Decorating Painting Painting Tips How to Paint an Interior Door Follow our simple how-to steps for painting interior doors. You’ll love what a fresh coat of paint can do! By Hannah Bruneman Hannah Bruneman Hannah Bruneman is an editorial associate at BHG.com. Her contributions focus on home renovation and decor trends. Her work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens, Ladies Home Journal, Southern Living and more. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on March 21, 2023 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: Jacob Fox Project Overview Working Time: 2 hours Total Time: 1 day Skill Level: Beginner Estimated Cost: $30 BHG / Nez Riaz Although it's a small change, an interior door paint refresh can make your home look entirely different. You can fix a discolored or damaged finish with a new coat of the same color or paint the door an accent color to amp up the personality of a space. Because doors are your home's entrance and exit points, plan to paint them last, so the paint finishes remain undisturbed and can properly dry when completed. Looking around your home, you might notice the surfaces of doors vary quite a bit: some are entirely flat, others are paneled, and others have intricate molding. Similarly, the approach to painting these door styles differs slightly. (Painting an exterior door also requires unique considerations.) Follow our expert tips on painting a paneled or flat interior door. The painting steps below work best for solid wood and hollow-core doors. For vinyl-covered or plastic doors, you'll need to apply at least one coat of primer after sanding and before you begin painting. Choose a durable paint finish in a semi-gloss or glossy sheen, which will stand up well to everyday use and frequent cleaning. What Colors Go with White Walls? How to Decorate with White What You'll Need Equipment / Tools Screwdriver Medium-grit sanding sponge Tack cloth Drop cloth Paintbrush 4-inch paint roller Materials Paint Painters tape, as needed Instructions How to Paint an Interior Flat Door Jacob Fox Sand the Door Surface Remove the door's hardware and sand the door's surface. You want a smooth, even surface to paint over for the cleanest result. Sanding will also remove any paint or coating on the door, making it a better surface to hold the paint. You may choose an electric sander, but we kept it simple and used a sanding block. Once the surface is smooth, wipe off dust with a tack cloth. Jacob Fox Paint the Interior Door’s Edge To paint a flat interior door, start by painting the inside hinge edge, working around the door in one direction. Work up from the inside bottom, across the header, and down the striker side. Use a brush for this narrow space for better control. Also, be careful to not load too much paint on your brush at one time. Excess paint causes visible drips. 23 Fundamental Painting Tips to Know Before You Pick Up a Brush Jacob Fox Paint the Flat Interior Door Next, paint the interior door's flat surface. Apply the paint with a 4-inch closed-end foam roller. Run two or three roller widths the full height and across the door face. To remove any lines, lay off the finish by brushing from bottom to top with a lightly loaded brush or lightly coated small roller if desired. This technique allows the roller to deliver the paint quickly and evenly to the surface while keeping a wet edge and leaving a smooth finish. Let dry. How to Paint an Interior Paneled Door The process for painting an interior paneled door is similar to painting a flat interior door: You just need to make a few adjustments to accommodate the panels. Jacob Fox Sand the Door Remove all hardware, including the doorknob. Sand the surface of the door just as you would a flat door. We recommend using a sanding block to have better control near the detailed edges and corners of the paneled door. Once smooth, wipe the surface with a tack cloth to remove dust. PHOTO: Jacob Fox PHOTO: Jacob Fox Paint the Panels of the Door Paint each panel, starting with the upper left-hand panel and working down the door face in sequences. For each panel, first paint the edges with a paintbrush. It's OK to paint a little outside the lines here since it will all be painted over anyway. Once the edges are lined, use a 4-inch roller to fill in the center of the panels. PHOTO: Jacob Fox PHOTO: Jacob Fox Paint the Stiles of the Door When all the panels are painted, paint the stiles in between the panels. Start with the center vertical stiles, then paint the horizontal panels. Finish painting the surface of your interior door by painting the two remaining outermost vertical stretches. Jacob Fox Paint Edges of Interior Paneled Door Finally, paint the edge of the interior door. Lay off any runs or sags as you paint. Allow the paint to dry, lightly sand, and apply the second coat. Once dry, attach new hardware and install the door. If you choose to paint an interior door with it still on the hinges, keep paint off the floor by sliding a piece of cardboard underneath the door. Brace the door with wood shims to hold it steady. Before painting, cover the hinges with painters tape, score around the edges with a precision knife, and peel away the excess around the hinges. Once the paint is dry, remove the tape and replace the door hardware.