Painting Primed Doors

• Caulk – To fill cracks between moulding pieces and between mouldings and walls or ceilings.
• Wood putty – It is used to fill holes or gouges. It will need to be sanded after drying and primed before painting.
• Sandpaper
• Acrylic of alkyd paint

The PaintThe paint used for woodwork can be either acrylic (water-based) or alkyd (oil-based). There are advantages and disadvantages to them both.The advantages of alkyd paint far outweigh the downsides. The rich, smooth, porcelain like finish cannot be matched by acrylic paint. When properly applied it has no equal. Acrylic enamel is convenient in many ways. The clean up is somewhat easier, it dries fast and has less odor. Its quality is improving every year as manufacturers develop new formulas. It may be the right product for your project.The Preparation

• Any bare surface should be primed. This includes any new wood or a surface that has been scraped or sanded down to the bare surface. A sealing primer will prevent the finish coat from being absorbed, insuring an even gloss or sheen.
• Prime new wood first, allow to dry and then caulk any cracks. See “How To Caulk”. Caulk adheres better to a primed or painted surface.
• Sand all surfaces to insure good adhesion of the new paint to the old and achieve a smooth finish.
• Vacuum and wipe down the surface with a tack cloth to remove dust.

The PaintingThe painting techniques of woodwork with either alkyd or acrylic paint are about the same. One difference that may affect the application is the quicker drying time of acrylic paint. The edges at the srarting and stoping strokes may begin to dry (known as tacking up or becoming tacky). These spots are hard to blend in and may leave an uneven finish. This can be helped by adding a paint conditoner to the paint which will slow the drying time.Whether the choice of paint is alkyd or acrylic, thinning may be helpful to achieve a smooth, level finish. Not only can thinning improve the looks of the finish, it can also ease the application. Some paint is just too thick to flow smoothly out of the brush. A little thinner can greatly improve the “brushability” of the paint. Use the appropriate thinner, mineral spirits for alkyd and water for acrylic. There are also paint conditioners for each type of paint. Two of them are widely used. One is “Floetrol” for acrylic paint and the other is “Penetrol” for alkyd paint. Both should be used sparingly as they are thinners.