A paintbrush will give you a nice “hand-painted” look. Even if you use a roller, you can use a brush for the final coat to achieve this look. Allow the door to dry completely before reattaching the hardware and rehanging the door, if you removed it to paint.
The best way to paint your door is by using both a paintbrush and a foam roller. You should begin by brushing a light coat of paint on the door. Because the brush can leave drips or runs, it is best to do this first, before the rest of the door is painted.
If you are going to paint a plain, flat door, use a foam roller to roll on the paint and use an angled brush to paint the sides. You want to make sure you leave no roller lap marks. To remove any lap marks, roll a lightly-loaded roller over the wet coat of paint to smooth.
1” brush makes light work of door frames, stairway spindles and small edges. 1 ½” brushes are best for larger door frames and skirting boards. 2” brush should be used for cupboard doors and dado rails. 2 ½” brushes are excellent for painting panelled doors, beams and large furniture.
A minimum of 2 coats applied. If you are painting a primed door: A latex or water-based paint can be used. A minimum of 2 coats is recommended however, you can apply as many coats to acquire desired finish.
If you have a door with a lot of detailing, you may want to paint it with a brush rather than a roller. While a brush is more work, it's far easier to get into indentations and carvings than a roller.
Exterior paint, particularly if it's being used on a front door, needs to be both durable and attractive. Sheens run from flat to semi- and high-gloss. Flat paint may be suitable for a garage door, but any high-traffic entry, such as your front door, usually looks better painted in satin or semi-gloss.
All you have to do is run a dry roller over the brushed-on paint to smooth out any stroke lines. You can use the same roller for an entire project. It shouldn't soak up too much paint as you work over the brushed areas.
The easiest way to paint without brush marks is to paint with a matte or chalky paint. Flat paint hides imperfections, including brush strokes the most. My absolute favorite matte paint is this one by Fusion Mineral. It comes in lots of trendy colors and is pretty durable on its own.
Smooth Surfaces
Painters often use traditional rollers for uneven exterior walls and foam rollers for smooth interior walls, doors, and cabinets. Foam rollers glide along a smooth flat surface very easily and dispense the paint on the surfaces evenly.
How to Paint A Door Without Removing It? Step 1 – Use painter's tape to cover the hinges. Use your finger to smooth the tape along the edge of the hinge. Protecting the hinges will make it easier to paint the door.
Lay the door flat to avoid drips and runs
But for a smooth finish, you have to lay it flat and remove the hinges, knobs and other hardware. With the door laid flat on sawhorses, you can spread paint more quickly and not worry about drips and paint sags.
Next, Use the 4“ mini foam roller to get the larger flat surface areas. Using this foam roller will ensure you get a finished door without brush marker. Once you have painted all the grooves and the panels are done move on to the rail and then stiles. Be sure to paint the edges and sides of each door too.
Painting Prep Tips
Pros often paint doors in place without removing it from its hinges. But from prep to painting, you'll get better results if you remove the door.
Paint Finish for Interior Doors
As such, the sheen you choose should stand up to the years and not show it. Semigloss is the best paint finish for interior doors and trim. The reason being, semi-gloss can take up quite an abuse and stand up to nicks and scrapes better than any other sheen, flat or eggshell finish.