Paint varnished doors
2 of 25 easy steps
Painting steps:
- Sand with 150-grit paper
- Prime with stain-killing primer
- Spread on spackling compound
- Prime with tinted primer
- Paint with acrylic latex
If you have ugly stained and varnished
doors and trim and you'd like to paint the
whole works, here's the best way to get
a good-looking result.
Start by sanding the surface with a
random-orbital sander and 150-grit
paper. Use a fine-grit sanding sponge
to get into crevices. Don't try to sand off all the
varnish. The goal is to remove any flaky varnish
and to roughen the surface for a good primer
bond. Wipe off the dust with a brush.
Then roll on a coat of BIN or KILZ (available
at home centers for about $8 per quart). Have
the home center or paint store tint the primer
to a grayish color to help cover the underlying
varnish. It also helps the finish paint cover with
fewer coats. Apply the primer with a 6-in. high-density
foam roller ($5 to $8 at home centers)
to avoid brush marks.
If you want to keep the wood grain from
showing through the paint, trowel a thin layer
of spackling compound over the entire surface
(Ready Patch is one brand, available at home
centers for $6 for 1 qt.; zinsser.com).Use a 4- or
6-in. putty knife to work the compound into
the wood grain pores and to fill holes. Wait for
the compound to dry, then hand-sand with
220-grit sandpaper. Roll on a second coat of
primer. Let it dry overnight, sand again with
220-grit sandpaper, then use a new foam roller
to apply the paint.
Caution!
If your home was built before 1979,
check the paint for lead before you
scrape or sand. For more information,
go to
hud.gov/offices/lead.
