How to treat a wooden door outside. How to paint a wooden entrance door in a country house

Wooden doors look aesthetically pleasing and elegant. There are many opportunities to buy blanks for painting or varnishing. It's cheap and practical. You can paint the old product in the desired tone that matches the interior. Many people wonder what is used to cover solid wood doors. There are many upgrade options. The only thing that is necessary is to adhere to the technology of preparing the canvas and painting.

Solid pine surface covered with enamel

Features of painting door panels

It often happens that old doorways have a good frame and panel, but have lost their original luster. An affordable, simple method of updating is coating with coloring materials. Any person can handle this kind of work. It is enough to know the properties of the paint and varnish materials from which the doors are made. Attention is paid to compliance with the technology of painting structures:

  • Paneled canvases. Before painting, they are disassembled into elements, since the number of joints leads to wear and requires updating.
  • Solid wood: heavy structures that convey the natural structure of wood. To update, use varnish or paint for such wood-look doors.

With varnish applied
  • MDF. Painting the structure is simple, but before doing this, carefully prepare the surface.

Choosing the shade of interior door designs

The range of colors makes it possible to embody different design solutions, therefore, the question of how to cover the surface does not arise. Three color trends are visible in the design: delicate, light shades; bright shades of yellow, red; dark shades. When choosing a color, adhere to the following principles:


Shades of colors
  • Shades of chocolate and cherry add luxury and sophistication.
  • In the bedroom, nursery they select bright hues that create coziness and comfort.
  • Solid wood doors are suitable for log houses.
  • In a room with antique furniture, artificially aged ones look great.
  • Color door frame make the walls darker (lighter).

Selection of painting material

High-quality paint does not come cheap. Sometimes stores give discounts on quality paints when their expiration date approaches. If painting is carried out immediately after purchasing the paint and varnish material, then this option will save money without reducing quality.

When thinking about what solid wood doors are coated with, you will need knowledge about paint and varnish materials. The range of paints is divided into: transparent, opaque. The first include impregnations, varnishes, and glazes. When the canvas is treated with a transparent coating, the natural color and wood pattern are emphasized. For solid wood canvases, varnish is often used. It protects the surface from moisture and various influences. Varnishes come in clear and tinted varieties.

Important. When purchasing varnish, pay attention to the drying speed. It is better to take quick-drying paintwork. It does not spread on the surface and is also harmless.

Opaque coatings include alkyd and oil-based coloring materials that have their own characteristics. Most often used:


Paint for doorways
  1. Nitro paint. It has aesthetic properties, a wide color palette that is superior to other types of paints. It has strength and wear resistance. But it is harmful to health, its fumes are toxic.
  2. Acrylic. Suitable for use in rooms. When painting, it applies well and there is no toxic smell. The disadvantages of paint include low strength and high cost. To increase durability, acrylic varnish is applied to the paint.
  3. Alkyd enamel. It is affordable, has a wide range of shades, and forms a durable coating. This paint is suitable for wooden doors, it is wear-resistant, economical, and dries quickly. Significant disadvantage: the unpleasant odor persists for 2 days. This type of paint is not used where allergy sufferers or children live.

Preparatory work before painting

To cover the door with paint and varnish, you need to carry out some preparatory work. First of all, prepare the tool:

  • brush;
  • paint container;
  • rags;
  • gloves;
  • scotch;
  • sandpaper;
  • 4 stools;
  • putty knife.

Be sure to prepare paint and varnish materials.


Painting tools

The next step is preparing the canvas. It is removed from the canopies and placed horizontally on stools. If the chosen paint has a pungent, unpleasant odor, then the work should be done outside. Remove the fittings. Fixed elements are wrapped in paper and tape. The lock is closed with masking tape. To properly coat the surface, it is prepared:


Removing old coating
  1. Remove old paint and primer using grinding machine, sandpaper, washing solution.
  2. Pre-grinding is performed, which helps remove scratches and paint.
  3. Remove dust and dirt.
  4. Fill imperfections and cracks in wood.
  5. After drying, the canvas is puttied with medium-grain sandpaper and then with fine-grain sandpaper.

Attention. Darkened wood is lightened with a mixture of chlorine bleach and water (3 to 1).

Scheme, procedure for coating a door with paintwork

Application in progress coloring material on the door according to a certain pattern. The panel surface is painted in 3 stages. It is better to use a roller. It ensures uniform application and does not leave streaks. Start painting from the top from the corner of the door, across from left to right. Then, after drying, apply a second layer lengthwise, and a third layer crosswise.

The paneled door is painted with a brush, starting from the recesses. Make sure that no excess paint remains. Afterwards, the door is painted with a roller in accordance with the painting scheme for the panel surface. For rich color, paint in 3 layers.

Before varnishing doors, take into account the number of layers. Quality depends on this appearance. Most often apply 3 times. Each layer is applied after the previous one has dried. The number of layers can be found on the varnish jar itself - information is provided by the manufacturer.

The varnish is applied to wooden door with a large brush. If there are patterns, then use brushes of different sizes. To ensure that the varnished surface is smooth, painting is carried out on a flat surface with the door in a horizontal position.


To varnish, the canvas is placed in a horizontal position.

The first (base) layer is made with diluted (water, solvent) varnish along the length of the wood structure. You cannot stop the process, as dark spots remain. The next layer is applied crosswise, after drying and treating the surface with fine sandpaper. Varnishing of wooden doors is carried out until a smooth surface is formed.

Attention! If a drop of varnish gets on the surface and has time to dry, it is better to leave it as is. Otherwise, you can ruin the appearance.

Painting pine canvas

The advantage of inexpensive pine is the pleasant smell of pine needles, which brings peace to the house and promotes good sleep. Pine is classified as a wood susceptible to environment. Pine will become durable and wear-resistant if it is painted with the chosen paint coating.

Not all interior designers are willing to use pine doors - they have a lot of knots. This deficiency can be corrected with the help of stain, giving a noble shade.

Before painting a pine door, it is puttied and sanded. Resin stains are removed, the pine door leaf is sanded. To paint pine doors you need to do the following:

  • Any pine door is pre-treated with sandpaper - sanded.
  • The surface of the pine canvas is cleaned of dust.
  • Pine doors are primed, which promotes uniform application of paint and protects the wood from rotting. To improve antiseptic protection, special impregnation is used.
  • Next, a layer of stain of the required shade is applied to the pine door using a roller. Opaque paints are suitable for completely coloring the texture.
  • The pine door is varnished.

When coating solid wood doors with paint and varnish, do not save time and do not shorten work processes. This results in an unattractive appearance and the appearance of defects on the surface of the canvas. Therefore, carrying out the main stages of painting from stripping to polishing is an important aspect of it.

How to paint pine doors correctly:

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Thanks to modern technologies, today wooden doors not only look beautiful, but are also different high quality, which is hard not to pay attention to.

But not everyone can afford to decorate their premises with high-quality doors, because such a product made from natural wood species costs a lot of money. But how a budget option, you can purchase a “semi-finished product” - a door made of solid wood, for example oak, wengue or pine (usually sold in standard sizes), without decorative elements, and give the door leaf an original design with your own hands, painting the wood with the most suitable paint and varnish.

Unfortunately, buy a new interior door block owners of apartments with an old layout have more problems, because the “original” doors have non-standard sizes. In this case, you will have to make doors according to individual order, which will cost a pretty penny. Therefore, it makes sense to restore old doors, thereby saving the family budget and making the apartment unique and unique.

Next, we will tell you how to properly prepare the surface, in what sequence the painting work should be carried out and what paint to paint a wooden door so that the final result looks not only good, but also unusual, if the style of the room requires it.

How can you paint wooden doors?

Today the question is “How to paint a wooden door in an apartment?” is not very relevant, because the market for paints and varnishes is quite diverse. But before you paint an interior wooden door in your home, you need to consider whether you need to maintain the structure natural material, or you need to completely mask the wood grain by painting the canvas with an opaque layer. Taking your own wishes as a basis, pay attention to the following paintwork materials:

  • Enamels with an opaque base.
  • Oil based paints.
  • Transparent or tinted varnish.
  • Oil based impregnations.
  • Stain.
  • Other paints and varnishes that can refresh the color of wood or give it a beautiful, correct shade.

The table below shows the classification of coatings.

Classification:

Varieties:

View: Varnish. Dye. Impregnation.
Chemical composition:

Organic base.

Water based.
Mode of application:

Internal.

Outdoor.

Combined.
Protective effect: From changes in temperature and moisture. From mechanical damage. From chemical and organic irritants.

Of course, how to paint an old wooden door is a matter for the owner, but, in my opinion experienced craftsmen It's worth listening. Many finishers recommend:

  • Water-based acrylic material (substances containing acrylic have the most optimal consistency, which is important when working with brushes, and also spread well over the surface);
  • Alkyd material (has a good ability to repel moisture, is not afraid of the sun, frost and sudden changes temperature regime, dries quickly).

If you need to treat the door to the bathhouse, it is better to choose alkyd paint for outdoor street work, which is less susceptible to adverse factors. Using such material, it will be possible to cover the doors to the house, as well as interior blocks.

Important! Please note that doors can only be painted with alkyd-containing paints on dry surfaces. If the base of the door is wet, the paint will quickly peel and peel. And if you need to varnish the door, do not use drying oil, only stain will help you!

If you are wondering “how to paint a wooden door in a country house or in an apartment?”, you should already understand that applying paint is not carried out in one stage. Sometimes to get desired effect, have to use different compositions. Initially, specialists use impregnation, which can give a certain tone to the door, after which they apply a decorative layer.

Painting wooden doors (video)

Sequence of work

The door structure is not only the door itself, so it is very important to carefully preparatory process. Of course, you can repaint only the canvas, but this way the jambs will fall out of the overall picture. And so, the process of painting the door should be carried out in the following sequence:

  • The door structure is removed and placed on a stable surface (optionally, a pair of stools). If alkyd paint will be used for work, it is better to transfer the work to open air, because such paints and varnishes have a pungent odor.

  • Then, without removing the canvas itself, it is fixed with wedges so that the paneled brush has access to all hard-to-reach places. It is also necessary to block the doors so that during the drying process the doors do not slam shut and damage the new layer of paint.

Whatever route you take, you will still have to dismantle the fittings. If there are permanent parts, they can be hidden under paper or foil.

Preparing the door covering

  • Remove all old coating, even primer and putty, until the wood itself remains. For this work, you can use a grinder, a hair dryer, or special cleaning compounds.
  • Then you need to sand the surface, remove any defects, sand off small paint residues, and degrease. This work cannot be done without a sander, which is best connected to a vacuum cleaner. If you don’t have such a device, you can get by with medium-grain sandpaper.

  • When you have completely managed to sand the canvas and prime it, you can move on to puttying large flaws. If you plan to use varnish as a finishing coat, it is better to use a special composition for wood. If the decorative dye is not transparent, you don’t have to worry about the color of the putty. Don't forget about the gaps at the walls and baseboards!
  • After puttying, after waiting the time specified by the manufacturer of the mixture, you need to sand again, masking the abrasions. You can immediately use a medium-grained cloth, and then finish with a fine-abrasive one.

Please note that if there are large dents on the surface and you plan to use an opaque or dark material for the finishing layer, use auto putty. This mixture does not contain glass fibers.

If the doors have darkened under the old finishing materials, and you would like to simply open them with varnish, preserving the structure and pattern of the wood, problem areas can be lightened. To do this, you can prepare a simple bleach with your own hands: mix bleach with water in a ratio of 1:3. When the surface is completely processed, wiped with a rag and dried (so that the paint does not begin to swell), you can begin directly painting the door.

How is a typical door painted?


We told you how to paint a wooden entrance door or an interior door, now it’s time to talk about how to do simple painting to avoid smudges and other problems. If you need to update the outside canvas or paint only the doors, there is no point in buying a spray bottle.

To do this, it will be enough to buy a narrow brush (for hard to reach places) and a roller that will fit any canvas (natural wood, fiberboard, MDF, Canadian, etc.). The only drawback of brushes is that they often lose hair, so before work you need to fluff it up so that everything unnecessary and poorly fixed falls out, so as not to spoil the finish.

For panel doors, it is better to use a roller so that the paint applies evenly. Work begins from the end, moving to the right. You will have to paint the canvas in 3 passes, so each subsequent layer should be applied in opposite movements. If painting is done on any other surface, do not allow an excess of paint to prevent smudges from forming.

How to use stain correctly?


To tree species did not absorb excess moisture, and the paint applied evenly, the prepared canvas needs to be slightly moistened. All horizontal surfaces are treated with stain along the grain and then across it. The finishing layer is also applied in the longitudinal direction.

The jambs and parts that have not been dismantled begin to be covered from below so that the drops do not touch the still untouched areas. This sequence of actions is followed if finishing layer An opaque material will serve. When the surface treated with stain absorbs moisture, the wood fibers straighten, which is why you will need to sand the canvas with zero sandpaper and repeat the procedure.

It is also worth noting that after staining (when the dye dries) the wood becomes lighter. Therefore, you need to coat it as many times as necessary to achieve the desired color. If you want to speed up the process, you can use stain on alcohol based. The surface treated with this composition will not require re-grinding. But, water-soluble materials are considered safer, will not smell bad and are more popular.

How to imitate wood?

Advice! Today, the design of premises in the Provence style, the laconicism of which few people previously knew, is very popular. Furniture and doors for rooms made in this style are usually chosen in light pastel colors; imitation of antiquity is in great demand.

Adhering to this style when decorating doors with your own hands, a water-based emulsion or other bleached matte coloring composition can help. At the same time, many people wonder whether it is possible to paint wooden doors. water-based paint? Of course you can, why such doubts?

For such substances, you can use both a spray gun and rollers or brushes. However, on the Internet you can find many videos and photos of instructions on how to paint a wooden door white with emulsion, read in more detail, such skills for artificial aging you won't be disturbed!


And so, to imitate a tree pattern on any base (including metal) you need:

  • Paint the canvas yellowish, grayish, beige or white and dry.
  • Get some liquid soap and a brush, and lubricate the desired area.
  • Take a dark dye and apply it to the surface.
  • Remove liquid soap.

Also, to create a retro door, purchase a special brush, which is sold at any hardware store. The brush is used to make movements, as if combing hair, over the entire surface in order to touch the soft fibers of the rock. The surface can then be pigmented in different shades.

As a rule, old doors have a high-strength panel and a high-quality frame, but the appearance deteriorates over time due to the thick coating. One of the low-cost renovation methods is using regular paint for wooden doors. In this material you will learn how to paint wooden doors and get acquainted with other in modern ways renovation of the coating at home.

Rice. 1. Door before and after painting

Selection of paints and varnishes

Paintwork materials are classified according to the following criteria:

  • By composition (water and organic based);
  • By protective effect (against organic and chemical substances, mechanical influences, changes in humidity and temperature);
  • By method of use (internal, external, combined);
  • By type (impregnations, paints, stains, varnishes).

1. Paints. Can be used to process new and old doors. There are no difficulties in choosing, but due to incompetence people choose the wrong material. Paint and varnish compositions can be transparent or opaque. The first compositions include certain pigments that exhibit the woody structure. But opaque coatings consisting of organic solvents (oil, alkyd and other types) are often used.

The most popular is alkyd enamel, the cost of which is affordable. This coating has high strength, a large assortment shades. But the enamel smells bad, its unpleasant odor remains for 2 days, so they work with it outside, first removing the canvas from the hinges or vacating the room. Alternative solution is acrylic enamel, which also has many colors, but does not have a toxic odor. Dried paint does not have much strength, so it is further processed acrylic varnish for protection against mechanical influences.


Rice. 2. Paint on wood

A more durable coating for wood doors is nitro paint, which has optimal strength. The composition is toxic and sometimes leads to allergic reactions, so you need to work with it in protective equipment. If treated with nitro paint old surface, preparation and sanding of the panel to a light shade is carried out in advance.

2. Varnishes. They are traditional coatings that add shine to wood and protect its surface. Typically, varnish is used to coat doors in rooms with high humidity(baths and saunas).

There are many different varnishes:

  • Acrylic. The material is resistant to negative impacts, humidity and ultraviolet radiation. There are matte and glossy finishes without a toxic odor.
  • Nitrocellulose. Wooden doors can be treated with varnish. The coating is not suitable for treating bathrooms and saunas, as it has insufficient strength and cracks quickly.
  • Water based varnish. It has no unpleasant odor. Due to different additives, the properties of the material may differ.
  • Polyurethane. The varnish has high strength and adhesion to wood, and comes in matte, semi-gloss and glossy. In addition to wood, polyurethane varnishes can be applied to parquet, veneer, and countertops.
  • Oil varnish. There is no pungent odor. The composition contains a lot of fatty resins, so the old coating is removed from the door in advance. It is better to apply with a brush due to the thick consistency.
  • Polyester. The composition has a pungent odor and is different high strength, but toxic, therefore suitable for treating street doors.

It is better to paint interior doors with acrylic or polyurethane coating, and for external works or rooms with high humidity, resistant materials are suitable.


Rice. 3. Varnish on wood

3. Stains. The purpose of such compositions is to tint the wood and provide temporary protection from negative influences. But it requires constant updating of the layer that emphasizes the wood structure.

There are several options:

  • With a varnish base (azure). The composition reduces the duration of work, but aesthetics are difficult to achieve, so a single-color surface can be obtained by spraying with a spray gun;
  • With oils. Must be diluted with solvent before use;
  • With water. It takes longer to dry, but there is no toxic odor. The composition penetrates deeply, giving a more saturated shade and a clear pattern that looks beautiful;
  • Alcohol based. It dries quickly, but is more expensive and has a strong odor.

Fig.4. Wood stain for a wooden door

To protect wood from fungus, moisture and dirt, oil wax is used, which penetrates deeply into the surface. The coating adds strength and shine.

If you are choosing what to stain the surface of the door with, then you need to take into account the drying time and the resulting effect.

Preparing the canvas for painting

First, the door is removed from its hinges and placed on a flat surface. Before using alkyd paint, it is better to place the canvas outside or in a well-ventilated area. The door is then locked so that all elements are accessible. The fittings are also removed or wrapped in foil, and the locks are sealed with tape.

Cleaning the door

Preliminary cleaning and removal of old enamel or paint are carried out. For such purposes it is better to use grinder, and in its absence, you can peel off the layer with medium-grain sandpaper. Any bubbles that appear are eliminated with a hairdryer, which heats up the paint layer to remove it with a spatula. Expensive and in a simple way surface cleaning is done using washing compounds.


Rice. 5. Cleaning and grinding the surface

Layers of old paint can be removed with an abrasive attachment on a drill. Pieces of dust and paint are swept away from the panel, the surface is sanded so that there are no scratches, unevenness or roughness. The surface is inspected from both sides, the density of the joints is analyzed, and the frame can be strengthened with fasteners and metal corners.

Puttying and sanding

Existing cracks and gouges are filled with new putty.. For alkyd paint will do composition of any color, and before applying oil impregnation, varnish or wax, the tone of the putty must match the panel. Dried areas of the door are sanded with fine-grained sandpaper. At this stage, any defects are eliminated.


Rice. 6. Door putty

Antiseptic coating

When applying paint, the surface is pre-treated with a fire retardant and antiseptic impregnation(for example, biotex) when the door is installed in a steam room. It is advisable to choose products from the same company, which will improve interaction and quality of coverage.


Rice. 7. Antiseptic for wood

After this, the door needs to be primed, and then a layer of putty must be applied. All areas of the door need to be treated, as well as cracks in decorative parts, between the jamb and the lintel. After the putty has dried, the surface is puttied again.

Dyeing technology

If you are painting a new canvas, you should protect it from swelling. First lay it on a flat surface and sand it with sandpaper or a sander. Then the panel is primed, the recesses are processed and flat areas. After the surface has dried, secondary treatment is carried out.


Rice. 8. Directions for painting the canvas

An old house door needs to be painted with high quality so that there are no stains or smudges on its surface. It is unlikely that you need to buy a spray bottle to paint one or two canvases, so you can use a paneled brush or roller.

After you have chosen what you can use to paint a wooden door, you should familiarize yourself with some of the nuances of the work:

  • fluff the brush, removing poorly fixed hairs;
  • paint correctly panel door you need to do it in 3 stages, using a roller, from the upper left corner you need to move to the right, covering the entire canvas. After drying, the door must be processed in the longitudinal direction. Then you need to paint the canvas from the upper right corner;
  • When processing paneled fabric, you need to use a brush and treat the surface carefully, avoiding excess coating.

Rice. 9. Sequence of web processing

Painting with alkyd enamel

To coat doors with alkyd enamel, the following steps should be followed:

  • remove the panel from the hinges so that paint drips do not appear on the surface. Then use a spatula and sandpaper to remove abrasions and the old layer, thoroughly rinse the surface and inspect for defects. Chips and cracks are puttied, the surface is dried and sanded. On last stage priming is carried out;
  • the finished canvas lies on a horizontal surface of the floor, table or workbench, covered with polyethylene. The existing glass is sealed with tape. For a paneled door, first paint the panels with a brush, and then the protrusions. Subsequently, the entire panel is painted with a roller. With a two-layer application of alkyd enamel, the result will be a consumption of 40-80 g/m2;
  • Additionally, you can tint the wenge fabric by impregnating it with a special compound. This paint is based on natural oils. After a coat of paint has been applied, you need to run over it rubber spatula or sponge about 10 times;
  • you can take liquid soap with paint. First, the panel is covered with paint and liquid soap. You need to apply another layer of coating to the soap.

Rice. 10. Alkyd enamel for processing wooden surface

Stain treatment

When choosing a stain, no primer is used. The product penetrates into the deep layers of pine or oak wood, coloring its fibers and increasing its protective properties. There are several ways to apply the composition: rubbing, spraying, simple application and staining with a brush. Usually simple application is used.


Rice. 11. Processing the canvas with stain

Since the stain will adhere better to a damp canvas, it needs to be slightly moistened. First, coloring is carried out along the fibers, and then across them. We perform the next layer in the direction of the fibers. We process the panel with jambs from below so as not to disturb the design of the structure.

After the water-based stain has been applied, the surface should be sanded using sandpaper (due to raised fibers), remove dust and apply the next layer of coating. If an alcohol stain is used, the fibers will not lift and no sanding is required. But aqueous compounds do not have unpleasant odor and toxicity.

Oil or wax impregnations

There are nuances to processing canvas with oil impregnation. First, the Pinotex composition is mixed well. If applied incorrectly, darkened areas and streaks may appear. For work, use a brush, sprayer, roller or foam sponge. Depending on the porosity of the material, the number of layers will be calculated.

Rice. 12. Application of wax impregnation

First, collect a little composition, distributing it evenly across the width of the panel. Then the impregnation is rolled out with a roller or rubbed with a brush without sagging. Drying time is 8-12 hours. No later than a day later, another layer is applied.

Wood imitation

To paint interior doors under the tree with your own hands was done correctly, follow the instructions:

  • apply light paint (beige, white, gray or yellow) to the building material;
  • treat the dried surface with liquid soap;
  • cover with dark paint, remove liquid soap.

The wood structure can be created on veneered material by treating the fibers with a special brush (an antique effect is obtained). Then you need to apply one or more to the surface paint coatings and polish it.

How to paint laminated doors

Compared to doors made of natural wood, laminated products look aesthetically pleasing, are easy to use and are affordable. To process laminated doors you will need a roller or brush, wood putty with a spatula, sandpaper, rags, solvent and special enamel.

The surface is completely sanded, cleaned of dust with a rag and puttyed with a thin layer. After the putty has dried, it is treated with sandpaper, applied a second time and sanded again after drying. Before painting, the composition is diluted with a solvent. The paint is applied carefully, paying attention to hard-to-reach areas. After 3 layers, the result is secured with varnish.


Rice. 13. Varnishing wood surface

If there are no defects, the laminated coating can be renewed. A tinted varnish or stain is suitable, which is applied after sanding and tinting.

The color of the panel is selected based on your wishes. The main recommendations include:

  • drying the surface before applying alkyd enamel;
  • combination of shade of canvas with furniture;
  • choosing a solid wood door coated with oil impregnation for a wooden home;
  • combination of an aged door with antique items;
  • choosing a dark-tinted door for lacquered furniture;
  • use of water-based paints.

During the process of painting a door, you need to follow proper techniques and safety measures.

The interior of absolutely any room implies the presence of certain elements that are most susceptible to operational loads. These are, in particular, entrance and interior doors, which are used most intensively and are second only to floor coverings. Due to these circumstances, any door must be protected with a special coating that would ensure its attractive appearance and excellent operational properties for a long time.

Painting protects wood from temperature changes and high humidity, and also increases its service life.

In the vast majority of cases, such coatings are made using various paints and varnishes. However, the currently existing huge assortment of a wide variety of paints, enamels and varnishes will certainly confuse a beginner and lead to a reasonable question: what is the best way to paint a door and how to avoid mistakes? Let's try to consider this issue comprehensively and in detail.

Why do you need to paint doors?

The modern construction market finishing materials is able to offer the buyer a wide range of ready-made entrance and interior doors that do not require any modification. However, in some cases, painting the door may be necessary measure. In a similar way, you can restore and update an old door, thereby giving it an attractive and original look.

Quite often, people deliberately purchase unpainted wooden doors in order to then decorate them themselves in accordance with their own tastes and preferences. In addition, this approach allows you to reduce the cost of installing doors to some extent.

The main advantage of nitro varnishes is their high drying speed.

There are various techniques for painting surfaces, with which you can achieve not only an even glossy or matte finish, but also create various decorative effects in the form of cracking, abrasions, imitation of wood texture, etc.

However, the main purpose of covering a door with paints and varnishes is to protect it from:

  • mechanical damage (chips, scratches, abrasions);
  • changes in temperature and humidity;
  • fungus, mold, insect pests.

The wooden entrance door is the most demanding in terms of the quality of the protective coating, especially if it has direct contact with the external atmospheric environment. Before you paint front door, it is very important to choose the right material correctly.

Classification of paints and varnishes

Exceptional variety of assortment and the widest range color solutions paint and varnish products presented on the shelves of modern stores are able to satisfy the needs of the most demanding customer and allow the most extraordinary design projects. All paint and varnish materials, including those used for painting doors, can be classified as follows:

  • by type: impregnations (stains, etc.), varnishes, paints (enamels);
  • by chemical composition: water-soluble or based on organic solvents;
  • by area of ​​application: for interior work, for outdoor use, universal;
  • by the nature of protection: from changes in humidity and temperature, from mechanical, chemical and other influences.

Various shades of tinted varnish allow you to create an imitation on a wooden surface valuable species tree.

In addition, coatings formed with these materials can be transparent or opaque. Transparent coatings form varnishes, glazes and oil impregnations(including drying oil). Are opaque different kinds paints and enamels:

  • oil;
  • alkyd;
  • polyurethane;
  • acrylic;
  • perchlorovinyl.

Each of the above types of paints and varnishes has a number of specific characteristics that ultimately determine their scope of application.

An important role in the process of painting a door is also played by special priming compounds (primers), which make it possible to create the most even, strong and durable coating.

Varnishing of doors

It is advisable to use various kinds of transparent and translucent varnishes to coat doors made from solid natural wood and veneered doors.

Transparent varnish allows you to preserve the texture of wood and even highlight it favorably. This property is especially valuable when processing doors made of valuable wood. Of course, a door prepared for coating with clear varnish should not have any defects that would spoil the appearance of the product. Translucent (tinted) varnishes are produced in the most various colors and shades that allow you to imitate this or that valuable species when applied.

Most often, 2 main types of varnishes are used:

  • nitrocellulose (NC);
  • pentaphthalic (PF).

A distinctive feature of nitro varnishes is the high drying speed of each layer, which forms a durable film with a low gloss. However, nitro varnishes are quite toxic, which is why they have a limited scope of application.

Pentaphthalic varnishes are much less toxic, but they also take much longer to dry (at least a day). When dry, PF varnishes form a durable coating with a pronounced shine.

Regardless of the type of varnish chosen, the final quality and degree of gloss of the coating will directly depend on the number of layers applied.

Painting doors with enamels and paints

Acrylic washable interior paint is very resistant to abrasion and does not have a characteristic specific odor.

Enamels based on alkyd resins are the most common and popular at present. The reason for this is not only their very reasonable cost, but also their exceptional versatility in use. The advantages of this paint and varnish material are:

  • high coating strength;
  • frost resistance, resistance to temperature changes;
  • water-repellent properties;
  • excellent hiding power and high degree shine.

Due to the listed qualities, alkyd enamels find their use not only indoors. Alkyd enamel can be used to paint the front door of a private house, not only wood, but also metal (subject to appropriate preparation). Exceptional hiding power and color saturation make it possible to use alkyd enamels for the restoration of old doors to hide various defects, traces of putty, etc.

However, alkyd enamels are environmentally unsafe and have an extremely unpleasant odor. In addition, they have long time drying of each layer (at least 10 hours).

Enamel paint for doors with a plastic effect will allow you to turn an old wooden door into an imitation plastic one.

Acrylic paints are completely devoid of such shortcomings. water based. Although it is rightly believed that water-based paints are unacceptable for painting wooden doors (as they can lead to deformation of the panel and warping of the door), acrylic paints are quite often used for this purpose. This popularity is explained by a number of the following advantages:

  • environmental safety and odorless;
  • abrasion resistance;
  • high drying speed;
  • color fastness;
  • long service life.

It is best to paint interior doors with acrylic paints, since they allow atmospheric moisture to pass through, which can have undesirable consequences in conditions of high atmospheric humidity. Significant disadvantage acrylic paints is their relatively high cost. Considering the fact that acrylic paint Usually applied in several layers, painting costs can increase many times.

Oil paints and enamels made on the basis of drying oils can also be used to paint doors, but are considered obsolete. Possessing high covering power, they at the same time have a very pungent odor that lasts up to 7 days.

Thus, having asked yourself the question of how to paint it correctly, you first need to decide what to paint it with. The choice of material for painting should not only take into account its technical and operational characteristics, but also include an aesthetic component.

Often, when carrying out repairs, it turns out that the old canvas has lost its former attractiveness, looks untidy or does not fit the changed design. Painting wooden doors is not a complicated undertaking requiring the intervention of specialists. You can paint the door yourself if you choose the right materials, strictly follow the technology and follow all the recommendations.

The market for construction and finishing materials offers an extremely wide range of paint and varnish products. The quality of painting a wooden door with your own hands is largely determined by the right choice colorful coating. First of all, you should focus on the condition of the door leaf.

The old door will require some work restoration work for eliminating wood defects. In such cases, several different wood processing products are used sequentially. It is recommended to select formulations from the same manufacturer, as this will ensure their full compatibility. A door that has not yet been used will require much less effort when painting.

Choosing paint

There are 2 options for covering paints and varnishes for wood:

  1. Transparent coatings. This group includes various varnishes, impregnations, stains, protective compounds etc. Such materials do not hide the natural structure of wood, but, on the contrary, emphasize it. It is recommended to use on newly purchased doors that do not have visible defects and have not yet been restored, because all defects will become more pronounced after applying such a layer.
  2. Opaque paints. Coatings for wooden doors that cover the entire wood structure. Big choice compositions allows you to paint canvases in any color and shade, depending on the overall interior and personal preferences. They come in matte, glossy and translucent. They are used both for doors that have already been used and for recently purchased products. There are acrylic, alkyd, polyurethane, oil and nitro paints.


Required Tools

Before you begin painting the door, you should prepare necessary tool and materials. The list is like this:

  • supports for laying the canvas (trunks, stools, etc.);
  • painting tray and roller (spray gun);
  • moderately sharp spatula;
  • rags, sponge or rags;
  • a set of sandpaper of different grain sizes;
  • masking tape;
  • set of brushes;
  • vacuum cleaner;
  • screwdriver or set of screwdrivers;
  • primer;
  • solvent;
  • paint and varnish products (paint, varnish, impregnation, etc.);
  • putty;
  • protective gloves.


Painting work It is best to carry out it on the street, and not in a residential apartment, to ensure the safety of its residents.

How to paint a wooden door?

Painting a door to look like wood with your own hands, repainting a wooden panel, and also working with a previously unpainted product all need to be done using the same technology. You should start with the preparatory stage, which consists of the following actions:

  1. The fabric is removed from the hinges. You can paint without dismantling the door, but the quality of work will be worse, since there is a risk of drips forming.
  2. All fittings (hinges, handles, etc.) are dismantled. If this is not possible, then all elements are sealed with paper tape. The lock mechanism is jammed.
  3. The door leaf is placed on trestles or stools.

Removing old coating

If the door is old and has been in use for quite a long time, then it is necessary to remove the previous paint layers. The final result of painting largely depends on the quality of this work. Using a not too sharp spatula (so as not to damage the wood), all old cracked and peeling layers of paint, varnish, putty, etc. are scraped off the surface of the canvas.

This process can be simplified a little if you use:

  • Thermal cleaning method. Preheated with a heat gun or blowtorch The coating can be removed much easier with a spatula. But if there are fittings left in the door (especially plastic ones) or there is a glass insert, then it is recommended to remove all these elements, since they may suffer from exposure to high temperatures.
  • By washing (chemical method). Special compositions based on organic solvents are applied to the surface with a brush, roller or spray. After some time, the old paint coating swells and begins to peel off. It is removed with a scraper or spatula. If necessary, this procedure is repeated.


After removing the old paint layer, the door must be washed and carefully inspected. Defects (potholes, scratches, etc.) are repaired with wood putty mixture. After drying, the canvas is sanded. First, a medium-grain abrasive material is used, then the surface is sanded with finishing fine-grained sandpaper. To improve adhesion, wooden doors are coated with a primer.

Dyeing technology

The technology for painting unpainted and old doors is almost the same, the only difference is preparatory stage. The paint composition can be applied with a roller, brush or spray gun. When painting with a brush, streaks and drips often remain. Therefore, during the work process, you need to move the tool along and across the door leaf to smooth out any defects that form. Before starting work, you need to fluff the brush and comb out loose fibers, otherwise they may fall out during painting. This will have an extremely negative impact on the final quality of the product.

When using a roller, it is recommended to roll out the paint well in the tray (tray) so that its layer on the roller is thin. The colorful composition is applied with light movements to the surface of the door and rolled out evenly. When doing this, try not to press too hard on the roller. The use of a spray gun is economically justified only when performing a large volume of painting work. This tool saves time, but greatly increases the consumption of paints and varnishes.

It will not be possible to achieve uniform coloring at once, since wood absorbs paint well. It will be necessary to re-apply the composition after the first layer of coating has completely dried.

Stages of work

Upon completion of the preparatory work, they begin directly to painting. The painting process is next stages:

  1. Use a thin brush to paint the corners and small details of the door leaf.
  2. Using a roller, apply a thin layer of paint along the grain, from top to bottom, starting from the upper left corner. The doorway and paneling are painted.
  3. After waiting the necessary time for the coating to dry, the canvas is turned over (if the product was in a horizontal position) and painted on the other side.
  4. If the surface is not smooth enough and there are roughnesses, then sanding is carried out until the imperfections are eliminated.
  5. A second coat of paint is applied.
  6. After the coating has completely dried, the canvas is hung back.

To obtain a better result, interior doors are often coated with a coloring composition at least 3 times.

Wood imitation

Any material is suitable to imitate a wood pattern, including door leaves. The technology is like this:

  • a layer of paint of a light natural shade (beige, yellow, white, grayish, etc.) is applied to the prepared surface;
  • after the coating has dried, the door is treated with liquid soap using a brush;
  • The surface of the canvas is covered with a layer of paint in darker brown tones, then the soap is washed off with water.

Another option for applying wood patterns involves using a special elastic brush (grater) with teeth. First apply 2-3 layers light coating, then after it dries, the surface is treated with dark paint. Now the not dried composition is partially removed with a brush. In this case, stripes and curls are formed, similar to a woody structure. Then the door is varnished.

Alkyd enamel

The most popular option for painting doors is alkyd enamel. Such paints have good hiding power, lay down beautifully and evenly, and also provide durable coating. They are distinguished by their low price and extremely rich color palette. Alkyd materials have good water-repellent properties and can withstand temperature changes. Paint should only be applied to well-dried wood, otherwise the coating will be fragile and will peel off over time.

The main disadvantage of these compositions is considered to be a pungent and extremely unpleasant odor when drying, which lasts for at least 48 hours. Painting work should be carried out on fresh air or in non-residential premises, because fumes negatively affect the health of people and animals. In residential areas, it is recommended to use safer paints and varnishes that are odorless and cannot cause allergic reactions.


The color of interior doors should be in harmony with the rest of the interior. There are several recommendations that will help you maintain the overall stylistic decision:

  1. If the room contains lacquered furniture in dark tones, then it is advisable to choose a door coated with dark impregnation or stain. To protect against external influences and to add gloss, such canvases are often covered with colorless varnish.
  2. It is recommended to paint the bedroom door in colors that match the color of the bedroom set. Furniture with white or pastel shades will go well with surfaces of the same calm colors (white, cream, beige, etc.).
  3. Massive vintage antique furniture will look more advantageous when paired with door leaves made using the artificial aging technique.
  4. In a house made of timber, doors made of natural wood, treated with impregnation for oil based.
  5. Canvases in dark, rich colors (red walnut, chocolate, etc.) look good in the living room, as they add sophistication to the room.

By following all the tips and recommendations, you will be able to easily and quickly paint doors made of natural wood with your own hands, without turning to cabinet makers for help. No special skills or abilities are required to perform this work. If everything is done carefully and competently, the result will exceed expectations.