Glass panel doors, just like solid wooden doors, are frequently sold “in the white”. This means that they are simply bare wood and will need priming and painting. Some glass panelled doors are sold “factory finished”, which means that they have been primed, but will still need painting.

All manner of doors might have decorative glazing so you might be wondering how to paint french doors with glass or how to paint an internal door with glass. Essentially the process is the same, the key lies in protecting the

Tools Needed

You will need:

• Paint brushes in various sizes (small for cutting in, bigger brushes for wooden panels)
• Masking tape
• Wire wool
• Sandpaper
• Cleaning cloth
• Knotting
• Primer
• Undercoat
• Topcoat
• Dust sheet

Time Required

The total time required will depend on the size of the door, the material it is made from and the number of coats the paint requires. Some doors will require a primer, undercoat and two topcoats. Allocate enough time for all coats to dry completely before you hang the door.

Step by Step Instructions: How To Paint A Door With Glass

These step by step instructions will explain how to paint a panel door with glass panel, assuming that the brand new door is currently “in the white” or “unfinished”. These instructions also cover how to paint a French door and how to paint a front door with glass panels.

1. Firstly, start by laying out a dust sheet and placing the door on it. The door should be as flat as possible. Avoid storing the door upright, keep it flat as much as possible to prevent warping.

2. Carefully inspect the door. If you see any knots or blemishes, fill them in now, before you paint the door. Otherwise, dust the door to make sure that it is clean, and then gently sand it with fine sandpaper to prepare it to accept the primer. After sanding it, use a vacuum cleaner to remove the dust, and then wipe the door clean with a damp cloth, then allow it to dry.

3. Cover the areas of glass near the wood with some masking tape, to protect them from accidental paint splashes. The most efficient way to cover the glass is to apply the tape so that it slightly overlaps the wood that you intend to paint. Run tape down the length of the glass pane, and secure it firmly. Next, take a craft knife and carefully cut the tape at the point where the wood meets the glass. Peel the tape off the wood, leaving the tape in place over the glass.

4. Carefully paint the door. When painting a door with glass panels, use a thin brush to “cut in” the thin parts of the panels near the glass, and use only a small amount of paint on the brush so that the paint does not run off onto the glass. Once you have finished the thin panels, move on to the larger areas of the door. Always follow the grain, and paint in consistent, firm strokes.

5. After painting the bigger panels, fill in the mouldings. Take care not to overload the mouldings. It is better to lightly load the brush with paint and top it up frequently than to use too much paint and have a brush that drips and runs.

6. After priming the door, allow the primer to dry, then repeat the above process, lightly sanding the primed wood, wiping it clean, and adding an undercoat. Once the undercoat has dried, repeat the same process again, painting glass doors with the topcoat. Note that you should use very fine sandpaper between each coat. The goal with the sandpaper is not to remove the paint, but rather to create a suitable surface for the next coat to adhere to.

7. When choosing paint for glass doors, be aware that some brands of topcoat require multiple applications. Check the instructions printed on the tin to find out how many coats your chosen glass door paint needs.

8. Once you have finished painting one side of the door, and the paint has dried, carefully turn the door over and paint the other side.

 

Some Final Tips On How To Paint A Glass Door

Now you know how to paint glass panel doors, here are a few final tips for doing a great job!

• Re-painting a door is similar to painting a new door, except that you will need to either strip all of the original paint (if you are using a different or lighter kind of paint for the new coat), or at the very least sand the existing paint smooth before covering it up.
• If you accidentally get paint on the glass panels when painting french doors, do not panic! If you notice the paint splash while it is still wet, simply wipe it off the glass using a cloth soaked in white spirit or paint thinner. If the paint has dried, carefully scrape it off the glass.
• Do not hang the door when it is unpainted. If you are re-painting a door that is already in place, remove it from the door frame and lay it flat while you are painting it. This not only makes it easier to reach the edges of the door, it also ensures a smoother and neater looking finish.
• If you are re-painting a door that has a different colour on each side, paint the edge with the latch on it the same colour as the side of the door that opens into the room, for a consistent finish. Paint the hinge side the colour that is on the opposite side of the door.
• Painting the top and bottom of the door is optional for internal doors. However it is good practice to paint the top and bottom of the door if that edge will be visible (for example, if the door stands under a stairwell, and the top edge will be visible to people on the stairs). In addition, you should paint all edges of external doors, because the primer and paint act as a protective barrier against damp.

Conclusion

Painting glass panel doors is a fairly simple task once you know how to protect the glass panels. As long as you work slowly and methodically and give each coat of primer or paint time to dry before moving on to the next stage you should encounter no problems when painting glass panelled doors. As with any DIY job, the secret to success is to take your time and be patient.

Internal door paint jobs should last for many years, assuming your home does not have a problem with humidity or damp. External doors will need re-painted every two or three years.

Photo Credits: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hillsdalehouse/ and http://www.flickr.com/photos/stained-glass-glasgow/