Step By Step Instructions Of Painting An Exterior Wood Door
If you are looking for the best possible paint job on an exterior wooden door that you have just hung, then it is important to take it down again before laying it flat on sawhorses. Finishes have a tendency to level more evenly on horizontal surfaces in comparison to vertical surfaces. However, you also perform the paint job very well on a door that is hanging in the jamb. You can paint both sides at the same time and there is no danger of sawhorses impairing the quality or appearance of the paint. You just have to prevent spreading thick coats, due to the fact that it can cause the paint to drip.
- Open The Door All The Way
Open the door entirely and prop it open by wedging a block of wood betwixt the underside of the door and the floor. If there is no storm door on the doorway that you can lock, then you need to hang a sheet of plastic before taping it to the jamb in order to prevent people from using the doorway. - Remove The Doorknob And Deadbolt From The Door
Pull out the doorknob and deadbolt from the door, with the help of a screwdriver. If there is a metal guard on the underside of the door, then you need to unscrew and remove it. Protect the hinges using masking or painter's tape. If the door has a window, then you need to protect and cover the panes using masking paper and tape. Make sure to leave all the window framing exposed. Position a drop cloth on the floor before pushing it underneath the door. - Sand & Wash The Door
Sand the door with the help of a palm sander and 120-grit sandpaper if it is made from new, unfinished wood. Alternatively, wash the door using detergent and water if it is painted. Sand it using a 120-grit sandpaper in order to etch the surface and improve paint adhesion. - Oil Or Water-based Wood Primer
Now, apply a coat of oil or water-based wood primer, with the help of a paintbrush. Paint one side of the door, beginning at the top corner and working downward to the floor, before painting the other side. Finish by painting all four edges, and lifting the door off the hinges in order to get the bottom edge, if necessary. Allow the primer to dry, before sanding it by hand using a 220-grit sandpaper in order to remove graininess and smooth the wood. Move the paper in any direction, not only with the woodgrain. - Apply First Coat Of Paint
Apply the first coat of paint with the help of a paintbrush, using long even strokes. Start at the top of the door before moving toward the bottom, spreading paint to an unpainted part of the door as well as brushing it back into wet paint. Periodically, go over a section you have painted with a long stroke in order to straighten the brush marks. - Apply Second & Third Coat Of Paint
Paint both sides of the door, before painting the side and top edges. Apply a moderate coat before allowing the paint to dry completely. Sand the first coat lightly with the help of 220-grit sandpaper after it dries and before you apply a second coat. Sand again before you apply the third coat, however, make sure not to sand the last coat. Allow the door to dry for nearly 48 hours in order to give the paint time to cure before you reattach the hardware and close it.