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DorsetDude

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Any tips for gloss/satinwood painting interior 6 panel doors?

After rubbing down and taking handles off and dust sheet down etc, it took me 50 minutes to do one side of one door last week. :sulk: Can I get the time down a bit?

I used a fairly new 1.5" Harris No Loss brush and dulux satinwood Once in small paint kettle. ( Am hoping it doesn't fade to yellow like the rest of the woodwork in the hall has done which I painted last year. Although if it does at least it'll all then match!)

Also due to the low light I missed a couple of spots, are there extra bright work lights available that are on a tall stand or anything I could use? ( I dont have any tall flash tripods or anything unfortunately) Ta.

On the plus side there were no 'runs' that I could see after. Result.

Cheers! (y)
 
Take the doors off and paint them on a tressle :-)

much easier
 
Use a roller. Takes me around 15 to 20 mins to paint of a typical panelled door on all sides (without glass panels, that takes longer to prep) - I don't so it for a living btw ...
 
No tips for speeding you up - you paint at your own speed! However, each will probably get faster as you get more practise.

I used to do them panels first, starting with the moulding then doing the inserts. Then look at the way the doors are made and work them so the brush follows the grain at the joins if that makes sense. Usually, that means doing the central vertical bits then the horizontals and finally the full length verticals. If you're doing the side it shuts towards, do the hinge side before that vertical, similarly, on the catch side, do that before that vertical. If you leave enough time for the first side to cure well, you can wipe off any little bits of overpaint that get onto the finished side.
 
Cheers all. I also have 3 doors with glass panels in to do, 5 rows of 3 panes per door. Really not looking forward to doing those. Guess I'll have to masking tape round each glass panel.

Also I bought new door handles. Why is it that the door handle before I changed it was nice and "springy" and sprang back up nicely after using, whilst now I've put the new handles on one door, they are now bloody stiff. (Have not replaced the latch bit) Grrrrr.
 
Yup, will be best using masking tape (get the blue stuff, honestly it's worth the extra money).

As for stiff handles, it is likely an alignment issue, assuming they are not stiff when off the door. Did you perhaps use the old screw holes?
 
Did you perhaps use the old screw holes?
No, the old handles had 4 holes, one in each corner, whereas the new ones have 2 holes, one top and bottom, central, so had to drill new holes
 
Cheers all. I also have 3 doors with glass panels in to do, 5 rows of 3 panes per door. Really not looking forward to doing those. Guess I'll have to masking tape round each glass panel.

Also I bought new door handles. Why is it that the door handle before I changed it was nice and "springy" and sprang back up nicely after using, whilst now I've put the new handles on one door, they are now bloody stiff. (Have not replaced the latch bit) Grrrrr.


If the glass is textured, the chances of getting any sort of masking to cover all the gaps properly is close to zero! Cut them in - that really does get faster and better with practise.

As for the door handles, you've probably got them screwed on slightly off centre so the friction is stopping them springing back up properly. Try pushing the tongue in and see if it springs back easily without having turned the handle, if it does, the handles are the problem, if it's sticky, you may need to fit new latch inserts.
 
No, the old handles had 4 holes, one in each corner, whereas the new ones have 2 holes, one top and bottom, central, so had to drill new holes
Could just be an alignment issue then, or they could just be stiff. If you take one handle off does it free up at all? I've replaced handles in the past and they are fine when one is on, but stiff when both on, usually 'cos I messed up and either got the handles too high/low or worse, squint.
 
( Am hoping it doesn't fade to yellow like the rest of the woodwork in the hall has done which I painted last year. Although if it does at least it'll all then match!)

As long as its waterbased not oil based satinwood then it should remain white.
Its the oil going off in the paint that gives the horrible yellow tinge. One of the reasons we stopped glossing trim and started using brilliant white eggshell. Takes a couple of coats to make it look good but worth it in the long run. (obviously eggshell is a personal preference :) )
 
If the glass is textured,
No, just plain glass.

Could just be an alignment issue then, or they could just be stiff. If you take one handle off does it free up at all? I've replaced handles in the past and they are fine when one is on, but stiff when both on, usually 'cos I messed up and either got the handles too high/low or worse, squint.
The handles are fine when they're off the door. Bit tight when on. Once you've drilled the holes ad screwed 'em on, is it possible to adjust 'em? Thanks

As long as its waterbased not oil based satinwood then it should remain white.
Its oil based Once. Should really have checked and got waterbased as so much easier to clean the brushes after as well. Is eggshell more matt than satinwood or more glossy?
 
Its oil based Once. Should really have checked and got waterbased as so much easier to clean the brushes after as well. Is eggshell more matt than satinwood or more glossy?

Eggshell is very close to satin, i would hazard a guess that it eeks more to the matt side of satin.
 
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No, just plain glass.


The handles are fine when they're off the door. Bit tight when on. Once you've drilled the holes ad screwed 'em on, is it possible to adjust 'em? Thanks


Its oil based Once. Should really have checked and got waterbased as so much easier to clean the brushes after as well. Is eggshell more matt than satinwood or more glossy?


Might get away with it then, although we always used to gut in the old fashioned way! Make sure you get the masking tape off before the paint cures, otherwise you run the risk of the paint lifting off the glass where the overlap is.

To refix the handles, you'll need to fill the holes in the door(s) where the screws went in. Matchsticks, cocktail sticks, kebab skewers (bamboo not steel!!!) or the like glued in then cut off flush with the door. When repositioning the handles, lift them slightly so there's no weight on the bar then make sure you drill the holes centrally in the fittings. If you find that the drill and/or screws want to follow the old holes, you may need to drill the holes out large enough to take dowels but hopefully you don't need to go that far!

TBH, we found the Once type stuff to be pretty crap compared to "proper" undercoat and gloss but things may well have improved over the past 20 years! We always used Dulux paints unless the customer was insistent of another brand and then they got day rates rather than a fixed quote since some of them needed extra coats...
 
No, just plain glass.


The handles are fine when they're off the door. Bit tight when on. Once you've drilled the holes ad screwed 'em on, is it possible to adjust 'em? Thanks

You might have screwed them in too tight and are making the door bind on the latch. Slacken off the screws a bit and see how they are.
 
Might get away with it then, although we always used to gut in the old fashioned way! Make sure you get the masking tape off before the paint cures, otherwise you run the risk of the paint lifting off the glass where the overlap is.

To refix the handles, you'll need to fill the holes in the door(s) where the screws went in. Matchsticks, cocktail sticks, kebab skewers (bamboo not steel!!!) or the like glued in then cut off flush with the door. When repositioning the handles, lift them slightly so there's no weight on the bar then make sure you drill the holes centrally in the fittings. If you find that the drill and/or screws want to follow the old holes, you may need to drill the holes out large enough to take dowels but hopefully you don't need to go that far!

TBH, we found the Once type stuff to be pretty crap compared to "proper" undercoat and gloss but things may well have improved over the past 20 years! We always used Dulux paints unless the customer was insistent of another brand and then they got day rates rather than a fixed quote since some of them needed extra coats...
What he said ^^^ :)
 
BTW I agree on the "Once" stuff. It seems a good idea but getting a decent finish can take a lot of effort. I've been having good luck with Leyland acrylic primer (from Screwfix) followed by their Leyland satinwood. Less glossy than gloss and a nice finish.

As for cleaning paintbrushes......I don't ;)
 
BTW I agree on the "Once" stuff. It seems a good idea but getting a decent finish can take a lot of effort. I've been having good luck with Leyland acrylic primer (from Screwfix) followed by their Leyland satinwood. Less glossy than gloss and a nice finish.

As for cleaning paintbrushes......I don't ;)

We didn't. Most of our glossing was Pure Brilliant White and the brushes were in use pretty much every day so they were simply stood bristles down in water until their next use. A moment or 2 working in gloss on a bit of lining paper to clear the brush of undercoat and it was job done! For colour stuff, we'd add the cost of a brush to the quote - cheaper than the time spent cleaning brushes, even if we got the apprentice to do it. The other job the apprentice was good for was peeling off the crappy Once type stuff - in sheets!
 
Your new handles probably have the central 'boss' that stands proud of door face of the plate.

So when you tighten the screws, you're pressing the twisting part into the door itself. The fix is to trim around the spindle hole to the same diameter as the handle boss.

Hope that makes sense?
 
Good point and easy to check with a straight edge.
 
Here's another thing: the screws that come with the handles to screw it to the door, they are well over half the width of the door. So say I did manage to line up the handles exactly each side, one set of screws are going to hit the already screwed in screws from the opposite side! :thinking::wacky:
 
lol!

I've seen handle screws that are basically one machine screw and one long nut. They go through a hole drilled all the way through and bolt together. Unfortunately, I saw them somewhere that they had been used and don't know where they came from - could do with a few pairs!
 
Did 6 interior doors, in Dulux Satinwood (water based) as don't want to be painting again when they're yellow. I told myself I'm not replacing those doors again as it wasn't a job i'd want to do again!
 
Is it that time of the month. Must be trying to synchronise mensies.
 
OK. Oil based paints changed for the worse in 2010 when legislation was bought in to make it less harmful. It also takes forever to dry and can 'yellow badly. As a result, water based paints are more often used, but these require a different technique, and different brushes. As for one coat - One coat products are never seen in a decent paint shop - ever wonder why ?

Firstly, prep.. You've sanded down, so next you need to degrease - meths is good, so wipe down the door. Good practice is to use a bridging primer if going from oil based to water based, but thorough prep makes it less of an essential.
Synthetic brushes, and the best ones you can afford (Corona Knight for me - http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/c/CORONA_KNIGHT_PERFORMANCE_CHINEX_PAINT_BRUSH/ ) and work in a room with a fairly humid atmosphere with slightly diluted paint will help keep a 'wet edge' - plus is will keep down any airborne dust. A 4" foam roller can help speed thing along but I would still lay off with a brush as it looks better IMHO.
As for paints - Bedec make some good ones, but go to your local paint shop (do not go to B&Q etc) and ask their advice if you need it. Floetrol is a great product that helps keep the paint 'flowing' meaning it keeps a wet edge longer and the paint has more time to level off' but for a small job you may want to save the money and just use water as mentioned above.
Start with the edges, then the panels, and then finish off. Work fast and do not overwork the paint. It shouldn't take more than 10-15 mins to do edges and one side.
Water based paints will dry fast, allowing 2 coats if not 3 in a day, but like all paints, it will take several days to fully harden.

As for masking tape - I try to avoid using it, but for multi-panel doors it can save time if you get the right sort - Tesa precision is the one I'd use

http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/t/TESA_PRECISION_MASKING_TAPE_YELLOW/

Applied properly, to clean glass, and rub a fingernail along it to ensure no paint can creep under tho..
 
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Note to self, don't buy oil based again.

The question is, as I've done 3 in oil based, do I carry on and do the other 3 in the same (still over half a tin left) or buy a new tin of water based for them? The 3 left are the pita glazed multi-panel ones.
 
Hmm - well, I would suggest that you do them in water based as your current tin of OB is likely to yellow in a few years, so you can feel smug and you admire your still-white multi-panel doors.. As it dries so quickly you'll be able to do them all fairly fast once masked up and hone your new WB paint skills while enjoying the zen-like mental blankness that repetitive painting can bring... I've been painting a massive new house for the last 3 weeks - nothing but white ceilings and walls (I've not even started the trim yet..) and so far I've used about 180 litres of emulsion, and my mind is devoid of any activity at all...
 
You have my sympathies, Steve.
 
Hmm - well, I would suggest that you do them in water based as your current tin of OB is likely to yellow in a few years, so you can feel smug and you admire your still-white multi-panel doors.. As it dries so quickly you'll be able to do them all fairly fast once masked up and hone your new WB paint skills while enjoying the zen-like mental blankness that repetitive painting can bring... I've been painting a massive new house for the last 3 weeks - nothing but white ceilings and walls (I've not even started the trim yet..) and so far I've used about 180 litres of emulsion, and my mind is devoid of any activity at all...
Cheers Steve, can I add you to my TP contacts for any future decorating related queries? :notworthy:
 
Cheers Steve, can I add you to my TP contacts for any future decorating related queries? :notworthy:

My consultancy fee's are very reasonable....
I'm not actually a painter but do a lot of it alongside all sorts of domestic maintenance and repairs, but as with anything, it is worth knowing as much as possible so I can waffle my way out of any problems....!
Feel free to ask should you want to - It feels good to be able to help out .
 
Why use a brush over a roller? I've always found the roller to be faster and just use my cutting in brush
 
Why use a brush over a roller? I've always found the roller to be faster and just use my cutting in brush

On a flush door I might well use a roller and lay off with a brush, but if there are any panels I would stick with a brush - also unless you paint a lot it can be easier to stick with one tool..
 
Better finish.

Not always.. I'd say depends on the brush and the painter themself.

I do it for a living and a foam roller comes out 99% of the time for doors as time plays a big part but for very high end jobs the gloss/satin will be thinned down slightly and applied with a Hamilton.
 
Not always.. I'd say depends on the brush and the painter themself.

I do it for a living and a foam roller comes out 99% of the time for doors as time plays a big part but for very high end jobs the gloss/satin will be thinned down slightly and applied with a Hamilton.

As a strictly amateur painter, I find I get a better finish with a roller. I bet it's not as good as a professional would get with their chosen tool but even if I do narrow strips with a brush I'll sometimes roller over them.
 
Not always.. I'd say depends on the brush and the painter themself.

I do it for a living and a foam roller comes out 99% of the time for doors as time plays a big part but for very high end jobs the gloss/satin will be thinned down slightly and applied with a Hamilton.

I've always used a roller hence the question, guess it depends on the paint
 
OK. Oil based paints changed for the worse in 2010 when legislation was bought in to make it less harmful. It also takes forever to dry and can 'yellow badly. As a result, water based paints are more often used, but these require a different technique, and different brushes. As for one coat - One coat products are never seen in a decent paint shop - ever wonder why ?

Firstly, prep.. You've sanded down, so next you need to degrease - meths is good, so wipe down the door. Good practice is to use a bridging primer if going from oil based to water based, but thorough prep makes it less of an essential.
Synthetic brushes, and the best ones you can afford (Corona Knight for me - http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/c/CORONA_KNIGHT_PERFORMANCE_CHINEX_PAINT_BRUSH/ ) and work in a room with a fairly humid atmosphere with slightly diluted paint will help keep a 'wet edge' - plus is will keep down any airborne dust. A 4" foam roller can help speed thing along but I would still lay off with a brush as it looks better IMHO.
As for paints - Bedec make some good ones, but go to your local paint shop (do not go to B&Q etc) and ask their advice if you need it. Floetrol is a great product that helps keep the paint 'flowing' meaning it keeps a wet edge longer and the paint has more time to level off' but for a small job you may want to save the money and just use water as mentioned above.
Start with the edges, then the panels, and then finish off. Work fast and do not overwork the paint. It shouldn't take more than 10-15 mins to do edges and one side.
Water based paints will dry fast, allowing 2 coats if not 3 in a day, but like all paints, it will take several days to fully harden.

As for masking tape - I try to avoid using it, but for multi-panel doors it can save time if you get the right sort - Tesa precision is the one I'd use

http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/t/TESA_PRECISION_MASKING_TAPE_YELLOW/

Applied properly, to clean glass, and rub a fingernail along it to ensure no paint can creep under tho..
Thanks for this, I think you've just saved me a whole heap of repainting in a couple of years time. I'm in the middle of doing up our hall, stairs and landing. Eleven sets of doors, frames, skirting etc to do. I WAS going to do it in oil based eggshell but after seeing your comments on yellowing I'm switching to water based paint now.
 
Thanks for this, I think you've just saved me a whole heap of repainting in a couple of years time. I'm in the middle of doing up our hall, stairs and landing. Eleven sets of doors, frames, skirting etc to do. I WAS going to do it in oil based eggshell but after seeing your comments on yellowing I'm switching to water based paint now.

Larry - water based feels different to use than oil based, so do take the time to 'get' how it feels. Do prep properly, and work fast, as it dries quickly - do not try to go back over what you did a few minutes ago, and a humid room helps, as does a splash of water in the paint. As you have a lot to do, it may be worth getting some Floetrol - https://www.promain.co.uk/floetrol-...D9GKkqOHFU9w9Jt6owdFQWDhUdJ-PoUNOwaAm4Q8P8HAQ
as it may make all the difference, but again, this depends on your abilities and working conditions - it is always worth asking at your local paint shop..

With regards to the roller/brush question - as Sarg0r says, it depends on the paint, the surface and the skill level of the painter as well as the sort of finish you like..
 
Cheers Steve. I like the feel of oil based paints I must admit, it flows well and gives you time to lay it off. Shame the EU have messed with the formula. I'll just have to see how I get on with the water based gear, thanks for the tips. ;)

Not heard of the Floetrol stuff before, I'll investigate.
 
Cheers Steve. I like the feel of oil based paints I must admit, it flows well and gives you time to lay it off. Shame the EU have messed with the formula. I'll just have to see how I get on with the water based gear, thanks for the tips. ;)

Not heard of the Floetrol stuff before, I'll investigate.


No probs - a better product is Xim Latex extender (oooh errr..) which was withdrawn from sale here a while back due to some licence problems but I've just seen that it is available again - http://www.decoratingdirect.co.uk/viewprod/z/ZAMIX_LATEX_EXTENDER/

Not as easy to get hold of though.
As for getting your head around WB paints - they are not difficult, just different, and anyone who doesn't treat painting as an 'any fool with a brush can do it' will adapt quickly. Like you, I like the feel of OB but the advantages of WB are huge, including a lack of carcinogens....
 
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