- 1). Give the door a good scrub with a solution of water and ammonia or vinegar. Use a green scrubber pad to remove all dirt. If you don't already have one in the kitchen, they you can buy them at any supermarket in the kitchen cleaning products section.
- 2). Rinse the door with clean water and allow to dry.
- 3). Sand the door using a random orbit sander with 220-grit sandpaper. You can also use a standard palm sander. Use the sander on flat areas and hand sand any curved or detailed areas.
- 4). Wipe the door down to remove any sanding dust. Use a clean cloth soaked in denatured alcohol. The alcohol will cause the dust to stick to the cloth and any denatured alcohol left on the door will evaporate in seconds.
- 5). Mask off the hinges and door handle with blue painter's tape or plain masking tape. You can buy these in any store that sells paint products and even in most stores that carry office or school supplies.
- 6). Fill any voids, cracks, holes or nicks in the surface of the wood with wood filler and sand it smooth once it dries.
- 7). Apply the primer coat using a 2-inch angled bristle paintbrush, starting at the top and working down to the bottom of each side and edge of the door. Alternately, use a small 4-inch roller for the flat spots to speed things up. Allow the paint to dry.
- 8). Sand the exterior door lightly using 220-grit sandpaper and remove any sanding dust as you did in Step 4.
- 9). Apply two finish coats of paint to the door, sanding in between coats with 400-grit sandpaper and removing any dust like before. Allow the paint to dry completely before removing the tape and closing the door.
- 1). Wipe the door down with a damp cloth, but since you will be removing the clear topcoat completely, you don't have to worry about removing all the dirt. All you need to do is remove any pieces of dirt or debris that have settled on the surface.
- 2). Use a random orbit sander equipped with 120-grit sandpaper and sand all of the flat areas of the door. Hand sand any irregular or rounded parts. The goal of this sanding is to remove the top coat and start sanding away at the stain. You don't have to sand all of the stain away, just get it started.
- 3). Sand the door again, this time with 220-grit sandpaper to smooth any marks left from the first sanding and to even out the surface. Unless you are planning on applying a stain that is lighter than the stain that was on the door, you don't have to sand all of the stain away.
- 4). Wipe down the door using a denatured alcohol on a clean cloth and let it dry for a minute.
- 5). Fill any holes or dings in the surface of the door with a stainable wood filler and sand it smooth once the wood filler dries. Note that many wood fillers designed for use with different color stains will not harden all the way and need to be applied as the very last step after staining and finishing the door. The container of wood filler should indicate which way to apply the filler.
- 6). Tape off the door, hinges and any other area that you don't wish to stain with masking tape or blue painter's tape.
- 7). Stain the door. Use a paintbrush or clean white cloth to apply the stain. Allow the stain to penetrate for a few minutes and then go back and wipe off any excess stain with a clean, lint-free cloth. If you like the color, move on to putting on the clear topcoat. If not, repeat the staining process until you achieve the desired color.
- 8). Apply a clear topcoat to the door. It doesn't matter what kind of topcoat you choose, as long as it is rated for exterior use and is compatible with the type of stain---water- or oil-based. Most topcoats can be applied with a fine bristle paintbrush or even a foam brush, but for lacquer---and best results with any of the other types, such as polyurethane or varnish---spraying is the preferred method. You can purchase most topcoats in a spray can ready to use with no additional preparation. Always start at the top of the door and work your way to the bottom.
previous post