How to Refinish and Paint a Steel Door
Painting a steel door can often be tricky due to the smooth surface of the steel. If the proper steps are not taken, paint will not adhere to the door properly, leaving an unattractive finish when complete. You must first prepare the surface of the steel door before painting it so that the paint will properly adhere to the surface.
- Remove any hardware from the steel door such as door handles and locking mechanisms using a standard Phillips head or flat head screwdriver, depending on the type of screws that are used.
- Purchase a degreaser from your local home improvement store. You will need to use this product to wash down the surface of your steel door in order to remove any grease residue on the surface of the steel.
- Wash the surface of the steel door you are refinishing with the degreaser that you purchased. Follow the manufacturer’s directions for application and use of this product.
- Apply a thin coat of etching primer to the surface of the steel door that you are refinishing using a paint brush or small paint roller. The etching primer will give the surface of the door a texture so that the paint is able to adhere to the surface of the steel.
- Allow the etching primer to dry thoroughly before moving on to the next step. This will take between two and four hours depending on the temperature and humidity level where the door is located.
- Apply your choice of paint to the door once the primer is dry using a small roller, and then allow the first coat to dry for about an hour.
- Apply a second coat of paint to the door. This should cover the etching primer completely and leave a beautiful painted finish.
- Allow the paint to cure for about 4 hours before reinstalling the hardware that you previously removed from the door.