Painting Steel Front Door/Replacing Lockset Questions

[Kate]

Help! I don't know where to start.

The previous owners have at least three coats of paint on my front door. From the elements, the paint has hair line cracks in it. Can a professional painter sand and repaint, or paint over it? I know you cannot tell me without probably seeing the door. I hate to get a new door as it is in great shape otherwise.

Also, the door handle and dead bolt is corroded from the elements. Does anyone have a Baldwin lockset and if so, is it really guaranteed to last as advertised?

If I get a new handle and deadbolt, will it fit the old holes, or is it best to let a locksmith order the set and install it?

Finally, should I get the new lockset installed first? My thinking is if I need to have the painter patch an old hole, I would want to paint after the lockset is installed.

Sorry for all of the questions, but I am really confused as how to tackle this project.

Many thanks.

Kate

[trader4]

Yes, it can either be sanded or stripped.

For typical locksets of the last many decades there are usually locksets available that will go in the same holes. You need to look at the important dimensions, ie hole size, hole set back, etc and figure out what will fit.

Per the above, you will likely find a replacement that fits. Now if you want a certain make, eg Baldwin and they don't have one that fits, then you either have to do more work, or just get another lockset. I'd probably have the lockset put on first so that if the trim plate is smaller, etc the painter will deal with it. Just make sure the painter removes the lockset. Some shysters will wind up gettting paint all over it.

[Kate]

OK, this was a huge help. Many thanks.

Kate

[Stormin Mormon]

Recipe for disaster. Total disaster.

(I'm a locksmith with 25 years experience.)

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

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Now if you want a

OK, this was a huge help. Many thanks.

Kate

[Sonny]

If the door has multiple damaged paint layers, it would be best to remove all hardware and strip all the old paint off, prime with a good metal primer (not a wood primer) and paint anew. If the existing paint layers are showing signs of damage, you need to get rid of the problem/damaged paint.

A dedicated residential metal door would likely have the existing holes matching one of the typical sizes of locksets and you should have no problem finding a Baldwin lockset to fit the existing holes, the set back and the thickness of the door.

Some newer deadbolts have a longer bolt, than older deadbolts, so maybe your existing hole (into the door jam), for the bolt, would need to be drilled a bit deeper to accommodate a longer bolt.

[Kate]

Thanks very much for this info. I have my homework cut out for me. Much appreciated.

[Kate]

Why, what am I missing here?

[Stormin Mormon]

1) You appear to want a good quality lock, but don't appeaer to want to spend the money to have a locksmith work with you, on getting the lock, selecting finish, etc. 2) You don't appear to plan to have the locksmith and painter coordinate and work together.

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Why, what am I missing here?

[clare]

The only LIKELY problem, as far as holes go, is where the "tail" of the latchset bolts to the door - assuming it is a fancy set and not just a simple knob or handle arrangement. Which is why I said "plug and finish" the hole. Don't even think about filling and recutting the big hole where the actual lockset fits.

[Sonny]

Agreed. I missed seeing Kate's previous thread, so I missed seeing yours and others' previous comments, as well. *I don't always scan all the threads.

In the end, hopefully, folks as Kate will learn something, one way or the other, no matter who's giving the good advice.... and yours was good advice, as was with others.

Sonny

[HeyBub]

No muss, no fuss method:

Remove the door and take it to an auto paint shop.

[clare]

Just remember - LIGHT COLOURS, particularly on south / sun-facing doors.One customer at one of the window places I worked insisted on a black door - had it painted with high quality automotive paint - and the fake panel trim moved so much with heat expansion I had to go out and repaint the white "pinstripes" that showed up when the door got hot.

[Joe]

Absolutely the best and most effective solution. Will it last? Of course; think about the car you're driving and all the abuse the finish suffers. Still looks pretty decent doesn't it?

Joe

[HeyBub]

Not only that, but the auto paint shop can sandblast the sucker down to the bare metal before priming and painting.

Plus, the guys at the paint shop would welcome the unusual job - breaks the monotony, gives them a new project to figure out.

Kinda like the repainting of some patio furniture job they got five months ago.

[Stormin Mormon]

The paint shop would only take three or four days, with coats and drying and all. No other problems with this idea?

Christopher A. Young Learn more about Jesus

.

Absolutely the best and most effective solution. Will it last? Of course; think about the car you're driving and all the abuse the finish suffers. Still looks pretty decent doesn't it?

Joe

[chaniarts]

nonsense. they have big ovens to bake on the paint. it doesn't take days to paint a car.

[clare]

Primers dry in 2 hours or less. Topcoats same. Absolutely no problem painting a door in a day, start to finish, even if there are a few dings to fill. Assuming it is a full steel door with no plastic moldings.

[clare]

Ovens are not even needed or used with much of today's paint. It is catalyzed