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30
final coat
By Jim Caruk
PAINTING
THE COMPLETE DOOR
Just because the tops and bottoms of doors are rarely seen,
you still need to paint them with extreme care
T
he difference between a professional painter
and a jack-of-all-trades is in details and
in the prep. It’s all about the care you take.
For example, how many painters, honestly,
take the time to always, without exception,
paint the tops and bottoms of all doors – interior and exterior?
I recently had this issue with a painter who did a job for
me about four years ago. My client had about 30 interior
doors, and they called me in to take a look at them. They
sheen had come off the paint. They looked flat, as if the
paint was just primer. It was a weird one. Repainting only
temporarily solved the problem. We couldn’t figure out
why this was happening. We even called the manufacturer
of the doors.
Eventually, we took one of the doors off of its hinges
and realized that my painter – as good as he was – had
not bothered to paint the top and bottoms. They were raw
wood. Nobody was looking at these surfaces, he might
have thought, who cares if they were left unpainted. But
wooden doors will absorb moisture if they aren’t sealed
on every surface. Most professional painters know this.
You probably know this. But in a rush, it can be tempting
to neglect this all-important detail.
The effects of that moisture absorption can lead to
warping, which is why so many door manufacturers won’t
warranty a door’s performance if the unit is not sealed
properly. But in some cases, the paint finish on the door
can degrade, too, as I found out.
The top and bottom (and, of course, edges) of wooden
doors need to be sealed with a primer coat and at least
two coats of paint, preferably oil (and preferably an oilbased
primer).
Now the next question you may have is, does this apply
to MDF doors as well, or only to solid wooden doors? It
probably is true that solid wooden doors are more likely
to absorb moisture and deform from unpainted edges
but, to get in the habit of purely professional painting at
all times, why would you have an A game and a B game?
Why not paint like a top professional at all times? Paint
all the surfaces of your doors, whether they show or not.
And that applies to the top of door trim! Painters will
leave the top of trim unpainted, too. I know, you wouldn’t
do this. But some of your fellow painters will do it. Not
the ones I want to work on my high-end work, and not
the ones you’d want to work on your own home. Professional
painting is all about the details and the prep. And
enjoying the feeling that comes from knowing you take
meticulous care in your work, all the time.
Jim Caruk, well-known TV and real life contractor,
is the founder of Build It Yourself Learning Centers
(www.biyworkshops.com).
Professional Painter • Winter 2011