How to finish and paint door jams before security doors are installed?

hi everyone... whenever I'm googling something, this site comes up! So I've given in and registered.

Am hoping someone can help. I should say upfront that I'm clueless... but I'm OK in photoshop, so have created some images to go with my questions.

We are getting new steel mesh security doors installed. They've been built to measurements already taken. They then lined us up with a tradesman who came and widened the door jams, as they were too narrow for the security doors. The door jams now need finishing and painting before the security doors can go in.

The security door company said we should paint the door jams black, since we chose black security doors. Our window frames are white. Apparently it doesn't hurt to have the contrast between the two, and that we should go with black in some parts of the door jams so that the security doors will blend in to their surrounds.

But now...

1) Which bits do we actually paint black? Its an old door setting with lots of bits of wood... please see pics. I've labelled different parts of the door frame A, B, C etc in case that helps. Maybe they mean the inside bits that you can see from the front... ah... which bits are those?

2) Would all white look that bad? Or a grey for whichever parts should be black?

3) Should we fill the gap between A and B and then sand so that the door jams appear to be one wider piece? If so, any thoughts on a product name?

4) There is an old metal latch thing... should we remove it and patch that too? (along with other holes and things)

5) The old screen door closed into D / E - there is some damage and the hole has been patched. It doesn't look that great at the moment. Should perhaps that strip have been replaced with new wood? Would that be a big job? One of the pics shows that the strip meets another strip at the top

6) Would a medium then a fine grade sandpaper be OK? (v dumb question)

7) I'm guessing that two coats of self priming acrylic exterior house paint would do the job ...in a ...semi sheen?

8) A more entertaining question - we have a similar situation with the back door. However there are fairly big holes in the frame where not one but two old screen doors had been fitted over time. The holes left by the old hinges have been patched by the tradesman. But... how can a security door be secure if the hinges go into putty? Or do they use extra long screws perhaps? Would it have been better if that strip had been been replaced with new wood? Would that be a big job? It meets another strip at the top like the pic for the front

If you are still here, thanks for reading. I know how painful this is.

Any help would be really great, as I don't think the security door company or tradesman can bear these questions.

Being a small job you'd think we could manage it!

Thanks

ok..your new security door will go into the gap of c/d ....primerily the door hinges will screw into side "d"......that being said I would paint sides a,b,c,d in black only and leave the rest in white ....there is timber fillers available that not only fill holes but dry quickly too, product name I am not sure ...but selleys make it, comes in a blue and white tub ....use this to fill gaps ....wait 30 mins or so .....sand back and prime with undercoat ....if the surface of the undercoat looks good .....the apply the topcoat (black)......your white finish looks like acrylic .....I would stick to the same and use an acrylic based paint ...

that old "bracket thingy" is probably screwed on ....scrap the paint off the surface and try unscrewing it ..levering it off may cause damage to the timber surround....if this fails ....drill out the screw with a drillbit same size as the head of the screw ....patch and paint

hope this helps

p.s the security company will fit the door without problems ....on the rear as well .....they would have taken into account the previous hinge placements .....

hi manoftalent

Thanks for your quick response! You've made things a lot easier!

cheers!

There is an old metal latch thing... should we remove it and patch that too? (along with other holes and things).
manoftalent is correct.
The latch is probably screwed on. Get a screwdriver which matches the slot in the screw head and use a hammer to scrape out any paint in the screw slot. Tap it slot with the sharp edge of the screwdriver. Once paint is removed from the slot, use screwdriver to unscrew the screw. If it does not turn, tap the screwdriver with the hammer while screwdriver is in slot. This seems counter intuitive as you are forcing the screw further into the wood. But this action sometimes releases surface tension between the screw and the wood in which it is embedded.
Good Luck.
George

Just to confuse the issue being an old security door measurer/rep I would do everything that MOT says except I would paint every thing white.

all the frame must be white.

painter

thanks all... we'll go with white.. much easier!