The ultimate guide to painting, staining or painting your doors

When you have properly prepared your door for painting, painting or staining, remove the handle and wedge the door open. Keep these items nearby if the door is accidentally closed while painting.

If you want to paint both sides of the door in different colors, paint the hinge edge of the door in the same color as the closing surface. Choose a separate color to paint the opening area and the outer edge.

Before painting, painting or staining your door, make sure the room you work in is well ventilated. Paints, stains and varnishes give off strong vapors, which can have side effects if inhaled in large quantities.

How to paint a paneled door

Start painting the door panels and the surrounding moldings. Once you have done this, switch to the ‘middle vertical’. This is the main piece of wood that runs from top to bottom in the middle of your door. Next, paint the cross rails, which are the horizontal parts of the door at the top, center, and bottom. Follow this by painting the two outer verticals. These are the tall pieces of wood that cover the entire door on both sides. The last part of painting a paneled door is to paint the three edges on the sides.

How to paint a glass door

The first step in painting a glass door is to cover the glass with either tape or paint protection. Finally, the last thing you want to do is try to remove dried paint from these areas! Next, take your cutting brush and paint the moldings surrounding the glass. Then paint the top rail and gradually work your way down the door. Once these have been painted, move to the outer verticals. Finally, paint the outer edges of the glass door.

How to paint a standard door

The key to thoroughly painting a standard door is to divide the door into eight imaginary sections. Don’t try to tackle the entire door at once. Start at the top left of the door and work your way through the door. Once one row is finished, go to the second row and repeat until the entire door is painted. When switching between sections, don’t forget to mix the previous section. This helps maintain a smooth finish. Always keep vertical brush strokes that go with the wood grain. The last step is to paint the three door edges, and then your project is complete!

How to paint or color a door

Before you buy your finish and start your project, make sure that you have selected the right color spot or varnish first. It’s surprising how different a stain or varnish can look on a piece of wood, as it appears on the can. To confirm this, take a piece of wood similar to the one you want to paint or stain and test the chosen color. Once you feel safe, you can actually paint or paint your door.

Start by brushing the door and removing all traces of dust with a cloth. Paint the moldings and panels with a high quality brush, followed by the other parts of the door. Make sure to use brush strokes in the direction of the grain, and try to even out uneven edges before drying.

Work as quickly as possible and apply the stain or varnish evenly. While the finish remains damp, rub the entire door with a lint-free cloth to even out the finish and remove unwanted excess. Achieving a professional finish when painting or staining a door is very important, as described in this guide paint and decorate explained by the professional artisans at Aspect.co.uk.

If another layer of stain or varnish is required for the door, lightly sand the entire door with fine sandpaper. Then wipe off with a cloth and apply your second coat. A third layer can be applied if you need a particularly hard-wearing finish. If you choose to do this, you will need to sand the second layer again.