What and how to paint a solid wood door?

When choosing an interior door, any person tries to find a reliable design that will please the eye for a long time.

Unfortunately, such products gradually lose their presentable appearance: time is equally merciless to expensive and budget doors. However, even peeling paint does not make the product less durable and reliable.

One of the advantages of wooden doors is the possibility of restoration. It is enough to remove the old coating and repaint the canvas to make the door look fresh and impressive.

Let's try to figure out how to paint a door made of solid pine and other types of wood.

Advantages and features of using varnish

The varnish gives the canvas a spectacular appearance and enhances the protective functions of the wood.
With the help of varnish, wood rotting is prevented, and the apartment or house becomes more comfortable. To cover interior wooden doors, you can use several types of varnish. In this case, the canvas can be made of pine and other types of wood. Due to this technique, the shade inherent in the door leaf is emphasized. The covering material gives some door parts a rich and deep color.

Varnish - an affordable universal product for coating wood

To varnish wood, it is recommended to choose the right product. Impregnations protect wood from mold and rot. Protective agents do not allow the fabric to swell. They also protect the box from the sun and sudden temperature changes.

Before varnishing wooden doors, let’s get acquainted with the advantages of this finishing method:

accessibility – the buyer is given the opportunity to buy varnish taking into account the price factor. At the same time, experts advise treating the canvas with a mixture that can improve the external and protective properties, extending the service life of the canvas;
easy updating - anyone can paint the door, including those new to such work;
versatility - the varnish is used for different surfaces;
varnish helps to increase the fabric’s resistance to various negative influences, which include scratches, moisture, and mechanical damage.

Water-based varnishes are odorless.
All varnishes are classified into the following types based on their composition:

oil based – they are based on oils that are well absorbed into the surface, changing its color. They are used as a solvent. Such compositions take a long time to dry. They have an unpleasant odor;
aqueous - colorless and without a pungent odor, matte or glossy type. They dry out quickly. But stain is used first.

Where to start updating the canvas

The process includes the following steps:

Before painting, remove the door from its hinges and remove decorative elements.
Remove the top layer of coating. If you do not remove it, the effect of subsequent painting will be insignificant, and the varnish or paint will lie unevenly and may peel off over time.
Remember that when sanding with sandpaper you need to make smooth movements along the grain. When cross-sanding, grooves will be visible after the final varnish coating.
After removing the top layer, cover all cracks and potholes with putty.
Sand the solid pine surface a second time. The presence of roughness and unevenness is unacceptable.
After this, vacuum the door, wipe it with a damp cloth and dry it thoroughly.
It is easier to paint in a horizontal position. This way the coating will lie flat, and it will be much easier to carry out the work this way.

Painting a door step by step

In a specialized store you can find many different paints and varnishes. As a rule, buyers focus on color when choosing, but there are other characteristics that must be taken into account. Only in this case will you get the expected result.

When choosing what to paint interior wooden doors with, you should find out about the accepted classification:

depending on the composition, paints are organic or water-based;
according to the method of use they are divided into combined, external, internal;
depending on the protective effect, the products can withstand chemicals, temperature fluctuations, humidity, and mechanical stress;
depending on the type - impregnations, stains, paints, varnishes.

Having figured out how to cover a wooden door, you can proceed directly to the painting process.

Let's look at it step by step:

Preparatory stage. Before painting wooden interior doors, they need to be removed from their hinges, laid on a stable and durable horizontal surface, and the fittings removed. If the latter is problematic, then you can wrap all the elements in foil and seal the locks with tape.
Removing old finishes. When the canvas is ready for processing, the previous layer should be removed. For example, before repainting a varnished wooden door, you need to clean it and remove the old coating. It is best to take a grinding machine, which will work much faster than by hand. If there is none, you can use coarse sandpaper. If bubbles appear, a hair dryer will help. It will heat up the paint layer, and all you have to do is remove it with a spatula. You can also remove the old coating using an abrasive attachment on a drill. After finishing the work, it is necessary to sweep away all debris from the surface and grind. If the canvas requires reinforcements, then before painting the wooden door, you need to install them.
Putty and sanding. If there are cracks, depressions, or unevenness on the surface of the canvas, they should be thoroughly filled with putty. It is best to choose a mixture of the same tone with the door structure, so that there are no problems with subsequent paint application. When the mixture dries, you need to walk over the sealed areas with fine-grained sandpaper to level the surface.
Antiseptic coating. This stage is necessary for structures installed in rooms with high humidity. The antiseptic will protect the product from the formation of fungi and mold. The composition is applied before painting interior wooden doors. It is better if both this mixture and the paint are from the same company. When the antiseptic has dried, cover the surface with a primer, and then go over the entire door with putty. It is necessary to apply two layers: the second - after the first has completely dried.
Coloring. Many people are interested in how to properly paint wooden doors? It is not difficult to restore the beautiful appearance of the structure on your own. You should not buy a spray bottle if you need to treat one or two systems. A roller or brush will do just fine. Before you paint a wooden door with your own hands, you need to thoroughly fluff the brush and remove loose hairs. It is best to paint a panel door with a roller. The process will take three stages, you should start from the upper left corner, gradually moving to the right, processing the entire surface of the door. When the first layer has dried, we re-paint the canvas longitudinally. The third stage is processing, starting from the upper right corner. As you can see, painting a wooden door correctly is not difficult and it does not take much time.

We suggest you read: What to do if the door is warped.
A brush is suitable for painting solid pine doors with your own hands. You need to move smoothly and confidently, avoiding applying too much composition. Particular attention must be paid to the corners: paint should not accumulate in them.

Do-it-yourself painting of wooden doors with alkyd enamel is done in a horizontal position. If the structure contains glass elements, they must be sealed with tape or film. If the product has decorative paneled elements, they are painted first. To make the material adhere better, you can dilute the composition with liquid soap for the first layer. Apply clean paint with the second ball.

If you are covering the door with stain, then you do not need to apply a primer before painting a wooden pine door. This product penetrates the material quite deeply, creating high-quality protection against negative factors. The composition can be applied in the traditional way, or by rubbing and spraying.

What coatings to use

Paints vary according to the base used for production.

Oily

They are convenient for painting, and the coating made from them is practical to use: it is enough to simply wash off dirt from the surface with a damp cloth. One layer is enough. But if you want to get a deep, rich shade, you can paint a wooden door made of pine or oak in two layers. In addition, several layers will reliably protect the array from external influences.

Acrylic

They do not have an unpleasant odor and are non-flammable. The paint adheres well to the surface of a solid wooden door and dries quickly (about 24 hours). If the room has high humidity, the drying process may take a little longer. When applying acrylic paint to an old coating, further cracking can be avoided due to the special composition and structure of the paint.

Stains

Stain differs from ordinary paints in that it does not remain on the surface of a wooden door as a separate layer - it penetrates into the wooden panel. This impregnation is suitable for emphasizing the natural structure of solid pine and other beautiful woods.

The stain will help change the shade of the interior door, making it deep and rich. When using stain, the color of the canvas will look uniform. Oil-based or water-based impregnations can be used for coloring immediately after purchase. If you purchased them in powder form, dilute them with methyl alcohol. After applying the solid pine, it is necessary to cover the door with a layer of varnish.

Well protects solid pine and other species from external influences. Thanks to its structure, it makes a wooden door unstable to moisture and scratches. There are many types of varnishes that can help give a solid wood door a new look. This way you can highlight the deep rich color of solid pine using a suitable varnish.

Materials and tools

When deciding what paint to paint a wooden door in an apartment, let's look at the main types that are preferable for this type of structure.

Paints

Paint for wooden interior doors is considered the best option. It is suitable for finishing both new and worn-out fabrics. In principle, choosing it will not be difficult.

You should pay attention to thickness and density: there are compositions that are applied in 1-2 layers, and the color turns out saturated. And there are those that remain transparent, and in order to add the desired shade, you will need to apply at least 5 layers.

Alkyd enamel is the most popular paint for wooden doors, which is also affordable. The downside of the composition is the strong pungent odor. It will take several days to weather it. This is unacceptable in a residential area. Therefore, as an alternative, you can use acrylic enamel. This odorless paint is an excellent option for wooden interior doors.

Nitro paint is considered the most durable. But painting wooden doors at home with this composition will not work, since it is very toxic. When working with it, it is important to protect your face and hands with special means.

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These materials are used to give wood a well-groomed appearance, shine and strength. If you are looking for something to cover a wooden door indoors, such compositions are an excellent option. It is advisable to use them in rooms with a high degree of humidity, for example, in a bathroom, sauna, shower.

The following types of varnishes are popular:

odorless acrylic - makes the surface of the wood matte or glossy, protects against excessive humidity and ultraviolet radiation;
water-based – odorless;
nitrocellulose - chosen to repaint wooden doors in rooms with moderate humidity;
with fatty resins - very thick consistency;
polyurethane - creates a matte, glossy, semi-glossy effect on the surface, grips well, protects the wood;
polyester – has a strong odor, very durable, used for entrance structures.

If you are looking for something to paint a solid pine door with, pay attention to polyurethane or acrylic varnish.

Stains

This material is used as temporary protection for the canvas, as well as for tinting the surface. Stain emphasizes the structure of the wood, but it must be frequently renewed in order for the structure to have an aesthetic appearance.

Today there are the following types of stains:

Water based. It has no toxic odor, dries for a long time, penetrates deep into the wood, creating a beautiful shade.
On a varnish base. It dries quickly, but does not give such a decorative effect as other types. To improve the color of wooden doors, you can resort to spraying with a spray gun.
Oil based. Before painting it is diluted with a solvent, it is economical.
For alcohol. It has a strong smell, dries quickly, and is quite expensive.

To update a door, you can use several types of coatings. Alkyd varnishes contain solvents that give the wood a yellow tone and resistance to moisture.

To improve drying ability, increasing moisture resistance and strength, hardeners are added to the mixture. The surface coated with this product dries within 24 hours.

Alkyd varnishes make wood moisture resistant.
You can impregnate wood with acrylic varnishes, which are made from water. They are non-toxic and odorless. To increase strength, hardeners are added to their composition.

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You can update a room decorated with wood using nitro varnishes. Their main advantage is quick drying. They are based on solvents. One of the disadvantages is increased toxicity, so nitro varnishes are rarely used.

Polyurethane coatings are characterized by increased strength. Due to polyurethane, the wood is given a dark shade, so the surface of the canvas is primed.

Tools for varnishing a door

To carry out preparatory work followed by varnishing the surface with your own hands, you will need the following tools:

roller or brush;
rags;
putty knife;
wood putty;
Grinder;
sandpaper;
construction hairdryer

Sequence of work

The door structure is not only the door itself, so it is very important to carefully carry out the 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 is used for work, it is better to move the work to the open air, because such paints and varnishes have a pungent odor.

Preparing a wooden door for painting

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.

Painting a door step by step

Before coating the door with paint and varnish, the door is sanded - roughness and unevenness are removed. The thicker the box, the longer the grinding process. One sanding option is to use a board (25x10 cm) wrapped in sandpaper. You can also do this job using a sander.

To eliminate surface defects, the wooden door is sanded.
All defects are sealed with putty, the choice of which takes into account the color. After cleaning, the inner box is treated with impregnation - protection against mold and pests.

To improve the quality of varnish and reduce varnish consumption, the coating is primed with a roller or brush. Dust is removed from the canvas, and the coating itself is degreased with white spirit.

How to coat a solid wood door: varnishes, paints for applying a protective layer

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

Making an antique effect

Antique doors highlight the design solutions in the room. To update the interior of the house in this way, an “antique” wooden door is created. Several technologies are used for this:

Brushing is a simple technique that is used by many craftsmen. The work is done with an iron brush, with which the top layer of wood is removed (until the annual rings appear). But this technique of giving the door an antique look requires a large amount of varnish;

When brushing, the top layer is removed with a wire brush.
patina - “patina” is a special paint that is often used to create the effect in question. The technology for applying the mixture consists of choosing the desired color and applying 1 main layer, which is subsequently covered with paints or varnishes, but of a lighter shade. If the surface is dry, fine-grained sandpaper is used to make it look antique. The bottom layer, which appears through the top, creates the effect of numerous paintings. “Natural scratches” can be seen on the canvas;

Patching gives the wood the effect of multiple paintings
aging with wax - to perform this technology, you will need to follow a certain sequence: applying wax - painting in a lighter tone. After complete drying, the paraffin is removed. A spatula is used for this. Then the base is sanded. Varnish or stain is applied. The door is treated with wax. It is this technology that allows you to create a “antique” appearance that is as close to the truth as possible.

Tags: door, wooden, cover, pine

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Choosing the shade of interior door designs

The range of paints makes it possible to implement different design solutions, so 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 and children's room, choose light colors that create coziness and comfort.
Solid wood doors are suitable for log houses.
In a room with antique furniture, artificially aged ones look great.
The color of the door frame is made darker (lighter) than the walls.