If there’s one thing in your house that can take a bit of a hammering (other than any wall that is at hand height for the average toddler), it’s door frames. Generally they’re painted with hard wearing paint, but once that paint is chipped or discoloured from years of sticky, dirty fingers, things can get pretty ugly. Which means refreshing the colour/paint job on your door frames can give a room an instant lift.
Here’s how we do it:
1. Buy the right paint
For door frames, you want an enamel based paint as these paints are hard wearing and most appropriate for high traffic areas. They also give a lovely, extra smooth finish which is what you want for door frames
2. Remove the door
This is not absolutely necessary … but it does make things a lot less finicky.
3. Prepare the door frames
Clean the door frame with sugar soap to remove any built up grime and dirt. Then lightly sand the door frame. For a door frame that has been previously painted, you shouldn’t need a primer coat … the previous coat will act as a primer. Lightly sanding the existing coat of paint will allow the new coat of paint to stick better. Just make sure you wipe the door frame down thoroughly after sanding. If the door frame has significant dings or holes in the paint, it’s worth filling them and then sanding smooth.
4. Mask up!
Use painter’s masking tape, mask the wall and floor/carpets. This allows for a nice smooth line of paint between the door frame and the wall/floor.
5. Paint
Don’t load up your brush with a heap of paint – only half the brush needs to be dipped in the paint. Then, starting from the top and working down, apply paint to the door frames using short light strokes as this gives the nicest, most even finish.
Wait for the frame to be completely dry before applying a second coat.
