I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

On Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:19:01 -0800, Matt "No Email" scribbled this
interesting note:

I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

You want a smooth finish? Follow these instructions...

First, throw away that acrylic paint. Second, clean off all the paint
you've already put on the door. Now, go find some very good oil based
enamel and some very good oil based primer.

Sand the door. Clean the door. Prime the door. Repeat two more times.

Sand the door. Clean the door. Paint the door with the enamel. Repeat
at least one more time.

At the end of this process you will have a very smooth finish. Use
either a very good paint brush made for use with oil based paints, or
learn to use a sprayer. HVLP sprayers work great in this kind of
application, but a paint brush can give almost the same finish if you
are careful and thin the paint a very small amount.

Good luck. You won't get a smooth finish with acrylic paint.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Fill the wood surface if necessary
Brush, not roller
Thin the paint a bit
Do not rework the paint - lay it on, brush it out, move on
Several thin coats
Sand between coats

R

If you want a real smooth finish latex is never it. For the best get Ben
Moore primer Enamel Underbody a sandable primer, 2 coats maybe then sand
primer with 220-320, use Ben Moore Satin Impervo oil finish, add
Penetrol to make it flow, it can look like its sprayed, but it takes
practice. latex cures to fast to allow no brush marks.

Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

the advice here is incredible no?

sand door 4 times, 4 coats of primer?
that sounds a little obsessed, but I bet it would make for a glass
finish
or very close

you may decide to use the acrylic...
i mean, you already got the paint right?

try not to dip brush more than half into the paint

use long strokes, don't chop at the door with the brush
no matter how you look at it, you're moving a quart of
paint with a brush

have a brush technic, don't hold the brush like a child
holds a spoon, but in your fingers like holding a book
stand away from the door, extend your arm...
stretch out some you will get cleaner lines
and smoother finish...pull straight with your body
not just your arm...like firing a rifle...stay relaxed
but focused in the hand see...anticipate where
the brush is headed

don't go back over acrylic after 1:30 seconds, it will pull
let it dry then go back over

one good hog bristle artist brush is very handy
for getting around hardware, or a small craft brush
can do, just that you can load a little more paint
into a soft hog bristle brush (and they are like a dollar each)

3 thin coats is better than 1 gloppy heavy

make your own primer by dilluting
your door paint with it's proper base
(in a seperate container)

acrylic is waterbased...so...
make a little primer...it just needs to be thin
in order to penetrate...the grain

Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

The little 4" foam rollers work pretty well and
give an even surface, but it isn't really smooth.
I don't think you can get a really smooth
surface with latex without spraying it.

For what it's worth I found I can get good results using a paint or water
based poly pad and moving the material the entire length of the doorin one
stroke. Takes som getting used to but results are passable and the job goes
quickly.
Good luck!! Happy New Year to all of you.
rank
"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

The little 4" foam rollers work pretty well and give an even surface, but
it isn't really smooth. I don't think you can get a really smooth surface
with latex without spraying it.

John Willis and m Ransley,
Where did you learn the technique to use multiple coats of primer?
Primer's function is as a sealer and bonding coat. It is purposefully
thinner to soak in rather than sit on the surface. It seems to me that
once the surface is sealed there isn't much reason to seal it again.
At that point you want to start filling voids and adding durability and
color - in other words, the top coats.

To the OP:
I just noticed that you didn't specify what finish your paint is. I
trust it is semi-gloss or gloss. Those finishes will give you a
smoother finish than something more matte. I also neglected to mention
that removing the door from the hinges and laying it on some sawhorses
so you can paint it flat will allow the paint to lay down better so
there are no brush marks. Just watch out for the drips over the edges
and clean them up before they set up.

Contrary to popular opinion, sanding acrylic paint works. Latex paint
is softer and doesn't sand well. Sometimes the two get confused. You
will have to make sure that the paint is totally dry before attempting
to sand. You're not relying on the sanding to smooth out the surface
so much as knock down the nibs and high spots a bit in preparation for
the next coat. The final coat does not get sanded, so you need a dust
and draft free space to work in.

R

One rule I always start with is to take the door down and put it on saw
horses. This makes the prep work easier, and when painting, stops any runs
or drips as the paint lays flat. This is on top of all the other
suggestions. I agree, if available, oil base paints rule for this job.

"John Willis" wrote in message
...
On Mon, 02 Jan 2006 15:19:01 -0800, Matt "No Email" scribbled this
interesting note:

I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

You want a smooth finish? Follow these instructions...

First, throw away that acrylic paint. Second, clean off all the paint
you've already put on the door. Now, go find some very good oil based
enamel and some very good oil based primer.

Sand the door. Clean the door. Prime the door. Repeat two more times.

Sand the door. Clean the door. Paint the door with the enamel. Repeat
at least one more time.

At the end of this process you will have a very smooth finish. Use
either a very good paint brush made for use with oil based paints, or
learn to use a sprayer. HVLP sprayers work great in this kind of
application, but a paint brush can give almost the same finish if you
are careful and thin the paint a very small amount.

Good luck. You won't get a smooth finish with acrylic paint.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

Primer needs to be sanded to remove woods raised grain and
imperfections, there is only one brushed on primer I know of designed to
be sandable as it has a soft enough cure Benjamin Moore Enamel Underbody
it is advertised for sanding on the can. With 1 coat a pro may do it, or
he may cut an edge. There are only 2 paints I know of that you can paint
glass and have no brushmarks, and Ive tried every oil made, Ben moore
Impervo and P&L Effecto lines, These are top lines around forever , a
gallon of primer, paint, and quart of Penetrol retail I guess for 70$,
But for quality in the best of homes these are the Standard. Penetrol
an oil type thinner actualy allows better flow out for a brushless
finish. I have done high gloss brush that look sprayed and you could see
yourself in the reflection. Once finish coat is on , thats it for apx
1-2 months, sanding earlier only rips up the paint, oils take a year to
fully cure. These days few painters even are aware of what real quality
is. Latex is for apartments and walls.

As others have said, oil based enamels will give better smooth
finishes. You might consider trying a black foam roller cover.
These will imitate good spray work when used properly. One of the
better brands is Whizz. Another trick is to add Floetrol or other
conditioner to the latex paint to aid in flowing out brush marks.

(top posted for your convenience)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Keep the whole world singing . . . .
DanG (remove the sevens)




"Matt" "No Email" wrote in message
...
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

RicodJour wrote:

and draft free space to work in.

you're trying to knock the man out
every paint can says, use only in well ventilated areas

i think you have painted one too many "draft-free projects i'll tell
you that much

Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

Now that everyones beat you with the highbrow techniques, this is what
your looking for being your a Lowes kind of guy (which is most of us).

Take the door off and lay it flat. Sand the door and roll on some
primer on the long surfaces. Then brush the long sufaces with a dampend
high quality brush. A dry brush will grab the paint. Then roll on a
coat of acryilc paint followed by brushing as well. Wait a day and
apply a second coat like the first one. No, it won't look like the oil
based finish but it will make for a nice interior door.

One trick I've used is adding a extender to the paint. ModernMasters
makes an extender for acrylic paints for faux finishing to prolong the
drying time. It works awesome. I used it on gloss painted crown
moulding with top notch results.

--
Bill

John Willis wrote:

Good luck. You won't get a smooth finish with acrylic paint.

Amen. It always irritates me that they even call it paint.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

RicodJour wrote:
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Fill the wood surface if necessary
Brush, not roller
Thin the paint a bit
Do not rework the paint - lay it on, brush it out, move on
Several thin coats
Sand between coats

You're a regular whose advice and expertise I respect so I am being
neither facetious nor rhetorical whan I ask, how do you sand it? I've
never encountered a latex finishing paint (other than flat) that would
react to sandpaper in some manner other than gumming it up.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

On 2 Jan 2006 17:36:01 -0800, "RicodJour"
scribbled this interesting note:

John Willis and m Ransley,
Where did you learn the technique to use multiple coats of primer?
Primer's function is as a sealer and bonding coat. It is purposefully
thinner to soak in rather than sit on the surface. It seems to me that
once the surface is sealed there isn't much reason to seal it again.
At that point you want to start filling voids and adding durability and
color - in other words, the top coats.

Why use multiple coats of primer? To fill imperfections in the
surface. Primer is easier to sand and dries fast, thus multiple coats
are easy to put on, sand, and clean up.

One coat of primer will seal the surface, more or less. Multiple
coats, with light sanding and good cleaning between coats, will
provide a very smooth surface and give higher quality results in the
final finish.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

dadiOH wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Fill the wood surface if necessary
Brush, not roller
Thin the paint a bit
Do not rework the paint - lay it on, brush it out, move on
Several thin coats
Sand between coats

You're a regular whose advice and expertise I respect so I am being
neither facetious nor rhetorical whan I ask, how do you sand it? I've
never encountered a latex finishing paint (other than flat) that would
react to sandpaper in some manner other than gumming it up.

I think it's all the granola in my diet that keeps me regular.

The OP should certainly be using a semigloss or gloss paint if he's
painting a door and that sands just fine. If you're trying to sand it
before it's dried and hardened sufficiently, it's more problematic.
Once the brush strokes are there everyone wants to hide the dead bodies
as soon as possible, but you have to wait until it's dry before you can
proceed with any correction. It also might be a problem with the
sandpaper you're using. Garnet paper is meant for sanding bare wood
and will clog very quickly. Sandpaper that is stearate treated works
much better. With any sandpaper, wiping the surface with a damp cloth
or tack cloth after sanding is a must or you'll get a furry surface,
and then it's back to square one.

There may be some misinterpretation of what is meant by sanding. The
sanding is meant to knock down any nibs and smooth the highpoints of
any brush strokes. It is not meant to sand until the surface is dead
smooth. That's the function of the primer and paint (and possibly
filler if necessary) being built up in several coats and why it is
slightly thinned so it will lay down better and not leave brush strokes
in the first place.

Here is a link that gives a pretty good overview of where we are with
the different choices in paint.
http://www.hometips.com/cs-protected/guides/paint.html
And this one from Sherwin Williams specifically addresses how to
achieve a smooth finish:
http://www.sherwin-williams.com/pro/..._7807_4170.jsp

R

John Willis wrote:

Why use multiple coats of primer? To fill imperfections in the
surface. Primer is easier to sand and dries fast, thus multiple coats
are easy to put on, sand, and clean up.

One coat of primer will seal the surface, more or less. Multiple
coats, with light sanding and good cleaning between coats, will
provide a very smooth surface and give higher quality results in the
final finish.

The primer is the bonding/sealing coat, or in your case, coats. The
finish paint is the wear and cosmetic coats. As long as there is an
equal amount of finish paint applied, I see no harm in applying more
primer coats. It just seems like it would take more time as you can't
skip the finish coats.

Primer is cheaper than finish paint, and for a good reason. It has
little of the more expensive ingredients that give finish paint its
durability and hiding power (resins and tints).

Sometimes someone will tell me about their miraculous way of tinting a
primer so they can get by with only one coat of finish paint on the
walls. Ain't happening. I want the longevity of at least two finish
coats and that's what I'm willing to pay for.

R

RicodJour wrote:
dadiOH wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Fill the wood surface if necessary
Brush, not roller
Thin the paint a bit
Do not rework the paint - lay it on, brush it out, move on
Several thin coats
Sand between coats

You're a regular whose advice and expertise I respect so I am being
neither facetious nor rhetorical whan I ask, how do you sand it?
I've never encountered a latex finishing paint (other than flat)
that would react to sandpaper in some manner other than gumming it
up.

I think it's all the granola in my diet that keeps me regular.

I prefer to use popcorn
______________

It also might be a
problem with the sandpaper you're using.

Aluminum oxide preferred but he only thing that provided semi-useful
results with latex was wet sanding with silicon carbide.
_______________

There may be some misinterpretation of what is meant by sanding. The
sanding is meant to knock down any nibs and smooth the highpoints of
any brush strokes.

That *might* be it. To me, "sanding" means abrading until the entire
surface becomes uniform; i.e., sand down to the lowest low (within
reason and without cutting through) then apply the next coat.

There was a possible clue to the solution in another post of yours in
this thread; namely, the word "acrylic". My experience with latex
paint and sanding has been so bad over the years that I avoid that type
of paint except for areas such as walls. I really don't know if that
experience includes 100% acrylic latexes or not. I'm going to buy a
small can and see.

Thanks for the response and links.

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

dadiOH wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
dadiOH wrote:
RicodJour wrote:
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Fill the wood surface if necessary
Brush, not roller
Thin the paint a bit
Do not rework the paint - lay it on, brush it out, move on
Several thin coats
Sand between coats

You're a regular whose advice and expertise I respect so I am being
neither facetious nor rhetorical whan I ask, how do you sand it?
I've never encountered a latex finishing paint (other than flat)
that would react to sandpaper in some manner other than gumming it
up.

I think it's all the granola in my diet that keeps me regular.

I prefer to use popcorn

I see no reason to discriminate when it comes to roughage.

It also might be a
problem with the sandpaper you're using.

Aluminum oxide preferred but he only thing that provided semi-useful
results with latex was wet sanding with silicon carbide.

You want to use the whitish sandpaper - that's the stearate coating
which is essentially a lubricant and keeps the paper from clogging.

There may be some misinterpretation of what is meant by sanding. The
sanding is meant to knock down any nibs and smooth the highpoints of
any brush strokes.

That *might* be it. To me, "sanding" means abrading until the entire
surface becomes uniform; i.e., sand down to the lowest low (within
reason and without cutting through) then apply the next coat.

There was a possible clue to the solution in another post of yours in
this thread; namely, the word "acrylic". My experience with latex
paint and sanding has been so bad over the years that I avoid that type
of paint except for areas such as walls. I really don't know if that
experience includes 100% acrylic latexes or not. I'm going to buy a
small can and see.

Thanks for the response and links.

No problemo, dadiOH.

Latex paints come in a lot of flavors, and the cheap ones aren't worth
dipping a brush in, much less your time. But latex has come a _long_
way in the past decade or two, and I expect it will continue.

Check out Fine Paints of Europe's web site if you want to see some
truly high end paints. They have some waterborne finishes that are
killer. Prepare for sticker shock.

R

On 3 Jan 2006 20:10:50 -0800, "RicodJour"
scribbled this interesting note:

John Willis wrote:

Why use multiple coats of primer? To fill imperfections in the
surface. Primer is easier to sand and dries fast, thus multiple coats
are easy to put on, sand, and clean up.

One coat of primer will seal the surface, more or less. Multiple
coats, with light sanding and good cleaning between coats, will
provide a very smooth surface and give higher quality results in the
final finish.

The primer is the bonding/sealing coat, or in your case, coats. The
finish paint is the wear and cosmetic coats. As long as there is an
equal amount of finish paint applied, I see no harm in applying more
primer coats. It just seems like it would take more time as you can't
skip the finish coats.

It does take more time. The results, in my opinion, are worth it.


Sometimes someone will tell me about their miraculous way of tinting a
primer so they can get by with only one coat of finish paint on the
walls. Ain't happening. I want the longevity of at least two finish
coats and that's what I'm willing to pay for.

In my original reply to the original poster, I suggested, for a nice,
smooth finish, three coats of primer, with sanding and cleaning in
between, and two finish coats, with suitable sanding and cleaning in
between. This process fills imperfections in the surface with the
primer and give good coverage with two finish coats. Of course, more
may be applied if one desires...

Of course, all this is with oil based primers and enamels. With the
current crop of latex paints commonly available in the U.S., it is my
opinion that on interior work, latex only belongs on the walls, not
the woodwork.


--
John Willis

(Remove the Primes before e-mailing me)

John Willis wrote:

In my original reply to the original poster, I suggested, for a nice,
smooth finish, three coats of primer, with sanding and cleaning in
between, and two finish coats, with suitable sanding and cleaning in
between. This process fills imperfections in the surface with the
primer and give good coverage with two finish coats. Of course, more
may be applied if one desires...

I'm sure you get good results, John, but it just seems to me that
you're using a product to do something it wasn't designed to do.
Primer has very little body and build up. Essentially you're using
something closer to water than paint to fill imperfections. If the
surface needs to be filled, use a filler and sand it prior to priming.
Otherwise finish paint has far better filling capabilities than primer.

I'd imagine that part of the reason you do what you do is the longer
drying time of oil paint. The oil primer would dry more quickly than
oil finish paint, so in that respect you save some time. Still a lot
longer time in between coats than with latex, but to each his own.

R

RicodJour wrote:
John Willis wrote:

In my original reply to the original poster, I suggested, for a nice,
smooth finish, three coats of primer, with sanding and cleaning in
between, and two finish coats, with suitable sanding and cleaning in
between. This process fills imperfections in the surface with the
primer and give good coverage with two finish coats. Of course, more
may be applied if one desires...

I'm sure you get good results, John, but it just seems to me that
you're using a product to do something it wasn't designed to do.
Primer has very little body and build up.

Which is why we need some decent "sanding surfacer" paints. Such are
common in autobody paints and relatively common in marine paints.

Best I ever found was an InterLux paint that had been formulated
especially for surfacing woods such as luan. Very heavy bodied, dried
fast and sanded like a dream...you could make a baby's ass out of
anything. Unfortunately it was very expensive. Even more
unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available any more.


--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
....a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

dadiOH wrote:

Which is why we need some decent "sanding surfacer" paints. Such are
common in autobody paints and relatively common in marine paints.

Best I ever found was an InterLux paint that had been formulated
especially for surfacing woods such as luan. Very heavy bodied, dried
fast and sanded like a dream...you could make a baby's ass out of
anything. Unfortunately it was very expensive. Even more
unfortunately, it doesn't seem to be available any more.

I think you're talking about Interlux's Pre-Kote. Great stuff. In
general, any marine product is going to be far superior to residential
paints.
http://www.boatersland.com/prekote.html
Pre-Kote has microspheres (I know them as microballons, but same thing)
which are a staple of the fiberglass industry. As you said, the stuff
is pricey, but if you value your time above $20/hour, it makes sense.

The paint is out there.

R

Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

I would like to thank all of you for your responses. They
have greatly helped me out. Just to clarify things. The
paint is Semi-gloss and the door is one of those door slabs
that have holes cut out and hinges already attached to it.
The door comes primed out of the box.

Thanks for your time and responses, sorry I didn't respond
sooner.

Matt

Matt wrote:
Matt wrote:
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

I would like to thank all of you for your responses. They
have greatly helped me out. Just to clarify things. The
paint is Semi-gloss and the door is one of those door slabs
that have holes cut out and hinges already attached to it.
The door comes primed out of the box.

Thanks for your time and responses, sorry I didn't respond
sooner.

Matt who...? Oh right! The OP.

In future, give more information rather than less as far as materials,
intentions, budget, etc. It'll help others to determine what's best in
their experience and opinion without guessing.

As far as paint, it's one of those things that, in general, the more it
costs and the more the can weighs, the better the paint. That doesn't
mean go to the most expensive store, but the higher priced paint at
Lowe's is going to be better than the lower priced within a given
brand. Lowe's doesn't manufacture paint, they just rebrand the can so
the manufacturer is not competing with themselves and Lowe's can
provide a lower price without affecting the manufacturer's pricing.
The weight has to do with the cost of the ingredients - pigments and
resins weigh more than the solvent (water, oil) and are what give paint
it's durability and hiding power.

Let us know how the door turns out.

R

RicodJour wrote:

Let us know how the door turns out.

R

why are you lecturing him

he said acrylic paint
on interior door

i'd bet my last chickenwing he had a wooden door

we got wooden door
gallon of paint
soft brush AND an eager beaver

keep it simple...

you know why people respond to my post

because I speak the language people speak
i know deep down, dey all a bunch of tight asses
they wanna know it's fine, AND they wanna post something on the big
usenet

NOBODY POLISHES A DAMN INTERIOR DOOR WITH 4 COATS OF PRIMER AND 4
SESSIONS OF SANDING...NOBODY

he said interior door ggeeezzz

i want you to look at yourself, have a look will ya!

"Matt" "No Email" wrote in message
...
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

You've been given a tremendous amount of good advice here, some of it
perhaps more involved than it needs to be but you will still get the desired
results.

I'd like to point out that 100% acrylic paint is much more tricky to use
properly than 100% vinyl paint. Vinyl and mixtures of vinyl and acrylic
paint are what many people refer to as "latex" paint. The word latex really
refers to a water suspension. The polymer being suspended may be different.
Acrylic paint can more easily be overbrushed than vinyl or vinyl-acrylic
paint. That means don't fiddle with it. If you are really having problems,
you might try adding a retarder like Floetrol but that will also thin the
paint. The beauty of acrylic paint is that you "flow" it on, not brush it
like an elementary school child. Don't "overwork" the brush. The paint has
levelers in it so after it is applied, it will level to an even surface
before it dries.

As far a primer is concerned, one of the best is BIN made by Zinsser.
BIN is a several pound cut of white pigmented shellac. The nice thing about
it is that in addition to its priming and stain blocking abilities, it
completely dries in about two hours enabling you to recoat or paint very
quickly. The main reason to prime in your case, after filling any nail
holes, dents, and dings and doing some finish sanding, is to provide a white
"canvas" for your paint. I have used two coats of BIN for this very reason
on some painted furniture and some sheetrock walls which had wallpaper
stripped from it. After both primer coats, I lightly sand with a fine grade
paper. Since it is shellac, it sands beautifully and it takes only 4-5
hours for both coats. Surface prep is very important for a smooth finish.

As for what type of brush, I find that synthetic brushes are best for
water based finishes and natural hair brushes are best for solvent based
finishes. A really good synthetic brush is the Chinex Takalon type. If the
surface area of the door is too much for you to handle with a brush given
your level of experience, you could try a short-nap roller, 1/4 - 1/2 inch.
It won't leave a glass smooth finish but I bet it will be very close.

With the right paint, one coat should do it. If you like, you can
gently sand and apply a second coat but keep in mind that acrylic paint
requires two weeks to fully cure hard enough to sand.

People are right when they tell you that it is easier to get a smooth
finish with oil (solvent) based paints. Oil paints do not dry as quickly as
water based paints. Once you understand how to adjust your painting
techniques for water based, especially acrylics, you would be surprised at
how smooth the finish will be.

Good Luck.

"Baron" wrote in message
news:ca246$43bdc6da$cf672f5f$31974@allthenewsgroup s.com...
"Matt" "No Email" wrote in message
...
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

You've been given a tremendous amount of good advice here, some of it
perhaps more involved than it needs to be but you will still get the
desired
results.

I'd like to point out that 100% acrylic paint is much more tricky to
use
properly than 100% vinyl paint. Vinyl and mixtures of vinyl and acrylic
paint are what many people refer to as "latex" paint. The word latex
really
refers to a water suspension. The polymer being suspended may be
different.
Acrylic paint can more easily be overbrushed than vinyl or
vinyl-acrylic
paint. That means don't fiddle with it. If you are really having
problems,
you might try adding a retarder like Floetrol but that will also thin the
paint. The beauty of acrylic paint is that you "flow" it on, not brush it
like an elementary school child. Don't "overwork" the brush. The paint
has
levelers in it so after it is applied, it will level to an even surface
before it dries.

As far a primer is concerned, one of the best is BIN made by Zinsser.
BIN is a several pound cut of white pigmented shellac. The nice thing
about
it is that in addition to its priming and stain blocking abilities, it
completely dries in about two hours enabling you to recoat or paint very
quickly. The main reason to prime in your case, after filling any nail
holes, dents, and dings and doing some finish sanding, is to provide a
white
"canvas" for your paint. I have used two coats of BIN for this very
reason
on some painted furniture and some sheetrock walls which had wallpaper
stripped from it. After both primer coats, I lightly sand with a fine
grade
paper. Since it is shellac, it sands beautifully and it takes only 4-5
hours for both coats. Surface prep is very important for a smooth finish.

As for what type of brush, I find that synthetic brushes are best for
water based finishes and natural hair brushes are best for solvent based
finishes. A really good synthetic brush is the Chinex Takalon type. If
the
surface area of the door is too much for you to handle with a brush given
your level of experience, you could try a short-nap roller, 1/4 - 1/2
inch.
It won't leave a glass smooth finish but I bet it will be very close.

i've found that small foam rollers (1" diameter, 4" long, or so) give a
pretty smooth finish.

With the right paint, one coat should do it. If you like, you can
gently sand and apply a second coat but keep in mind that acrylic paint
requires two weeks to fully cure hard enough to sand.

People are right when they tell you that it is easier to get a smooth
finish with oil (solvent) based paints. Oil paints do not dry as quickly
as
water based paints. Once you understand how to adjust your painting
techniques for water based, especially acrylics, you would be surprised at
how smooth the finish will be.

Good Luck.

"Charles Spitzer"
i've found that small foam rollers (1" diameter, 4" long, or so) give a
pretty smooth finish.

yeah, looks especially good when driving by the house at 35mph

"damn baby, d'jew see that front door?"
"yeeeesssss! it was very smooth"
woo haha

just kidding..
you can do alot with a small roller

Baron wrote:
"Matt" "No Email" wrote in message
...
I have a new interior door and I have some new acrylic paint
from Lowe's. Whats the best way to paint it so that there is
a smooth finish?

I bought a fine brush, but I don't have the technique down
so that I can lay the paint smoothly. I also used a roller
that paints it evenly but doesn't leave a very smooth surface.

Thanks for your help and time,
Matt

You've been given a tremendous amount of good advice here, some of it
perhaps more involved than it needs to be but you will still get the desired
results.

I'd like to point out that 100% acrylic paint is much more tricky to use
properly than 100% vinyl paint. Vinyl and mixtures of vinyl and acrylic
paint are what many people refer to as "latex" paint. The word latex really
refers to a water suspension. The polymer being suspended may be different.
Acrylic paint can more easily be overbrushed than vinyl or vinyl-acrylic
paint. That means don't fiddle with it. If you are really having problems,
you might try adding a retarder like Floetrol but that will also thin the
paint. The beauty of acrylic paint is that you "flow" it on, not brush it
like an elementary school child. Don't "overwork" the brush. The paint has
levelers in it so after it is applied, it will level to an even surface
before it dries.

As far a primer is concerned, one of the best is BIN made by Zinsser.
BIN is a several pound cut of white pigmented shellac. The nice thing about
it is that in addition to its priming and stain blocking abilities, it
completely dries in about two hours enabling you to recoat or paint very
quickly. The main reason to prime in your case, after filling any nail
holes, dents, and dings and doing some finish sanding, is to provide a white
"canvas" for your paint. I have used two coats of BIN for this very reason
on some painted furniture and some sheetrock walls which had wallpaper
stripped from it. After both primer coats, I lightly sand with a fine grade
paper. Since it is shellac, it sands beautifully and it takes only 4-5
hours for both coats. Surface prep is very important for a smooth finish.

As for what type of brush, I find that synthetic brushes are best for
water based finishes and natural hair brushes are best for solvent based
finishes. A really good synthetic brush is the Chinex Takalon type. If the
surface area of the door is too much for you to handle with a brush given
your level of experience, you could try a short-nap roller, 1/4 - 1/2 inch.
It won't leave a glass smooth finish but I bet it will be very close.

With the right paint, one coat should do it. If you like, you can
gently sand and apply a second coat but keep in mind that acrylic paint
requires two weeks to fully cure hard enough to sand.

People are right when they tell you that it is easier to get a smooth
finish with oil (solvent) based paints. Oil paints do not dry as quickly as
water based paints. Once you understand how to adjust your painting
techniques for water based, especially acrylics, you would be surprised at
how smooth the finish will be.

Good Luck.



Thanks for the excellent tips.

Matt