How To Prep Interior Doors For Painting And Sanding?

To properly sand and finish an untreated interior door, follow these steps:

1. Remove the pre-hung door and sand the door jamb and trim if necessary. Examine the door surround for any blemishes, defects, or stains. Sand both sides of the door using a fine grit sandpaper, either using a power sander or manually. Sand up and down along the grain of the wood.

2. Prepare the room by removing the door from its hinges and taking it outside to work on. Aggressive sanding can remove the veneer and expose the wood. Sand the door, clean it, and condition it.

3. Install a pre-hung interior door on a frame using Super Stackers and apply a clear coat to the other side and edge. After the first coat of clear has dried, sand the door with 220-grit sandpaper between coats.

4. Hang the doors first and stain them using a three-inch brush to aply both stain and sealer. Use a brush to spread oil or water-based primer on the door, let it dry, and then sand the door by hand with 220-grit sandpaper. Fill nail holes with stain-able filler with a tiny brush, then apply a final clear coat.

5. Lightly sand the door with 220-grit sandpaper between coats. Colored putty should be applied after the sanding sealer before the finish clear coat.