How easy is it to take a door off for painting?

[Mocked]

I need to paint 14 doors (gulp!). I need to do the architraving first (thread already in Chat asking for advice on how to get sticky labels off first!) then the doors. However, I am very inexperienced with painting and just know I will get paint over the hinges etc. So, do I take the door down, takes hinges and handles off etc. and paint it, one side at a time? How easy is it to take down and put back up?

Thanks for any advice.

it should be easy with two people, one to unscrew and one to hold the door.

But that depends if the previous people have painted over the screws...

No, they are new doors and new architraving - hence why I don't want to be the person to paint over them.

Thanks for the answer :)

Wouldn't it be a lot easier to stick masking tape over the hinges etc?

Mumblechum - yes, but it have never painted before and can foresee it being messy!

I'm a first time door painter and I'm finding it much easier to paint them whilst they're still hanging. There's no need to find somewhere to prop them up against and you can do both sides in one go. Take the door furniture off and tape over the fixings if necessary, although if you're careful you won't need to.

Pragmatic. Good to know, thanks. Maybe I will try the fist one whilst still up ...

I'd say it would be easier to take your time masking & prepping the area rather than taking each one off.

If they are lightweight modern doors they aren't too difficult to take off but solid doors are much more difficult.

With the paint do several thin coats to avoid drips. Buy quality brushes so they don't shed bristles. Take your time.

Don't take them off , go out and buy a paint tray and a small roller for gloss paints. They are about 3 inches wide and 1 inch deep and are for paint. You will get a fantastic finish. Tha'ts mainly because the paint goes on quick and no dragging

If its a panel door with protruding trim go round the trim with a brush first then roll the rest.
I promise you will never paint a door any other way

Oh and stick a bit of cardboard under the door so that when you get to the bottom you wont contaminate the paint.

After you have done enough if you wrap the roller in a plastic bag it will stay good for few days

That's stay good with paint still on it, I chuck em away afterward, it costs as much in turps to clean as to buy a new one . They are about 2.50 for a pack

It's fluffy rollers for emulsion and foamy smooth ones for gloss

I try and avoid the ironmongery, but keep wet wipes handy for wiping off what I can when I muck up. Then when dry I make sure all the paints off with another wet wipe. Then do second coat etc 'til the job's done.

The roller and the foam bit are only about three sqids. You can paint a door with no effort in about five minutes using this technique both side

Easy to take off, much more difficult to get back on! i would agree with others , cover the ironware and paint the doors hanging - apart from anything else what will you do with them while the paint is wet?

I always take any handles off , just go and buy a roller , this is an order lol

Don't try and put great thick coats on , you want the roller to be full but not dripping

Do what roneik says - they speak the truth!

That's the first time I have been called "they" wheres my second state and private pension then]]#
There are two of us to feed now

I am ron there is only one of me thank goodness for small mercies

You lot cant cope with one , what are you going to do with two of me lol
I cant vouch that there isnt an alien clone of me though, sent to destroy the other roneik
OH I need a cup of coffee the other me is thirsty

Wow, thanks ron! I was a bit depressed about the number I need to do but you make it sound so easy and quick. I blame you if I don't do each one in 5 mins a side . I actually have some small rollers and trays. Whoop!

I use that crown breath easy non drip eggshell, but it works well with gloss too . Just hate the smell of paint. The breath easy dries real quick, so less chance of dog hairs and what ever

My db used to be a decorator and he does doors with a roller. Small brush for detail the roller the rest.

Any large areas of wood can be rollered with gloss. I like satinwood rollered.

...returning to the original question, it is usually quite difficult to take doors off, especially if the are substantial old doors or fire doors.

So I always recommend that when you have new doors fitted, they are hung on lift-off hinges, which make it a doddle.

External doors should have stainless, or stainless PVD brass, or solid brass. Internal doors should have the same, or you can use brass-plate or even BZP and paint them, which is cheaper. Hinges for fire doors have an "E" mark and will be packaged as fire door hinges. IronmongeryDirect is a good source.

Thanks Piglet. Our doors are new and very lightweight (after a VERY long renovation and a catalogue of disasters we forgot to specify that we wanted heavier doors!).

Anyway, we have been living with them an off-white colour (under coated?) and actually really like it. The skirting boards are all white (they were finished in time for the painter) but I still have to do the architraving and doors. I am planning to do the architraving white but keep the doors a light cream colour. That's mad isn't it? (Although we have been living with the doors that colour and have had loads of positive remarks about them!). Now, to find an exact match for colour....

I recently used www.craigandrose.com/finish/eggshell Craig and Rose eggshell on my fancy 1920's fireplace. It gives a lovely finish and I was thinking of using it on our doors (I have 14 to paint too - hence they remain magnolia four years after purchase). Would I use the fluffy or smooth roller?

Ooooo, Honey, I am guessing the smooth ... But wait for someone more experienced to come along!

Will check out that colour. Is it from B&Q?