painting doors

when painting interior doors
is it best to use an acrylic or enamel paint?
thanks

Have a similar query about painting steel door frames. Which is best to use water-based or oil-based paint?

cheers

beetles

Hi,

Im no expert - lots a people on this bbs will confirm that :-)

however - oil based is generally shinier, more waterprrof, more resilient to kiddie drawings and smellier to apply.

acrylic (water based) is easier to apply, more forgiving of hiding brush marks etc.

traditionally doors are oil base painted, walls are acrylic except in kitchens and bathrooms (wet areas)

steel door frames require a proper undercoat like galmet followed by a good enamel based paint (oil) that forms a strong bond to the undercoat.

however the newer technologies available these days renders the above obsolete - eg dulux weathersheild is an exernal water based paont suiable for any surface... hence whatever rolls your boat and is in your price range is the go!

Hi Reybec,

As Zed says

... I did try a gloss acrylic on some interior timber trim around the door. Definately not as shiny and it has chipped, but it is easy to fix up. It does dry quick (enamel takes a few days to be people resistent ... that might be my application technique as well)

If I was doing things again:
When the door is off its hinges and out in the shed .. good quality oil based enamel can't be beat. (i tried some cheap hardware store branded stuff a few years ago and it has gone a yuk brown/grey .. so I've learnt not to do that again ... so you can see my only problem is "what is good quality?")
When the door must stay in the house and the family is home ... I'd go the acrylic these days accepting the need for touch ups.

all the best

Call me old fashioned, but you can't beat an oil-based gloss. I've tried some of these acrylic glosses but they don't cut it for me. Oil for doors, jambs/archs/skirts - acrylic for walls.

When painting any internal trim, including doors, I always use enamel paint.

It's more durable and to me it looks better.

Basically though there are no hard and fast rules.

Like Zed said, it's harder to get a good finish with enamel, particularly if it's high gloss and it takes longer to apply and to dry.

On the other hand, it'll be a longer time until it needs re-doing.

Another problem with acrylic paint on doors and windows etc is that it is more likely to stick. Definatley go for oil based enamel

Industry standard is enamel paint on doors and windows.

Mick

I agree enamel is harder wearing, and a bit more care is needed in application.

I use satin enamel because it doesnt show up all the imperfections like gloss does.
Jack ;)

just to be different, I used gloss acrylic on my doors and trim with no problems. It doesn't smell for anywhere near as long. Make sure you use a good brand - we used Haymes and it made a big difference.

Trav

for new timber doors:

the major thing with enamel is to ensure that you apply a good primer and undercoat before even thinking about applying your 2 coats of enamel. The primer will key into the timber provinding a good base and the undercoat will fill up the grain and provide you with a good base to apply your enamel. The trick is to make sure you sand VERY well (not so well that you go through) as the undercoat is very easily sanded to remove early brush marks.

this will give you a nice flat surface to enamel on. as for the smell....its gone in a few days but your great enameling will last for years....and it just seems to 'feel' better to touch then the acrylic

Couple of additions:

You can get a water based high gloss from Dulux I think called Aquanamel, higher gloss than most gloss acrylics, but still less than enamel. We used it on skirts and arcs in a bedroom, flowed out out nicely, if you are dead keen on acrylic this could be the go.

On the metal door jamb, regardless of oil/water based topcoat, use a oil based primer/undercoat. Water based primer/undercoats can cause probs on metal substrates.

We used enamel for the first time in our kitchen for skirts/arcs/cupboards/doors/sash windows. Slower drying is most apparent, and a little fddlier for cleanup; came up a treat though and would not hesitate to use enamel again.

When doing large areas like doors, quicker progress can be had by using a small roller to apply enamel and immediately "tipping" off with a brush.


Good luck........cheers..........Sean, averse to painting

slowing drying is definetly an issue for enamel if your in a colder area. im currently finishing up some reno work in a sunroom and i have only been able to get one coat in per weekend as it hasnt hardened enough overnight...

it dries off ok for the surface but its not dry enough to sand....

I tried painting a door with enamel a while ago using both brush and roller.
Was not happy with the flatness of the finish so I sanded off & srayed it.
Verry nice but you have to take the door off & take it somewhere suitable.
Put a couple of screw in where the hinges go & hang it.

Definitely enamel for all trim.

There are some new acrilic enamel substitutes arround that are prety funky like "enamacril" that are worth a look.
cheers