How to paint a metal door

Any metal doors that are installed at the entrance to an apartment or garage, over time, lose their original appearance and need so-called redecoration. This type of repair assumes, as is well known, the updating of the protective painting layer applied in the process of manufacturing the structure. Before you paint a metal door yourself, it is advisable to familiarize yourself with the features of the procedures associated with the application of a protective coating on metal surfaces. In the process of familiarization with these procedures, as a rule, one has to deal with the following questions:

• the procedure for preparing the surface for painting;
• the choice of coloring composition;
• and finally, the choice of the method of applying paint (spray, brush, roller or spray).

These stages, of course, need careful consideration.

Preparation for painting

Preparing a metal door for painting includes the following mandatory procedures:

• First of all, all removable elements (eyes, handles, patch locks, etc.) are removed from the door structure. In this part of the surface that do not require painting, it is best to glue with masking tape.
• If there are grease stains on the door, remove them using special solvents (acetone, mineral spirits or other cleaning agents).
• If the door was previously painted - it is necessary to completely remove the old layer. For these purposes, special formulations are used (the so-called “washes”) or an ordinary metal brush.
• If there are places affected by corrosion on the door, it will be possible to use special rust removers or sandpaper of suitable grit.
• After thorough cleaning of all surfaces of the door leaf and the construction frame, it is recommended to once again walk over them with emery paper, which will ensure maximum adhesion (adhesion) of the door material to paint.
• Before painting a metal door, it is recommended to degrease its entire surface, which will ensure reliable painting, which allows you not to resort to repeated repairs over several seasons. For degreasing can be applied specially designed for these purposes, the compositions or the traditional white spirit and kerosene.
• If any irregularities, chips or cracks are found on the metal surface, it will be necessary to putty them using ordinary automotive putty. Having repaired the problem areas, you should once again walk on them with fine emery cloth, and then thoroughly wipe the treated areas of the surface with a moistened rag.
• Immediately before the start of painting procedures, it is recommended to prime the surface of the iron door using a special aerosol primer. This will provide a stable base for the subsequent application of the dye and significantly extend the life of the updated product.

Preparation of the necessary material and tools

When choosing a type of dye and a method of painting an iron door, it is most convenient to use a standard aerosol spray, which can be charged with a dye composition for almost any taste. Using this method of applying the dye will provide you with a wide choice of colors and shades, including the possibility of obtaining a protective layer with special effects (metallic or mother-of-pearl). In addition, for painting a metal door, you can use such familiar tools as a brush, roller or spray gun.

To fix the applied coloring matter, you can use a special acrylic-based aerosol varnish. Thus, for the qualitative painting of your metal door you will need the following materials and tools:

• acrylic enamel in an amount sufficient to process the entire surface of the door (usually 2-3 containers are enough for this purpose);
• spray can of acrylic-based varnish (glossy or matte);
• a quantity of sandpaper and a special metal brush, necessary for the final cleaning of the surface;
• masking tape or film (for covering surfaces that do not need painting);
• a small basin of water, old rags and any detergent you have at your disposal.

Features of the formation of the paint layer

When applying the dye on metal surfaces by any of the previously mentioned methods, you must adhere to the following rules:

1. Before you start painting the door structure with your own hands, you need to thoroughly shake the container with the dye chosen by you, which will ensure that the latter is mixed to the desired consistency.
2. In order to avoid the formation of smudges when applying a protective coating, you should smoothly move the cartridge or spray from top to bottom, keeping it at a distance of about 25–30 cm from the surface (the procedure for working with a roller and brush will be considered separately).
3. In the process of work, care should be taken to ensure that the protective layer is applied evenly over the entire surface and that all its areas are well painted.
4. When painting metal doors with a spray, a protective coating should be applied in 2–3 layers; and before the formation of each of the subsequent layers should wait for the complete drying of the previous one.
5. It is not allowed to engage in painting of doors located in the open air, as well as during rain and at sub-zero temperatures.
6. After completing the painting procedure, it is necessary to leave the door to dry (approximately 4–6 hours).

If you want to give the color of the already painted doors more depth and shine, you can additionally treat them with acrylic spray varnish, the order of application of which is no different from that previously discussed. The drying time of such varnish is about 1-2 hours.

Work on painting the doors in any of the possible ways should be carried out in a ventilated room and with the use of special eye protection and respiratory protection.

Painting "under the tree"

In the event that you have an artistic taste, you can paint the doors under the tree, using dyes of various shades.

To implement this idea, first, the so-called base layer is applied to the metal surface, which is best used as a yellow oil paint. After this layer is completely dry, you can start re-applying the dye (preferably from the same manufacturer), but this time it is already brown.

The second layer should be allowed to dry only slightly, after which, using a special trowel, this device should be walked over the entire painted surface, leaving characteristic traces in the form of grooves on it.

With each pass, the trowel will remove a part of the second layer of paint, exposing the already dried bottom layer, so that finally a pattern resembling a cut of wood is formed on the surface. At the final stage of the work, the resulting pattern is covered with a layer of protective varnish. The device in the form of a grater can be purchased in the department of building tools or you can make it yourself from a piece of thick rubber.