What kind of paint do I need for this job?

swingaloo

I have just moved house andd have loads of painting to do.

I have 5 room doors on my landing plus 3 floor to ceiling cupboards which are all white but need painting.

The doors are the bog standard doors with 6 panel sections, they are white now and dont look as if they have ever been painted but need a fresh coat.

The cupboards have had several lots of glossing over the years by the looks of them but its far to big a job for me to strip them all so I will have to paint over them yet again.

I want tom be able to do them with a roller rather than a brush but because I dont want to use a brush I dont know what kind of paint is best to get.

Would it be a silk finish or an eggshell? Ive never used a roller on woodwork but keep seeing it done online. Can anyone advise what paint is best please.

bjorn_toby_wilde

Just my approach:

First, because you don’t know what they were painted with last, rub down with a 240 grade sandpaper and apply a high adhesion primer like Zinsser Bullseye 123 This stuff sticks to anything and provides a good surface for your next coat. The reason you use it is that most water based paints won’t adhere to old oil based paint. A primer like this deals with that issue.

If your second coat is going to be white this may be all you need but if darker then a dark undercoat.

The top coat should be satin or gloss, not eggshell or silk. Those are emulsion paints that aren’t best on woodwork. Eggshell might be OK but isn’t the best for what you’re describing. It wouldn’t be hard wearing enough.

Trade paints from a decorating centre like Dulux, Crown or Johnstone’s are better than the paints you’ll get from DIY sheds. They may be cheaper but they are generally lower opacity and in the end you need more coats which costs the same or more and increases the work.

If you use a roller for doors (I would because it’s quick and gives a nice even coat) then lay it off with a good quality brush. Essentially you stroke the brush lightly over it after you put it on with the roller to even the finish out and remove any bubbles or orange peel effects from the roller.

Water based paints are cleaner, quicker drying and have less odour but they are a tad less hard wearing. The oil based are harder wearing but the white versions yellow a lot quicker. That’s pretty broad brush but generally true.

swingaloo

Thank you for the reply. I didn't think I could use a roller with gloss. I will get the primer !!!!!! you suggest and use a satin finish.

grumpy_codger

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6682040/what-kind-of-paint-do-i-need-for-this-job

The doors are the bog standard doors with 6 panel sections, they are white now and dont look as if they have ever been painted.

If they they have never been painted, why are they white? If they were painted white by the manufacturer then, unless you spray the paint and have adequate skills, you'll never achieve the same quality of the finish.

Room doors can be primed white by the manufacturer, but cupboard doors are unlikely to be.

Grumpy_chap

Rather than gloss, which now has a tendency to discolour since they made it more environmentally friendly, I would use Satin Wood. (Water based)

bjorn_toby_wilde

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124934#Comment_82124934

Satin’s certainly easier to get a decent finish with than gloss. It’s a learning curve if you’re fairly new to painting but there’s a correct order to paint panelled doors. Google it and you’ll see what I mean. Essentially you paint the six panels first, then the horizontal bars and the verticals.

There are some good videos available on YouTube, some use brushes and some with rollers. Don’t be put off trying. We all have to learn and it’s a great way to improve your house and save money. Which is what we’re all here for 😊

bjorn_toby_wilde

I forgot to say, make sure you wipe down the surfaces after you sand. Two things paint doesn’t stick well to are dust and grease. Use a bit of sugar soap and water to clean up after sanding!

Boohoo

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124934#Comment_82124934

Any photos you could take to show the forum as it could help you get better appropriatel advice.

WIAWSNB

Hi Swingaloo.

An alternative to first applying a sealing-primer is to use a one-coat specialist paint such as Zinsser AllCoat, Exterior Water-Based in Satin. ('Exterior', because I cannot find an Interior alternative - except fancy stuff like scrubbable and permawhite!)

As said, prep is key - if there are any rough spots, they really need flattening. If it is smooth, then it just needs a good clean. I guess any all-purpose cleaner will do - use it on a damp cloth, and get in to every nook. Wipe clean so no trace left behind. A 'key' of the surface is usually also good, but that's a different level of prep, and you need to do this with care - and we'd need to know the type of door, with good clear pics.

I'm guessing the doors are not solid wood, but have an embossed wood grain on them? If so, that will help get a good finish, as the grain will continue to show through.

You will need a brush as well as a roller, but it should be painless. The brush applies paint to the mouldings surrounding each panel, and then you do the actual panel.

Best roller? I suspect mini-type in 'foam', but others may recommend a very short pile type? Do a test run on the inside of a door that's of least use - a cupboard, for example. Apply paint by brush on to a panel moulding, all four sides, right up to where they join the main door frame/stiles, and then roller the central panel. Repeat x 3. Then use the roller to do the door frame and stiles. Look at how these parts 'join', and roller the same way to follow the join lines. Ie, that's usually the top, centre, and bottom stiles done first, and then the two outer verticals to go over the paint from the stiles.

There will be lots of tips and demos on YouTube.

Water-based paint is easy to use and doesn't smell. Between doors or when taking a break, leave the roller in its tray, add the brush alongside, and lay a very damp cloth over it all - that should prevent it from drying out.

daveyjp

Eggshell wood paint gives a flat finish and currently my preferred choice. Dulux diamond white oil based doesn't yellow over time, older gloss paints did due to the amount of oil in them, that is no longer the case. Oil based will clean easily, but also doesn't get as dirty.

No problem using a roller, but use the correct one for gloss, you may want to brush over once painted to flatten it off slightly.

Whatever you choose preparation is key. An orbital sander with a selection of different sandpaper grits will be worth buying if the doors have been overpainted a number of times. If you can, remove the doors and do the prep outside.

If you are unsure about any of this detail go to a decorators trade centre and ask staff. They are generally knowledgable, provide good advice and will know the correct products for the job,

Albermarle

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/82124906#Comment_82124906

Trade paints from a decorating centre like Dulux, Crown or Johnstone’s are better than the paints you’ll get from DIY sheds. They may be cheaper but they are generally lower opacity and in the end you need more coats which costs the same or more and increases the work.

You can buy Dulux Crown etc trade paints from a normal DIY store, as well as decorating centres. However IMO normal Dulux, Crown paints ( ie not trade) should be good enough for this job, and they are quite a lot cheaper. A good alternative I found was Wickes brand trade paint - satin white - ( not the standard Wickes paint which is as you say a bit weak)

f you use a roller for doors (I would because it’s quick and gives a nice even coat) then lay it off with a good quality brush. Essentially you stroke the brush lightly over it after you put it on with the roller to even the finish out and remove any bubbles or orange peel effects from the roller.

One disadvantage of water based paint over oil based, is that you have to do any brushing quite quickly after application, or you get brush marks in the finish. This is of course because water based paint dries much quicker - especially of course the 'quick dry' versions . Normally it is OK, but if you go back in the room after say 10 mins and see a couple of drips and you try to brush them out, there is a good chance that when it dries properly you can see these brush marks. I think some paints claim to be less prone to this than others, but it does happen as it happened to me !