Advice for painting exterior door

[Doug Lowe]

Hi, I need to paint an exterior door that leads from my third bath out to the side of the house--it's a small door (28") that almost never gets used. The outside is painted with a light-colored exterior paint that's flaking away badly. The inside is varnished wood. We want to paint the outside the same color, and the inside with a solid burgundy oil-based semi-gloss to match the cabinets in the bath.

The main question is, should I paint this door in place, or take it off and lay it on sawhorses to paint it? If I take it off, I figure I'll have to temporarily nail up a piece of plywood in its place or something as the door will have to be off for several days, probably at least four if I do two coats on each side.

--Doug

[Tom Baker]

If you take the door down, the work should be easier and faster; and the edges would get painted carefully. The top and bottom edges would be first points of entry for moisture and for rot. Tom Baker

[dadiOH]

One can certainly paint a door well without removing it. Lots easier if = you do though.

--=20 dadiOH _____________________________

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[Nick Hull]

When I did it, I removed the door and stapled cardboard over the opening for several days.

[nospambob]

[Dorot29701]

My doors weigh too much for us to remove and paint. I very carefully painted the doors while they were in place. Start early so the edges have a head start on drying before you have to close them for the night. ( Liked the idea of putting wax paper on the corners and top to keep from sticking. )

[RB]

I'd take it down so that all six sides are accessible. Can't you just tape a piece of polyethylene over the opening to keep bugs and critters out?

RB

Doug Lowe wrote: