Restoration of entrance doors - how to do it yourself

There are many ways to update the old front door with your own hands. If you follow our advice, the restoration will not take you much time and save a decent amount.

If the old one still copes well with its functions, but has lost its original appearance or simply ceased to correspond to the updated interior, do not rush to change it to a new one. Having spent quite a bit of money and time, you will be able to restore it beyond recognition.

Ways to restore the front door

The choice of restoration method (see How to make a new one from an old door: we choose an option) depends on the material from which the door is made and your desire. Smooth metal can be simply repainted or pasted over with a decorative self-adhesive film imitating wood or natural stone, monophonic or with an interesting print.

But the restoration of wooden, or metal, but lined with wood with similar materials, allows you to find more interesting solutions.

It:

• Facing laminate or wood veneer
• Sheathing with wooden slats
• MDF paneling
• Upholstery with simultaneous insulation (see Insulation for entrance doors: choose the appropriate one)

How to restore each of these methods, let's talk in more detail.

Self-adhesive film

 And when working with self-adhesive (see. Door decoration with self-adhesive film will always update the design) you need not to hurry and stick the film neatly, gradually removing the protective lower layer of paper. This is a budget restoration method, and it is also very simple.

Coloring and pasting

These types of work should not cause difficulties even for those who have never done anything like that. You just need to remember that before painting you need to remove the old paint and degrease the surface (see Painting the doors). Paint can be roller or paint from a can.

Facing the door with laminate or veneer

Laminate is glued to the canvas on liquid nails or other suitable glue. To hide the edges of the panels, you can first fill the already painted or varnished wooden slats onto the canvas along the perimeter, and only then fill the resulting frame with a laminate.

Or, you can paint over the panel sections and the end of the door with matching paint.

The veneer already has a sticky backing. To glue the veneer, cut along the length of the strip stacked on the canvas and ironed iron through the paper. At the edges of the canvas, the veneer is laid with a margin, which is then turned up and glued to the end.

Sheathing with wooden slats

Wooden slats or clapboard before lining must be sanded and coated with stain, impregnation or colorless matte varnish. They can be filled with small studs or glued to the wood glue. The direction of the rails can be any - vertical, horizontal, diagonal, you can even create any geometric pattern.

MDF paneling

When working with this material will also have to think about how to hide the cut panels. The easiest option is to use a PVC profile for laying ceramic tiles that match the tone of the panels.

Restoration in this case begins with fixing the profile cut along the length of the door to the edge of the feigned side of the canvas. It is screwed to the wooden door with screws, to the metal one it is glued to the mounting foam or liquid nails.

Attention! If there is an invoice lock on your door, you need to temporarily remove it, and fasten the profile above and below the lock attachment point. In the MDF panel it is also necessary to cut a hole for the lock.

Cut the MDF panels in height, cut off the thin edge of the first panel and insert it into the profile groove.

Insert the following panels into the slots of the previous ones, having previously fastened them with self-tapping screws. Cut the last panel in width, put a profile on it and glue it to the door.

You will only have to cut off two more pieces of the profile in width and put them on the ends of the panels above and below. To frame from the profile looked beautiful, its ends immediately need to be cut at a 45 degree angle.

Upholstery entrance doors

Upholstery, like clapboard paneling, is not popular today, but this method of restoration has its advantages (see How to upholster the front door). It allows you to warm it without requiring large investments.

Foam rubber, isolon, and other materials are used as insulation or filler, and natural or artificial leather can be purchased for decorative finishes.

You can change the look and change all the accessories on it. New pens and a peephole give it a modern look and solidity, and the lock will provide increased reliability from breaking.