How To Paint A Door (Easy DIY Tutorial)

A fresh coat of paint on those doors can do wonders to help any space or hallway feel fresh again. Your doors are probably dirtier and dingier than you think. Use our tutorial to learn how to easily paint doors using a roller and brush.

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Our Doors

For interior doors, a high-quality, self-leveling paint like Benjamin Moore Pro Advance, Sw Proclassic or Sherwin Willaims Urethane Trim Enamel paint will work well. 

For reference, we are painting the interior door with Proclassic in Pure White. If we did not have the leftover paint, we would use the Emerald Urethane Trim Enamel paint for its self-leveling capabilities. But no need to buy new paint when you have some sitting in your stash!

We are using Proclassic because that is the paint we had leftover from other projects. Pure White matches the painted molding & doors when we did our basement makeover.

Recommended Supplies

• 220 Sandpaper
• Painter’s Tape
• Deglosser
• Old Rag
• Latex Enamel Paint such as Sherwin Willams Urethane Trim Enamel Paint or Benjamin Moore Pro Advance
• Small Foam Roller & Handle (here is why we think a small foam roller is best for cabinet painting and more)
• Synthetic Paintbrush
• Small paint tray
• Optional: Wood filler and/or

Note that any time you are painting a previously painted surface your old paint may contain lead. Please take proper safety precautions when working on your particular situation. You can always buy a test kit before sanding the surface.

Before You Begin

There are two ways to paint a door. You can paint it while on the hinges and propped open or take it off and place it on sawhorses.

In this post, we will show images of painting our interior door from our basement bathroom remodel. We chose to place this door on sawhorses since we needed to remove it due to the other DIY bathroom projects like installing peel-and-stick flooring.

Other Ways To Prep The Door & Area

• Use painter’s tape to cover areas such as hinges you don’t want to be painted. You can tape them and then use an X-acto knife to cut a precise shape.
• Place the door on sawhorses or prop open. If propping open, cover the floor with a drop cloth or cardboard.

We think it is the easiest to take the door off the hinges and place it on sawhorses for painting interior doors. For exterior doors, propping and painting on the hinges is best.

Cover Areas

No matter which methods you will want to remove or tape out anything you don’t want to be painted. That could include door knobs, handles, hinges, or a peephole.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Sand The Surface

Lightly sand the surface using fine or extra fine sandpaper (220 worked well for us). If needed you may also need to fill spots with wood filler and sand those smooth.

Step 2: Wipe Down With Deglosser

Wipe down with a deglosser. Make sure to wear gloves and use a rag to help ensure that your door is dust and grime free. Let the deglosser fully dry before starting to paint.

Optional: Prime Your Door

Our doors were already painted and in decent shape so we did not have to prime them. Just like when repainting any wood or metal, you may or may not need to prime. Use the list below to find out if you need to prime yours first.

You only need to prime your door if:

• You are painting over oil-based paint with a water-based one. You can test a small area of the paint by rubbing denatured alcohol on a cotton ball to see if the paint comes off.
• The original surface is too glossy.
• The quality of the original paint job is sloppy.
• Going from a dark color to a very light one-priming may save you on the coats of paint you need
• The new paint does not seem to adhere to the surface.
• Your door is new or stained wood.

You don’t need to prime your door if:

• Your door is pre-primed. The white doors in our house are the basic premade doors you can buy with a layer of primer on them.
• You are using latex paint on top of latex paint. In our case, you are seeing Proclassic over pre-primed door.

Step 3: Paint The Edges Of The Door

Most likely if you are painting both sides of the door you are going to paint the edges. If painting the edges of your doors, use a roller there first.

Step 4: Paint Interior Panels

Use a brush to do interior ridges in panels.

Then smooth it out with a small foam roller.

Make sure to paint in a thin layer and not apply the paint too heavily.

Step 5: Paint Vertical Middle Panel

Step 8: Let Thin Layer Dry

Step 9: Paint 2-3 More Coats

Depending on what colors you are using, you may need to repeat steps 4-8 for 1-2 more layers.

Step 10: Let Dry

Step 11: Remove The Tape

Remove the tape carefully. If any areas didn’t come out perfectly you can always take a small brush and clean up the paint lines.

Step 12: Install Door and Hardware

If you removed the door, reinstall on hinges and put the doorknob back on if removed.

How-To FAQs

Related Projects

• How To Paint Cabinets Doors: You can use some of the same materials to paint or repaint your cabinetry by hand.
• How To Paint Hardware So It Lasts
• How To Paint Your Kitchen Cabinets White