How hard is it to paint an interior door myself?

[pinksunsets]

I'm getting new doors. I have a joiner coming tomorrow to fit them. The plan was to paint them myself after they're hung but now I'm reading it's better to do it before. Should I just get him to paint them or save myself some money and do it myself if it's not that hard? I've been quote £300 to paint 2 doors (just painting not fitting) which seems quite steep although maybe worth it if it's a faff? And what type of paint should I use if do DIY it? Do I need to seal it after painting?

They need to be fitted before you paint them, because the carpenter will trim the edges with a saw and a plane.

I am very fond of lift-off hinges which make future painting easier. For a better job, remove locks as well as doorknobs. You will need a good set of screwdrivers.

Bathroom doors need to be well-painted on the bath side, because the steam will make the wood moist and encourage warping.

Two options - paint in situ ie when they are in their correct location, or paint prior to them being fitted. The main advantage in painting before fitting is you can lie the doors flat so you get fewer runs in the paintwork, but it’s more of a faff as you have to turn them as you can’t paint both sides at the same time.

Easy, we have done 1 once in a blue colour :D

Any tips for painting old stained doors white?

Thanks @PigletJohn! The carpenter has already come to fit them and left lots of grubby marks all over them so I'm glad I didn't get them painted beforehand. I'm slightly nervous about painting around the panelling so fingers crossed. I've decided to go for Zinsser Perma White as I've read this is good for bathrooms. Will make sure that the bath side is well coated!

Ohh, nice!

This is my 'method' for panel doors (all doors in the house painted a year ago and holding up really well, no chipping).

I primed all the doors using Fleetwood Pure Grip. I've used Zinsser before but started using the Fleetwood product when my local DIY store was out of Zinsser. Both do a great job. I use eggshell paint (Colourtrend paints) because of the low sheen and good durability. All water-based.

I use a Dosco Prodex 2" angled short handle brush to paint the moulding/profile and a foam mini roller for the rails/stiles and the raised panels. I think a microfibre roller is recommended for eggshell, but I prefer a foam roller because it's less messy (less splatters) and it gives a lovely clean, smooth finish. I do three thin layers and I paint the mouldings first, so that when I use the roller it evens out the edges of the mouldings/panels. If the layers are thin enough there won't be drips...that's my experience. I let the paint cure for a week - so I was very careful in that time not to knock/scratch the doors.

Keep anything greasy away - body oil and the like - until painted.

Thanks for the detailed instructions, @TattoedLady! This will be my first time using an angled brush. Did the eggshell you used hold up to dirt etc?

I've ordered a microfibre roller but I usually use foam. Just waiting for everything to arrive and I'll get cracking!

I'd prime with Zinsser and then paint with Benjamin Moore Scruff X colour matched to any colour you choose - much tougher than other paints and covers well. Zinsser All coat is great too - no need for primer and can be mixed to any colour. My favourite paint brushes are Hamilton - available on Amazon. Buy good quality rollers with a short nap. Remove hardware, remove one hinge at a time paint and replace (if you have three hinges). Panelled doors need to be painted in a certain order - with a keep eye for drips, land the paint brush in the middle of the area to be painted not the corner to reduce paint collecting and the inevitable drips.

I use just v hot soapy water to give it a quick wash, then wipe down with hot water. Use a microfiber cloth. Will get rid of any marks, fluff etc. let dry, mask off the hinges, remove the handles and lock cover. Mask off anything else (if you’ve left the lock in etc). Slide some layers of newspaper or cover under the door, use a door wedge to keep it in place. Get together everything you need - paint, stirrer, brush, damp cloth just in case etc.

i always undercoat, but that’s just personal preference. Think you can buy paint which does both. Don’t overload your brush, only dip approx 1/2 the length of the bristles in the paint. It’s easier to do 2 or 3 thin coats which dry quickly.

work in good light. Do the top of the door and edges first, then trim, panels and finally the rest. I always work top to bottom. One side at a time.

Make sure you stir your paint well

Thanks, @Imissmypuppy. I've gone with Zinsser Perma White which is self priming but the doors arrived primed already. I did have a look at Benjamin Moore Scruff X but new reviews said the formulation has changed and isn't so good now. But I'm not 100% sure about the satin finish I've chosen (will have to see how it looks) so maybe I'll just paint them now with Zinsser to seal them and change to a different paint if I don't like the level of sheen!

Thanks, @Sewaccidentprone. Great tip about using a door wedge - I hadn't thought about that. And working top to bottom! I am usually one to slather on paint so will try to be conservative this time.

@pinksunsets , that is a bad idea OP to prime with a satin and then switch to an eggshell or Matt! You should always prime with a Matt. You can then use a shinier paint for finishing, but not reverse.

However, you can prime with your watered down satin paint , then finish with 2 regular coats of the satin ( with 5% water added).

Sorry it's more that I've got the satin available now so I thought I would just paint the doors now and hopefully they'll be fine but if further down the line I don't like how shiny it might be I could switch to eggshell. Is that also a bad idea?

Also, does anyone know what grit sandpaper I need to use for the door frames and the door (which is already primed)?