How Do You Paint Over Stained Wood On Exterior Doors?
Stain doesn’t hold up as well as paint on exterior wood doors, especially if the door is exposed to the sun. Once your stained exterior doors have started to fade, painting over them is the most practical solution. Properly prepared, primed and painted, exterior doors will hold up well for many years. Choose the best paint and primer you can afford. A quart of paint will cover two or three doors, and good quality paint will look better and last longer. Remove as much door hardware as possible. Unscrew the door handle, door knocker, kick plate and anything else that is attached to the door. Use blue painter’s tape to mask off anything you can’t remove. Clean the door using a sponge and mild detergent. Pay attention to getting grime out of the grooves in panels or around inset windows. Rinse it and let it dry. Sand the door with 80- or 100-grit sandpaper. If it has been varnished, sand it until the surface is dull, and make sure any loose or peeling varnish is sanded off. Put a drop clot
