Replies

1. 
   DonCanDo | Jul 18, 2009 04:33am | #1

   If you want an automotive quality finish, then yes, they must be sprayed.

   I have never had a door spray-painted and I haven't had a customer who would have wanted to incur that kind of expense.  My own opinion is that it's a waste of money on something that is actually going to get used.  Even cars don't get abused as much as doors.

   One of the toughest door paint jobs I did was gloss black.  It's just so easy to see every errant brush stroke and imperfection.  From 5 feet away, it's perfect, but if I need it to be perfect from 5 inches away, then I would have laid the door horizontally and used a slow drying oil-based paint.

1. 
   curley | Jul 18, 2009 04:46am | #2

   curious, it seems a pro would have an airbrush as part of tool box and avoid the brush marks. Also wouldn't an enamel be better for the door????

    

   Edited 7/17/2009 9:48 pm ET by curley

1. 
   DonCanDo | Jul 18, 2009 04:57am | #3

   I don't have airbrush equipment.  I'd love to hear from other painters who airbrush.  I suspect that there aren't many.

   I don't know what "enamel" is.  To me, it's always been a marketing term that can refer to any solvent (including water) that leaves a glossy finish.  Edumacate me.

2. 
   Pelipeth | Jul 18, 2009 02:14pm | #5

   Did my front door lying flat, high gloss fire-engine red, oil based.
   This door has direct western exposure with summer time sun for 9 hrs
   per day. 7 yrs. ago and still looking good.

3. 
   Dreamcatcher | Jul 18, 2009 05:48pm | #7

   "I have never had a door spray-painted and I haven't had a customer who would have wanted to incur that kind of expense."I have had many customers who didn't want to see brush marks. I have spray painted several doors; a couple using rattle cans others using paint spray equipment. I have also sprayed varnish on doors to get a good multilayer finish."My own opinion is that it's a waste of money on something that is actually going to get used."That doesn't make sense to me. I recommend that clients invest heavily in products that will get the most use and skimp (if they must) on items that are just for looks."Even cars don't get abused as much as doors."Again, I don't agree. My car is either covered in snow, ice, rain, or mud, being constantly cooked from all angles by the sun, or moving at 60 MPH through dust, gravel, bugs, and sometimes hail. My front door gets the sun in the late evening, sheds water and snow, and only moves at about 2 mph for about 2 seconds maybe 6 times a day. Doesn't really compare to a car.I think what you may be trying to imply is that a brush painted finish is the traditional standard. I have had clients who want to see brush marks. Also, a good painter can easily brush a door with or without the marks to suit the clients desire. Spray painting may seem overboard but not entirely undesirable. If I were asked to deliver a door with a "perfect within 5 in." standard you better believe I am taking to a pro paint shop. Imagine you brush it out, walk away for a minute only to come back and find a fly in your paint, or dust, or a stray hair. Sometimes you just gotta dry faster to retain perfection. In most new build houses I have worked in, all the doors (interior and exterior) are taken down and sprayed.FWIW, I think it would be great to powdercoat an exterior door.DC

1. 
   DonCanDo | Jul 18, 2009 08:40pm | #8

   You raise some very valid points.  I will re-think some of the things I wrote.  When I mentioned about doors getting abuse, I was thinking of doors where kids come and go, pets scratch to be let in or out, homeowners struggle bringing groceries though the door, etc.  Many of these doors need regular touch-up or even re-painting and I couldn't picture a trip to the auto body shop every time.

   However, I imagine an auto-body painted door would hold up better if only because of the types of paint they would use.  On my own house, I wouldn't go through the trouble, but I'll keep it in mind should I get that kind of demanding customer.  Thanks.

2. 
   popawheelie | Jul 18, 2009 05:02am | #4

   I like to take my doors off and paint them laying down.

   That way there are no sags or drips.

   The trick is to paint all the sides while the paint is still wet.

   I take big long screws that are meant for gutters and drill and screw them into the ends of the doors. These screws are strong enough to hold up the door.

   Then I set the door on saw horses hanging by the screws sticking out the ends of the door.

   With the door hanging by the screws i can flip the door while it is still wet.

   I paint all the edges first. Then the big sides.

   With a good brush and good paint it lays down real nice and barely shows brush marks.

    

   "There are three kinds of men: The one that learns by reading, the few who learn by observation and the rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves."
   Will Rogers
3. 
   DanH | Jul 18, 2009 03:28pm | #6

   This is done fairly often. The auto paint shop can cheaply mix the right color in the right amounts, so no wasted paint, and the auto paint is very durable.

   And you can have your door painted to match your Porsche.

   As I stood before the gates I realized that I never want to be as certain about anything as were the people who built this place. --Rabbi Sheila Peltz, on her visit to Auschwitz