Painting an Interior Door Frame

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While most people walk through a doorway and mainly pay attention to the door, the door frame is an important part of the passage. If it’s a special room it could accent the character of that space and if painted with a little bit of life it could lend personality to a drab hallway or series of doors.

 

Unfortunately the door frame is the receiving end of dents, scratches, and discolorations from a number of factors such as moving furniture, people, and pets.

 

That’s why at a certain point cleaning it may not be enough to change its appearance.

 

If so, a new coat of paint could be in store and if that’s the direction you’re going in here are a few suggestions on how to carry out the task.

 

What you’ll need: a rag, soap and water; primer, paint, paint brush; a ladder, sand paper, painters tape. NOTE: any time you paint make sure the room is well ventilated.

 

1. In order to do this right, the best thing is to remove the door if you can. That way you can coat underneath hinges. Doors may be heavy so try and have someone help with this step. Usually the door needs to be forced upward a bit to release from the hinges. Then you can unscrew the hinges and place them to the side. Make sure to keep the screws together and label which hinges went where.

 

1. It’s better to be safe than sorry, especially if the floor is carpet. Lay down a drop cloth to catch any paint droplets that may accidentally fall from the door frame.

 

1. Use painters tape and stick it along the entire perimeter of the door frame on both sides. The key here is to make sure any paint on the door frame doesn’t touch the walls, which may be a different color.

 

1. Interior doors don’t usually need to be scraped because the paint isn’t chipping like it may outside. However, you should use a damp rag and wipe them down removing any dirt or residue. You may need to use a slightly abrasive sponge or cleaner to remove tough stains.

 

1. Once the door frame is clean and dry, lightly sand it down. Roughing up the surface a little will help new paint stick better.

 

1. Starting from the top of the frame and working your way down apply a coat of primer and let it dry.

 

1. Apply paint in the same manner and let dry. Apply a second coat for a fuller shine.

 

1. Only after 24 hours when you are sure the paint is fully dry should you attempt to reset the door and hinges.