Painting doors

[Lacan07]

Hi all

I need to start painting some internal doors and painting isn't my strong point so apologies for the basic question...

I don't really have the time to strip them completely so I was going to lightly sand before painting. There's a few chips on the doors back to the bare wood however and the sanding has also revealed a few wood spots too. Its not much bare wood at all but should I coat the whole door in primer first before painting the final coat? Or should I just 'spot' prime the bare areas only? Cheers.

 

[stuart45]

I only prime the bare wood, so spot prime in your case. I do find that using a really good quality undercoat to get an even colour all over makes it easier for the top coats. Picking the right colour for the undercoat helps as well.

 

[Lacan07]

I only prime the bare wood, so spot prime in your case. I do find that using a really good quality undercoat to get an even colour all over makes it easier for the top coats. Picking the right colour for the undercoat helps as well.

Thanks Stuart.

I guess these joint primer/undercoat paints I'm seeing aren't up to much?

 

[88v8]

Much better with a separate primer and undercoat.

And unless you really don't care about the finish, use oil paint, not water.
The oil will stay wet long enough for you to cut in, water won't.

You know the running order for panelled doors....

First, the mouldings with a suitable small brush
Then the panels with a 2" brush
Then the muntins, probably with a 1" brush
Then the headrail, midrail, footrail with a 1" or larger brush
Then the hinge stile
Then the lock stile

If the two sides of the door will be different colours, the edge of the hinge stile should be the colour of the room from which it opens, and the edge of the lock stile the colour of the room into which it opens.
In our previous house where every room had different coloured paintwork, all the doors were cream, as a unifying feature, and to save a little complication.

Ivor

 

[CliffordPope]

"If the two sides of the door will be different colours, the edge of the hinge stile should be the colour of the room from which it opens, and the edge of the lock stile the colour of the room into which it opens."


That sounds good advice, but I've always in practice found it difficult to apply, and seem to find situations where it just seems wrong.
I suppose another way of putting it is always paint the edges the colour appropriate to the side that is visible when the door is half open?

But what do you do about the inner edge of the frame, the one that the edge of the door is next to when closed? On the rule quoted above that would be a different colour on one side to the other - so which colour do you paint the top?

If you paint the inner face of the lock frame, the one inside the beading, the colour appropriate to the inside of the room, which seems sensible as it is inside the room, then either the hinge frame edge is a) the colour of its corresponding door edge, which looks silly from the other side, or b) we have the problem of two different colours meeting over the top.

Finally there's the top of the door itself. It's mostly invisible, unless you have a nearby staircase.

Your solution of painting all doors the same colour is neat and simple, but may simply clash with a particular room's colour scheme.

 

[Lacan07]

I've removed the doors for a bit of planning so that should make the painting a bit easier.

 

[RBailey]

If the two sides of the door will be different colours, the edge of the hinge stile should be the colour of the room from which it opens, and the edge of the lock stile the colour of the room into which it opens.

Good tip and makes sense. I always struggle with what colour to paint various bits and sides of the door / architrave, not helped by having to seek approval of the creative director.

 

[88v8]

"If the two sides of the door will be different colours, the edge of the hinge stile should be the colour of the room from which it opens, and the edge of the lock stile the colour of the room into which it opens."

That sounds good advice, but I've always in practice found it difficult to apply, and seem to find situations where it just seems wrong.
I suppose another way of putting it is always paint the edges the colour appropriate to the side that is visible when the door is half open?

But what do you do about the inner edge of the frame, the one that the edge of the door is next to when closed? On the rule quoted above that would be a different colour on one side to the other - so which colour do you paint the top?

If you paint the inner face of the lock frame, the one inside the beading, the colour appropriate to the inside of the room, which seems sensible as it is inside the room, then either the hinge frame edge is a) the colour of its corresponding door edge, which looks silly from the other side, or b) we have the problem of two different colours meeting over the top.

Finally there's the top of the door itself. It's mostly invisible, unless you have a nearby staircase.

Your solution of painting all doors the same colour is neat and simple, but may simply clash with a particular room's colour scheme.

Yes, the half open rule is a simple way to express it.

The frame will be painted to match the room. So, the architrave, the frame, and two faces of the door stop will be the colour of the room from which the door opens. In the space into which the door opens, the architrave, the frame, and the third face of the door stop.

Top of the door, in my limited experience is often unpainted. If it would be visible from above, as you say one could paint it.

The clash problem, indeed, so cream was chosen because it doesn't clash, and because it's not white.

Ivor