Remove Door<\/strong><\/p>\nFor hinges with pins that can be taken out, put a nail set or an upside-down nail at the bottom of the hinge and tap it lightly up and down. Then manually take out the pin.<\/p>\n
For hinges with pins that can’t be taken out, open the door and put blocks under it to hold it up. Get someone to hold the door while you take the hinges off the door frame.<\/p>\n
Put the door flat<\/strong><\/p>\nWith the help of someone else, move the door to sawhorses or a big table. If you’re using a table, put short 2×4 blocks under the door to raise it so you can reach its edges better. Cover the 2×4 blocks with old towels to protect the door.<\/p>\n
Take away hardware<\/strong><\/p>\nUnscrew the doorknob, lock, and any other hardware that goes with them. Take off any door numbers, hinges, mail slot frames, or other things that won’t be painted.<\/p>\n
Clean Door<\/strong><\/p>\nTrisodium phosphate (TSP) needs to be mixed with warm water in a bucket to work. Scrub the door well, especially the side that faces the outside, while wearing kitchen gloves. When you’re done, rinse.<\/p>\n
Tip<\/strong><\/p>\nSome places don’t let people use phosphates.<\/p>\n
2 If yours does, you can use liquid TSP substitute, which works almost as well as TSP.<\/p>\n
Sand Door<\/strong><\/p>\nA metal door needs to be sanded before it can be painted. Doors that have been painted before may have paint that is peeling or cracked. You can scrape or sand this paint off, but be careful not to scratch the metal. Don’t sand factory-primed doors. When you sand or scrape the paint off, clean the door again.<\/p>\n
Tape Door<\/strong><\/p>\nTape off the parts of the door that won’t be painted with painter’s tape. To make sure the tape sticks, press hard on the edge with your fingernail or a plastic putty knife.<\/p>\n
Tip<\/strong><\/p>\nInstead of putting the tape right on the angle where two surfaces meet at a 90-degree angle, you’ll get sharper lines if you move the tape back about 1\/16 to 1\/8 inch.<\/p>\n
Use the primer<\/strong><\/p>\nIf your metal door needs primer, use a paintbrush to apply the primer to small areas or areas that are textured or shaped. Then, use the foam roller to add one to two coats of primer. Between coats, give the primer 30 to 60 minutes to dry.<\/p>\n
Paint Door<\/strong><\/p>\nBefore putting the color coat on the door, brush the paint on places that are narrow or bumpy. Use the foam roller on areas that are large and flat. Keep the roller as dry as you can to get a flat coat with no drips.<\/p>\n
After letting the first coat dry for about two to three hours, apply a second coat to the door. Read the instructions from the manufacturer to find out how long you should wait between coats of paint on a metal door. In general, you may need to wait six hours between coats of paint, but a metal door will usually be completely dry after 12 hours.<\/p>\n
Change the hardware<\/strong><\/p>\nReplace the doorknob, hinges, and any other hardware when the door is completely dry. Help each other put the door in place while putting it on the hinges.<\/p>\n