Knock knock. Who’s there? Your next DIY project. Modernise your home and brighten your neutral space by adding some bold colour on your wooden door. This project is super easy and won’t take too long at all. Follow the steps below to see for yourself.
What You Need:
Repainting Doors – Why & How
Even the best-looking pieces need a little help to keep on shining bright. Wear and tear are real and sometimes a makeover is the only viable option. This may sound like a lot of hassle, but the truth of the matter remains – it’s much cheaper than buying new doors.
Plus, often you can’t just buy one – you’d have to replace every single piece to make sure they match. Even if you don’t care about keeping your overall décor and design language intact or perfectly coherent, repainting doors is the easiest and most effective way to give them a whole new life – even when you think they’re way beyond repair. That’s the power of the right knowledge – and tools.
Types of Wooden Doors
Timber doors are a very popular choice – because charm, style and natural shine are sometimes more important than durability. Make no mistake, wood is a great material, but it does have a tendency for scuffing, scratching and damage. It’s still hard to find a better option – especially if you take maintenance seriously. And whenever you feel they’ve seen better days – perhaps repainting doors around the house will make the difference you want to see.
Hardwood
- Characteristics: Comes from trees with broad leaves, usually deciduous (lose leaves annually). The wood is denser and usually more durable.
- Examples: Oak, maple, walnut.
- Internal Doors: Oak is strong and durable, often used for interior doors that need to be sturdy and look good. Also, walnut is a popular choice thanks to its rich colour and grain, used for stylish, high-end internal doors.
- External Doors: Mahogany is one of the more expensive and the most reliable options. Durable and weather-resistant, ideal for external doors with a classic appearance. Teak is also a great choice - extremely durable and resistant to the elements, often used for high-quality exterior doors.
Softwoods
- Characteristics: Comes from coniferous trees (evergreens with needles). The wood is lighter and generally grows faster.
- Examples: Pine, cedar, spruce.
- Internal doors: Pine is commonly used for internal doors due to its availability and how easy it is to paint it – with the right prep. Spruce is also a strong contender; it’s Lightweight and cost-effective.
- External doors: Cedar is naturally resistant to decay and insects, whereas redwood is durable and weather-resistant, often used for stylish external doors.
Whether you choose softwood or hardwood doors depends solely on your budget and preference. As usual, the higher price gets you higher quality. But when it comes to painting or repainting doors, the process itself is pretty much the same.
Colour and Paint for Wooden Doors
There’s no accounting for taste – that’s clear, but here are some versatile and popular hues that’ll work great for plenty of different styles.
- Vivid white is a great choice with a crisp white hue – perfect for coastal-inspired homes, easy to match and coordinate with just about any hue.
- Antique White USA is a timeless classic – warm, elegant and welcoming.
- Ironstone colour makes for a great addition to modern spaces with a crisp and sleek shade of grey. With its special formula and added durability, it’s recommended for external doors.
Step 1:
If you want, you can remove the door beforehand but first check if there’s enough space between the frames and the door when it’s closed. If the fit is too tight, you can sand the edges a little as well to give a bit more breathing space. Lightly sand the surface of the door. Remove all the dust with a microfibre cloth. If you don’t want to do it, make sure you lay out enough dropsheets to protect the floor.
Step 2:
If did choose to remove the door off the hinges, make sure it’s placed securely. You could also remove all the handles, locks, hinges, or coat hooks. If not, just tape up the handles and locks where required.
Step 3:
Apply 1 coat of Dulux Precision Maximum Strength Adhesion Primer. First cut in with the brush where the application is a bit tricky, and then roll it with the mini roller to quickly cover larger areas. Once it’s completely dry, make sure to sand all the imperfections away – but be careful! You don’t want to go overboard; apply light pressure and go slow.
Step 4:
Apply 2 coats of the top coat paint colour, Dulux Aquanamel semi gloss would be a great choice. Just like with primer, first cut in with the brush and then roll it with the mini roller. Try to steer clear from overloading – too much paint may cause drips, splatter and streaks. It’s often quite difficult to remove them, so it’s much better to do 2 coats, instead of one. Quick tip – particularly effective for non-panel doors, try using the W technique, where you should start from the top and make 3 downward strokes to form a W-shaped pattern. Rolling this way will help you avoid any streaks or paint lines.
FAQ
Can I paint over a painted wooden door?
You can, provided the surface is properly prepared. That means you need to get rid of all the remaining gloss. Sand it thoroughly to expose the wood and to make the paint stick better, then apply the primer and you’re ready to paint.
Do you have to sand wood doors before painting?
It’s definitely recommended as paint needs a smooth surface to get the best finish. Start with 100-150 sandpaper and then repeat the process with 180-220.
What kind of paint do you use on a wooden door?
For interior doors and other woodwork, you can choose between an eggshell, satin, or gloss finish depending on the look and durability you’re looking to get. Eggshell, with its flat finish, offers a sleek and modern look, while gloss provides the highest protection against scratches and knocks.
Do I need to undercoat a previously painted door?
That depends on the previous colour – if it’s much darker than the new one then yes, undercoat will definitely help cover it up. Generally speaking, it’s recommended but not necessary if the old paintwork is in good condition.
What’s the W technique for painting?
This is a technique designed to minimise paint lines and streaks. For every area on the door you’re going to paint, start from the top and roll downward 3 times in a W-shaped manner.