How to Paint Closet Doors

Last Updated: August 26, 2020

If you're redecorating your home, you're probably including some painting in the project. A fresh coat of paint to your home's closet doors can greatly enhance room décor. By knowing what color to select and what painting techniques to use, you can complete this phase of your home-improvement project in a single afternoon. If you want to know how to paint closet doors, follow these steps.

Steps

1
Learn how to select a color that complements the room. By matching the color of your closet door to other room tones, you'll give the room a coordinated feel.
- The color wheel: All colors are based on the 3 primary colors: red, yellow and blue. Secondary colors are created by mixing 2 primaries together. (Red and blue make purple. Blue and yellow produce green. Yellow and red make orange.) The 6 tertiaries are created by combining a secondary color with its neighboring primary. The 12 colors make up the standard color wheel.
- Monochromatic schemes: Colors from the same family naturally complement each other. Different shades of a single color can make excellent accents when you paint closet doors.
- Cool tones: Colors with a blue base are considered "cool." These calming tones are often used in bedroom. Colors derived from red are "warm" colors. These colors may be better suited for a family-room closet door.
- Muted colors: Select subdued tones for bedroom closet doors. This gives the room a soothing quality, making it easier for you to relax. In other rooms, a muted color on a closet door won't detract from the focal point of the room.
- Neutral hues: Browns, grays and creams are neutral colors. Generally, the less saturated the intensity of the color, the more neutral it becomes. These colors mix well with others, and can allow you to change the feel of the room with the change in seasons.
2
Prepare your closet door for painting. Certain steps must be taken to make sure your paint job looks professional and lasts.
- If possible, take the door off its hinges and set it on 2 sawhorses. This makes painting the top and bottom of the door easier. If you can't remove the door, you can paint it as is.
- Gently sand the door with 120-grit paper. This prepares the surface for paint, making it adhere to the door better. Don't completely take off the existing finish.
- After you sand the door, wash the door with a diluted detergent solution. Wipe the door down with a damp cloth and let the surface dry thoroughly.
- Protect doorknobs or other hardware. Either remove the metal fixtures from the door before you start painting or cover them with painter's masking tape.
- Consider using a wet-edge extender additive to latex paint. This keeps the paint from drying too quickly as you work on the different sections of the door.
- Determine whether you need to give the door a primer coat. If the door is bare or stained wood, if it currently is a dark color and you want to make it a lighter shade, or it was painted in oil and you want to use a latex paint, you will need to use a primer.
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3
Paint your closet door. Most closet doors are flat, and therefore, relatively easy to paint. But some doors, particularly those in walk-in closets, have multiple panels that require a special painting technique. For intricate doors, following a painting pattern can produce high-quality results.
- Paint the panels first. Use a small roller to cover most of the panel surfaces. Use a brush to touch up. Be sure to paint along the wood grain. This highlights the grain and gives a cleaner look.
- Paint the center, vertical stile of the door that runs between the panels. Use a roller to cover this area quickly. Paint vertically.
- Paint the horizontal rails in the middle of the door. Paint these sections horizontally with a roller.
- Paint the 2 outside stiles vertically, from top to bottom.
- Paint the header and footer panels between the outside stiles and the panels. These sections should be painted horizontally using a brush or roller.
- Apply a thin film of paint along the edge of the door with a roller. Spread it evenly using a brush.
- Let the door dry completely before adding a second coat.
- On flat doors, use a roller to speed the process. Apply paint evenly, taking care to ensure that you don't leave roller lines on the surface.
- Paint the other side of the door.

Community Q&A

Question

What type of roller should I use?

Community Answer

You should use smaller rollers for closets, doors and cabinets, and bigger rollers for walls and ceilings.
Question

Do I have to sand between coats of paint?

Techdocgeek

Community Answer

No, you don't need to waste your time sanding between coats. As long as the new coat of paint is the same kind, it should bond well with whatever coat is below it.
Question

How do I paint closet doors with ridges?

Techdocgeek

Community Answer

I've used brushes, I've used sponges, and I've used cloths. These all can get into the ridges.