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Learn to Paint French Doors

How To Paint French Doors

DIY Blogger Kate Riley of Centsational Girl tells Glidden® how to easily add a pop of color to your room by painting your French doors.

I committed to adding more color to my life in 2013, and I started by painting the French doors that lead to our living room space. Painting a glass paned door isn’t as difficult as you might think; you can add a fresh dose of color to your home with just a few hours of work.
Learn to Paint French Doors
Blue is my favorite color and you’ll find some shade of it in just about every room in our home. I chose to work with Glidden’s Azalea Leaf—a lovely shade of blue that brought just the right punch of color to our entryway and living room space.

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Glidden Azalea Leaf in dining room

Blue

Blue is my favorite color and you’ll find some shade of it in just about every room in our home. I chose to work with Glidden’s Azalea Leaf—a lovely shade of blue that brought just the right punch of color to our entryway and living room space.

See All Glidden Products
Visualize these colors

Painting divided light French doors isn’t difficult, you can even paint them in place.

Before starting, gather these supplies:
  • a tarp
  • a foam roller
  • deglosser
  • an angled paintbrush
  • a utility knife or box cutter
  • a razor blade scraper
  • a painter’s tray
  • painter’s tape
  • rubber gloves
  • a screwdriver or drill
See More Helpful How-To Articles

Painting supplies

Painting divided light French doors isn’t difficult, you can even paint them in place.

Before starting, gather these supplies:
  • a tarp
  • a foam roller
  • deglosser
  • an angled paintbrush
  • a utility knife or box cutter
  • a razor blade scraper
  • a painter’s tray
  • painter’s tape
  • rubber gloves
  • a screwdriver or drill
See More Helpful How-To Articles

1. If your door is painted with oil-based paint and you’re painting over it with latex, you’ll have to sand* and prime first. If the underlying paint is already latex, deglossing will help your new paint adhere to the layer underneath. Apply it with a cotton rag or old towel, following the instructions on the product’s label.


2. Next, tape off any doorknobs, hinges, or hardware with painter’s tape or remove them.
 
Note: Here’s an easy test to find out if the existing paint is oil-based or latex: rub an inconspicuous spot with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. If the color comes off, it’s latex.

3. Once your deglosser has done its job, use a foam roller to apply your chosen shade of paint for quick coverage, then a high-quality angled brush to cover all the angles of the door’s interior. Paint one side of the door at a time and watch for drips. I always do two coats, but if you’re going with a dark color, you may need three. Allow door to dry for a full day.

As always, safety first!  Please refer to the Product Label, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for safety and detailed application instructions.

Find Your Favorite Paint Colors

*WARNING! If you scrape, sand, or remove old paint, you may release lead dust. LEAD IS TOXIC. EXPOSURE TO LEAD DUST CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS, SUCH AS BRAIN DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN. PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD ALSO AVOID EXPOSURE. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator to control lead exposure. Clean up carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, find out how to protect yourself and your family by contacting the National Lead Information Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or log on to www.epa.gov/lead.

 

Painter's tape on door

Instructions

1. If your door is painted with oil-based paint and you’re painting over it with latex, you’ll have to sand* and prime first. If the underlying paint is already latex, deglossing will help your new paint adhere to the layer underneath. Apply it with a cotton rag or old towel, following the instructions on the product’s label.


2. Next, tape off any doorknobs, hinges, or hardware with painter’s tape or remove them.
 
Note: Here’s an easy test to find out if the existing paint is oil-based or latex: rub an inconspicuous spot with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. If the color comes off, it’s latex.

3. Once your deglosser has done its job, use a foam roller to apply your chosen shade of paint for quick coverage, then a high-quality angled brush to cover all the angles of the door’s interior. Paint one side of the door at a time and watch for drips. I always do two coats, but if you’re going with a dark color, you may need three. Allow door to dry for a full day.

As always, safety first!  Please refer to the Product Label, Technical Data Sheet (TDS) or Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for safety and detailed application instructions.

Find Your Favorite Paint Colors

*WARNING! If you scrape, sand, or remove old paint, you may release lead dust. LEAD IS TOXIC. EXPOSURE TO LEAD DUST CAN CAUSE SERIOUS ILLNESS, SUCH AS BRAIN DAMAGE, ESPECIALLY IN CHILDREN. PREGNANT WOMEN SHOULD ALSO AVOID EXPOSURE. Wear a NIOSH-approved respirator to control lead exposure. Clean up carefully with a HEPA vacuum and a wet mop. Before you start, find out how to protect yourself and your family by contacting the National Lead Information Hotline at 1-800-424-LEAD or log on to www.epa.gov/lead.