You’ve been looking for the right door for days. But you just can’t seem to find it in the right shade. No worries. If you’ve got an old door that fits, you can solve all your problems and stain the door yourself. Here’s a list of handy DIY tips to help you get the doors you want:
Choose the right stain
Get a piece out of the existing wood you want your new door to match. Take this to a paint center’s computer. No, you don’t have to break off a piece. Get a drawer out of the cabinet or unscrew a cabinet door to acquire the sample you need. If this isn’t possible, then get samples of available wood stains and bring them right home for a thorough comparison with your furniture set.
Test for lead
If the door is old, possibly something from the 1960s, take all the necessary safety precautions by checking for lead content. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development or HUD warns against the use of lead-based hazards in the home. It’s a toxic metal, one you really wouldn’t want to expose yourself and family to. So if you find out that old door has a lot of lead in it, make sure you carefully follow the manufacturer’s guide on chemical strippers on how to strip off the paint. That or you could find another door you can use.
Remove all the hardware from your door
Remove the hinges and knobs—as well as the jamb. It’s best if you stain the door while it’s lying flat. There are plenty of items you can use to keep it off the floor.
Strip off the old paint
DIY says that repainting brings new life to old-looking doors. But before you can repaint all over those shabby doors, you’ll have to remove the old paint. Otherwise, the new layer of paint won’t adhere to the wood all that well.
Clean up
Work in a clean space. Vacuum the room. You can also get rid of the dust by wiping down every available surface—including the door—with cloth. Dust can let in moisture to the wood and keep the paint from sticking to the wood.
And lastly, if staining the door seems too much work or you suddenly realize you’ve got no time to do it yourself, hire a pro to do custom stained doors for you. That should solve your problems right up.
Shop at Nick’s Building Supply, Inc. for a range of door solutions! Contact us for orders! You can also connect with them on Facebook for more updates!
