Do you know how to paint doors with raised panels? Follow our step by step method for no-fail results every time!
Do you love the new trend of painting interior doors black?
Me too!
The first thing I did for my front entryway makeover was paint the inside of my front door black.
I learned there are some tricks when you paint doors. Particularly when you paint paneled doors.
And since we’re friends, I’m gonna share these tricks with you!
Let’s take a peek at how my front entry looked at the beginning of January:
It was a bright space, but it lacked any”wow.”
My plan was to make some simple changes to help my foyer have a little more impact.
With a limited budget.
I’ve been admiring entryways and foyers where the inside of the front door is painted black thanks to AnnMarie, Instagram, and Pinterest.
It seemed like a great way to cover the fingerprints that seem to have a way of cropping up!
Even with older kids.
And I also really liked the contrast it would provide all the white trim.
The first step was picking a paint color… Who knew there were so many shades of black?!
I mean, we all know there’s at least 50 shades of gray, but black?
Good grief.
I love Benjamin Moore’s paints so that helped me narrow it down a little.
I ended up choosing Onyx 2133-10: it’s a very rich black that has some nice depth to it.
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My Simple Tricks: How to Paint Doors
After selecting a paint color, I was just a trip to my local Ace Hardware and a few hours of work away from my first project of the year! My shopping list included:
- 1 quart of paint
- 1.5″ angled brush
- 6″ paint roller frame
- 6″ roller insert for metal doors
- painter’s tape
- a new liner for the paint tray
The first step before painting is to give the surface a good cleaning.
I used a magic eraser to get it as clean as possible before prepping the area.
Magic erasers are made of a special dense foam that provides just a little bit of abrasion when wet.
They really do the trick!
Until the paint is old and worn away… But who am I to complain when we haven’t painted our doors in nearly 13 years!
It was a really cold day when I painted. Don’t let all that bright light fool you! So there was no removing hardware for this paint job. Painter’s tape was the way to go.
Once the area was prepped, it was time to get BOLD!
Follow This Order
Did you know there’s a recommended method for painting a paneled door?
There’s actually an order to paint the different parts to get the best finish.
The real key is making sure that your brush strokes and roller go in the same direction as the grain on the door.
You start off with a brush and paint the recessed areas. Since I taped the hardware, I also used the brush to paint around the lock and handle.
Then use the roller to paint the raised panels.
Next, use the roller to paint the horizontal parts like so:
And then finish with the outer vertical sections.
Let it dry for about an hour or two, and then give it a second coat.
I highly recommend removing the tape while the paint from the second coat is still fresh. You reduce the chance of the paint peeling if it hasn’t cured yet.
And that’s it! My simple steps to paint a door.
I love how it has given my front entry a little more impact! The contrast of the black is exactly what the space needed.
I’m learning that it’s REALLY HARD to photograph this door head on because of all the light spilling in around it!
The light reflects really oddly in the photos, but it doesn’t look like that in person? It’s not as much of an issue if I do it from a slight angle, but you can still see how the light is reflecting in places and being absorbed in shadows in others.
So let me show you from the side! Again, you can see all the pretty light that comes in, but you can better see what a nice contrast the black color is in the space as well as how nicely the grain shows.
Stay tuned for how the view has changed from when you stand at that door and look inside!
So, what do you think? Have you thought about painting your interior doors black or some other color? Even if you’re re-painting your doors white, these tips will help you to get the best results.
If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me or leave a comment! Follow us over on Instagram and Facebook to see everything we’re up to.
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