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Hey gang. I am a 1st year apprentice carpenter and the company I work for tends to do most everything on new construction. This includes painting, of which I seem to do much of and have little prior experience. I hate the thought of sloppy/shoddy work and want to see it done right. There is much I need to know but the pertinent question of the moment is: how do I paint/stain a steel door? We have used a acrlylic/latex solid stain on the fascia and other trim and the customer wants the same color on the doors. Can I use this stain or no? To be honest no one I work with seems to really know what to use. They have always used an oil based product but don’t seem to have a reason for it, “just always been that way”. Thanks for any help.
Jason.
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Stain a steel door? No kidding?
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No kidding, help?!
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The recommendation for my pre-primed Stanley steel doors is latex paint. I haven't put it on yet, so this is only a manufacturer's advice. I'm not sure if I can trust that factory primer to hold my finish coat. It seems exceptionaly smooth. Any one else paint these baby's with lasting results.
David
*I would only use solvent based paint for a metal door. Latex will not seal as well as oil, possibly causing rust spots, also it is harder to clean, and does not usually look as good. If you use latex, I would prime the door with oil based primer. Factory primer is not usually heavy enough, and there might be some scrapes here and there.You can stain the door if you wish, but it should be primed and painted first. Use a paint color lighter than the stain if you are trying to make a "faux" woodgrain.
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Thanks for your replies. I am ashamed to say that I already have one coat of my acrylic-latex stain on the door. Do I need to remove it in order to do this right, sounds like I do but I would like to be sure. Also, how should I apply my coating. I don't want brush lines or polyester roller "pock" marks. Would one of those foam rollers as is commonly used for melamine paints work well? Thanks again.
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My theory on primers is that they harden up with time. This process reduces their ability to facilitate the next coats bond. Therefore i prime over factory primers before finish coats.
Jason a foam roller can be a big help on getting paint on a door. Often i'll roll one out with foam and quickly tip it off with a brush. Speed is of the essence with this method, slow work equals dragging brushes and a rough finish. Floetrol for latex and Penotrol for oil paint helps by buying you a little time.
Why do steel door manufactors recommend latex?
joe d
*Joe, I agree with your methods. Here is what I have found to be the most successful when painting steel doors. First get some commercial quality wax and grime remover such as Prepsol and thoroughly clean the door. Be careful of plastic parts, the solvent could soften them. Next hand sand the factory primer with 400 grit and mineral spirits. Spray on a coat of oil primer and let dry thoroughly! Sand lightly if necessary and then apply either oil or latex topcoat. I always spray oil, but prefer to apply latex the way you do. Apparently the door factories are having such a time meeting new federal emissions standards that a lot of them are switching to latex paint for their doors. I have seen a lot of doors lately that come with directions to use latex as a finish coat. If you don't mind a pricey, shiny door , nothing has the looks or durabilty of auto enamel.
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Joe;
The reason latex is recommended is that over steel is due to it's greater flexibility over several repeated cycles of expansion/contraction.
JASON: We have used the solid-bodied 100% acrylic stains successfully - however, these scuff easier and show finger marks far more easily than an enamel (satin, semi, or gloss). 100% acrylic exterior enamels are widely available in California; they should also be so elsewhere, I would think.
A SIDE NOTE: An acrylic paint does require primer over most steel - oil or latex should do you fine, with the exception that you never want to use an oil-based primer over *galvinized* steel, unless specifically spec'ed for such by the manufacturer. The combination of the galvanization w/ the oil-base creates a condition know as "soponification", (really), that will cause the adhesion to fail.
George
*Thanks for all your help. I guess I will try and remove my original coat of stain and start from scratch. I will see what my boss wants me to do but at least I have some ideas to go on now.
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Is soponification what happens when you spill your chowder down the front of your shirt?
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Perhaps one of the best finishes for an exterrior steel door that I have found came not from the local home improvement store but from the local auto body shop. Because most steel entry doors come with a primer coat, it is very easy for an auto body shop to paint. Many shops use a white undercoat on lighter colors first. This coat is great on doors especially when followed by clearcoat. The usual charge for this is between 35-55 dollars and it makes an almost perfect finish. Obviously custom colors are not a problem but you do pay a bit more. Remember that auto quality paint and clearcoat do have a UV protectant added to it so it is great with dark colors that are in full sunlight. A great way to also reduce cost is to do your own masking when you take it in. Best of luck!
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Jeff, I commented about this in my remarks above. I have been using automotive paint on steel doors for over twenty years and have never found another type of paint that even comes close to it for looks and durability. However, we can't get a door painted for anywhere near the prices you mentioned. The last time I bought a quart of reddish colored paint, it cost over $35. Another advantage beyond those you mentioned is that you can use additives that allow the paint to dry so fast that you can rehang it the same day you paint it. You must be careful now because many of the new doors come with latex primer applied to them at the factory. The door on my own home is a Cessna maroon and looks as good today as it did when I painted it 14 years ago. I have tried many kinds of other oil based paints and they fade in 4 or 5 years or less.
*I second (or third) the motion for the bodyman special. Last time I checked, I think the going rate was $75-$100, but still a bargain. No worry of runs or scratches, and so far looks to out last anything else. I thought I was gonna sneak in here and offer the tip of the day, only to see I'd been beaten to the punch twice(or thrice). Jeff
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Hey gang. I am a 1st year apprentice carpenter and the company I work for tends to do most everything on new construction. This includes painting, of which I seem to do much of and have little prior experience. I hate the thought of sloppy/shoddy work and want to see it done right. There is much I need to know but the pertinent question of the moment is: how do I paint/stain a steel door? We have used a acrlylic/latex solid stain on the fascia and other trim and the customer wants the same color on the doors. Can I use this stain or no? To be honest no one I work with seems to really know what to use. They have always used an oil based product but don't seem to have a reason for it, "just always been that way". Thanks for any help.
Jason.