluted with a solvent during work, it is especially important. The processing of the canvas with varnishes, stains, glaze is carried out according to the same scheme.

    The owner himself will have to decide what paint to paint any of the wooden doors in his own house. What needs to be taken into account and what criteria to focus on when buying LKS is noted, and in some detail. The choice is yours, home masters.