How To Paint Interior Doors

How to paint interior doors

Whether you need a fresh coat of paint on a worn wooden door, or you’re looking to jazz up the look of your door with a bold new colour, there is the proper way for painting interior doors.

Doors can act as an accent in a room and are a great way of highlighting other features or the total style of a space. Semi-gloss paints are easy to clean but still have that bit of shine to draw the eye. To draw even more focus to the door, use a glossy or higher sheen paint. Once you’ve decided what look you want, here are some easy steps to take you through how to paint interior doors!

Painting Doors Before and After Gallery

How do you know it’s time to paint your door? 

When it comes to your interior doors, it’s a bit different. The exterior doors in our home are exposed to the elements day after day. They see harsh sunlight, rain and snow through out the year. The doors inside your home do see some wear and tear, but not as much. A good interior house paint can last for several years. You will know it’s time to do some painting when you start to notice any chips or dents. If there are windows nearby, you also might notice some yellowing over time as well. Lastly, if you’re simply looking to do a little DIY makeover and need a good refresh!

Materials needed for painting interior doors:

• Soap and water
• Scrub brush
• Sander
• Drop cloth
• Primer
• Paint – We recommend a semi-gloss or high gloss finish for an interior door painting
• Small paintbrush
• Paint roller

Materials needed for painting interior doors:

• Soap and water
• Scrub brush
• Sander
• Drop cloth
• Primer
• Paint – We recommend a semi-gloss or high gloss finish for an interior door painting
• Small paintbrush
• Paint roller

Step 1: Prep Work 

• Choose your paint. We recommend Benjamin Moore or Sherwin Williams paints. The best choice would be a semi-gloss or satin/pearl finish as the best for painting interior doors.
• Decide how you’re going to be painting interior doors: in place or lying flat. There are benefits to both methods. Although leaving the door on its hinges means you can paint both sides at the same time.
• Make sure to clean the door before painting! Even if your door looks relatively clean, it’s better to give it a thorough scrub with soap and water first. 

Step 2: Fill and Sand the Wooden Door

• Once the door is clean, you may find some chipped paint or blemishes in the wood. An uneven surface will make it more difficult to paint. Smooth out any bumps and imperfections with sandpaper.
• Be sure to wipe away any dust you create with a damp cloth.
• Unlike walls, it’s doubtful you’ll have to fill any major holes on your interior door before the door painting process. Most nicks or dents can be sanded out. If there are any large divots then simply fill with putty and then sand to ensure a smooth finish.

Step 3: Protect the door hardware and accents

• Remove the knobs, plates, and lock mechanisms. Or you could also tape off the doorknob and hinges to avoid messy paint splatter.
• If you remove any hardware, make sure you keep them in a labeled bag so you know where and how each part goes back.
• Put down a drop cloth to protect your floors from paint drips and in case of paint spills.

Step 4: Prime

• With a paint roller and small paintbrush, apply a primer. Make sure to read and follow the directions on the primer label for best results.
• Allow the primer to dry for a full 24 hours before applying any paint. Don’t rush this step! Ensuring that your primer is fully dry makes all the difference in the end. 

Step 5: Interior door painting tips

• For a flat door a paint roller will work fine, but back-brush with a wide paintbrush to avoid roller stipple.
• However, most doors have some kind of paneling or details. In this case, start with a smaller paintbrush for the panels, then paint the rest of the door with the paint roller.
• If you’re curious as to what order you should in with your painting, we have a few good tips. It can be really helpful to start with the edges. From there, if your door has any panels, paint inside those. Then you can paint the vertical strips down the center of the door then the horizontal rails. Lastly, you’re going to want to paint the vertical strips. If you go in this order, it will ensure a uniform look while you’re painting interior doors.
• Just like the primer, allow paint to dry completely before applying a second coat.

Step 6: Final touches

• Remove all of the painters tape to see the full effect! 
• Make sure that all of the paint strokes are even and that there are no drip marks on the door. Touch up with a small paintbrush if you notice any drip marks or stipples.
• Leave ample time for the paint to dry fully before replacing any hardware or using the door.

Refurbishing and Staining of Exterior Oak Front Doors

If you need help picking out a paint colour… 

Sometimes we get an idea about interior painting and yet we find ourselves a bit stumped when it comes to picking a paint colour. If you’re looking to make a statement with your painted doors, we have a few suggestions. Firstly, nothing makes an impact quite like Kendall Charcoal. It’s a deep and luxurious dark gray that looks great next to white trim. Another option to make an impact is to think about beautiful blues. Check out this almost frosted shade of blue with hints of grey called Blue Springs. Lastly, another popular interior painting colour for doors is Wrought Iron. It’s a deep almost navy with hints of purple. It will definitely make a statement in any room!

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Don’t have enough time to do the interior painting yourself? It sounds like it’s time to call on some professional house painters to get the job done! Our residential house painting experts have over 30 years of experience behind them. Call 416.494.9095 or email brian@HomePaintersToronto.com for a FREE quote. And don’t forget to follow us on all our social channels below!