Are you looking to refurbish the old doors in your home? With paint or gloss, any door can become new! Adding a gloss is a great finishing touch for your bedroom, kitchen, or front doors. Are you wondering where you begin with this project? Don't worry; we have researched to create an easy-to-read guide just for you on how to gloss a door.
The steps to glossing a door go as follows:
- Choose your gloss.
- Prepare the surface and your surroundings.
- Apply gloss to the edges and panels of the door.
- Paint the remainder space.
- Let dry; lightly sand the first coat of gloss.
- Apply a second coat of gloss.
Now that we have the basic steps, let's take a closer look at the glossing process. Read on as we talk about what tools glossing a door requires and how to create a perfect finish without brush marks.
What Supplies Do I Need To Gloss A Door?
Glossing a door creates a shiny, new-look while providing a surface that is easy to clean. You can create a pretty gloss finish to a door with just a few steps and a handful of materials. To gloss the door, you will need:
- Paintbrushes/paint roller
- Wooden or rubber sanding block
- Sandpaper
- Masking tape
- Sharp knife
- Dust sheets
- Primer
- Undercoat
- Gloss
Door gloss gives you the chance to play around with different color schemes and styles to pull a room together. Let's look closely at these items in your tool kit.
Paintbrushes/Paint Roller
You will want high-quality paintbrushes for your glossing project. Getting various sized brushes will ensure you have the best size for your different doors and panels. Paint rollers will be utilized on the larger areas of your door.
Amazon offers a variety pack of paintbrushes here.
Wooden or rubber sanding block
Between coats of paint and gloss, you will be sanding the surface of your door. You will want a wooden or rubber sanding block to smooth out larger rough areas. Sanding blocks come in many styles. Blocks with a handle of sorts are optimal for comfort.
View this hand sanding block on Amazon.
Sandpaper
Sandpaper comes in different grades or grits. You will use the sandpaper with your sanding block to smooth your surface and remove any old paint coats.
Amazon offers assorted grit sandpaper here.
Masking tape
If you are glossing a door with window or glass panels, you will utilize masking tape around the edges. This allows you to apply the gloss without getting it on the glass.
View this 6-pack of masking tape on Amazon.
Sharp knife
You will need a sharp knife to assist with making the corners of your masking tape neat. A utility knife is especially handy for tight corners.
Amazon offers a Stanley utility knife here.
Dust sheets
Due to sanding throughout the project, you will be creating some dust. You will want dust sheets to protect your floor not only from excess gloss but also to catch dust and debris.
You can find disposable dust sheets on Amazon.
Primer
If you are working with a bare wood door, you will want to apply primer to the door before using gloss. The primer will help seal the wood to discourage the wood from sucking up the paint or gloss while creating a smooth surface.
Amazon offers a primer for wood surfaces here.
Undercoat
You will apply a coat of undercoat onto your door after the primer. The undercoat adds to a smooth finish and allows a surface for your gloss to grab onto.
Amazon offers door paint, great for use as an undercoat here.
Gloss
You can choose from different types of gloss, including high-gloss, eggshell, satin, and semi-gloss. The gloss will make up the final coats of paint on your door, creating that sought out shiny look.
You can find white semi-gloss paint on Amazon.
Now that we have all the tools and materials you will need, let's go through the steps of glossing your door.
How To Gloss A Door
1. Choose your gloss
When choosing your gloss, take into consideration where your door is located. Are you working with a bedroom, kitchen, or front door? Is the door subjected to outdoor conditions?
The different types of gloss will vary based on their sheen or shine. The higher the shine, the more durable the gloss is. If you are working with the front door to your house, you would consider using high-gloss paint.
2. Prepare the surface and your surroundings
After you've selected your gloss, you will want to lie out your dust sheets to protect the floor and any nearby furniture.
Preparation of the surface of your door will begin with using your sanding block and sandpaper to smooth out any rough edges. Be sure to apply your masking tape if you are working with a door having glass panels or windows. This will be the time to apply your primer and undercoat coats of paint.
3. Apply gloss to the edges and panels of the door
With your door prepped and primed, it is time to start applying your gloss. Wipe down your door to remove any dust or debris and stir up your gloss paint.
You will begin brushing the gloss onto the hinged side of the door, then work your way to the panels. You can use your paintbrushes to get into the panels' groves and a paint roller to fill in the middle.
Read more on our blog post, "Should Door Hinges Be Painted?"
4. Paint the remainder space
After the panels and hinged side of the door is finished, you can start to fill in the rest of your door with gloss using your roller. You will use horizontal and vertical rails to fill in your door. You will use your paintbrushes to bring the gloss on the edges of the door together.
5. Let dry; lightly sand the first coat of gloss
You have your first coat of gloss applied, pause your project to let this layer dry. With a dry surface, you will use your sandpaper to smooth out any bumps while prepping your door for the last coat of gloss.
6. Apply a second coat of gloss
The second coat of gloss will finish your door. You will use the same technique in steps three and four to apply your final coat of gloss.
After you've completed these steps on both sides of your door, you have your finished product. Take it in and start thinking about what door you will improve next.
Can You Gloss Over Gloss?
You can gloss over gloss. If you are glossing over an already glossed door, sanding the surface will be extremely important. New gloss will not stick on the surface if you do not prep the door correctly. High-gloss paint, in particular, will cause issues if not sanded properly.
Can You Sand Gloss Off Wood?
Yes, you can sand gloss off the wood. Using fine sandpaper and some elbow grease, you will be able to sand off the top coat of gloss. If you are having difficulty sanding off the gloss, you can consider using a paint stripping solution.
Amazon offers paint remover here.
How Do You Gloss A Door Without Brush Marks?
You want to be on top of your sanding from the very beginning of your project to avoid brush marks. From the primer to the final coat of gloss, you want to be sanding between and after every layer.
Using fine-grit sandpaper on your top layer will complete the flat, polished door you are seeking.
Is Painting A Door Better With A Brush Or Roller?
Painting a door using a roller is no doubt quicker than a paintbrush, but you will miss getting paint into those panel creases. It is better to utilize both brushes and a roller when painting a door.
Using paintbrushes allows you to pay more attention to detail when painting the hinge sides and panels of your door. If you have a panel-less door, you can make your roller your primary tool.
Get Started!
Now you have all your needed material and a layout of the steps, it is time to gloss your first door. Start bringing rooms together with a semi-gloss or create a welcoming entrance with a high-gloss front door. We hope you found this article helpful for glossing any door you are planning to take on.
Are you still deciding which doors you want in your home? Read our blog post, "What Is The Best Door For House Interior?"