If neat smooth results are important choose an oil based putty.
How to seal antique door windows before painting.
When you have the stain you need you will use the foam brush to paint it on the door.
Wipe off the excess and allow it to dry before moving forward.
Step 4 seal.
I start out by vacuuming the entire surface of the piece.
Once door is positioned use a tack cloth to wipe door surface free of any built up dust.
I figured i would tackle it first before i did anything else to the room that way i wouldn t find a reason not to get it painted.
A good quality exterior paint acts as a sealer against the elements.
The latex products which usually come in a tube have a longer life expectancy and you don t have to wait days before painting them as you do with oil based putty.
Secondly you ll want to clean the door with a wet rag and then use a sander or sandpaper to remove any imperfections.
Exterior paints are formulated with chemicals that make them waterproof and resilient to extreme weather conditions.
Hand sanding with 120 or 150 grit sandpaper works well.
Before you begin to paint a door remove the doorknob and striker plate plus any other non paintable accessories.
Before i get into the process please check the epa website for safely dealing with lead based paint if that s a concern.
As mentioned above you ll also want to prime the door before painting if you are changing colors.
This process is only for pieces that do not contain lead based paint.
It is usually better to repaint the door.
A painted exterior door can be covered with a sealer that is compatible with the type of paint that is already painted on the door.
If purchased unprimed it must be primed before any finish color coats are applied.
Make sure you go against the grain.
A cautionary note there is a new painting method for new house builds.
Begin on one side.
You will see a house all masked up internally and then undercoat is sprayed on every surface including the walls the door jambs and in some cases the doors.
The reason i dislike painting windows so much is that there is way too much detail and you have to be careful not to paint the sashes shut.
If you truly want a dark colour for an entrance door choose a fibreglass door.
However because certain types of painted finishes are subject to duress a wood sealer can help prolong the life of the finish.
This is not a common or a recommended practice however.
New unpainted wood doors require sanding before priming and painting.
You do not need to seal most types of painted wood with anything.
Whether you paint your door in place or on sawhorses you will want to remove all the hardware.
But they often begin to dry before you can tool them smooth.
I had to finally paint the window trim.
We recommend priming the door using a zinsser bullseye latex primer sealer.
Use a rag to wipe the stain downward along the flow of the wood grain.