One quick way to update a house’s interior is to give a dated interior door that has seen better days a makeover and drag it into this decade. It’s not a challenging project and the results are well worth it. My timber veneer interior door was finished with clear polyurethane but this project is even easier on pre-painted or bare timber doors. Ask the friendly staff at your local Resene ColorShop about your exact situation.
You will need:
- Sandpaper. I used 200 grit
- Resene EzyFill Quick
- 40 x 10mm pine clears wood
- Quick dry glue
- Measuring tape
- Saw, drop saw or hand saw with mitre box
- Nails, if desired
- Primer for timber. I used Resene Quick Dry
- Brushes and rollers
- Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in Resene Triple Thorndon Cream for doors and trims
- Sealer. I used Resene Waterborne Sureseal sealer
- New hardware
Step 1
Prepare your door for painting. Remove the old hardware and ensure it is clean and free of grease. Even if you are not replacing the door hardware, it is easier to paint the door with it removed and it will give you a better finish.
Step 2
Lightly sand the interior door with a sander or sandpaper. I paid particular attention to the edges and other areas that are likely to get knocked and hit with things. Fill any dings and holes with Resene EzyFill Quick, allow to dry and sand these areas flat. Give the door another clean to make sure it is completely free of dust.
Step 3
Next, apply the sealer, which will help the topcoats stick. I used one coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal. Allow sealer to dry completely.
Step 4
Add trims to make the door look more customised. I went for a panelled rectangle, measuring to make sure it was sitting in the centre and was not going to get in the way of the door hardware. I cut 45-degree mitres on the timber using a dropsaw, but you could also do this with a handsaw and mitre box.
Step 5
Prime the timber with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer.
Step 6
Attach the panels using some quick dry glue. At this point you can use some pin nails to hold it in place until the glue dries. Alternatively, you can use painter’s tape to hold it in place until the glue dries. You may want to run gap fill around all the edges of your trims. My doors were nice and flat so this step wasn’t required.
Step 7
You are now ready to start your topcoats. I used Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel in Resene Triple Thorndon Cream. I applied it with a brush and a number 4 roller. Allow to dry completely, then apply a second coat.
Step 8
Attach the new hardware. I went for a brass handle.
If you’d like your new door detail to be even more of a feature, paint it in higher gloss Resene Enamacryl.
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