Paint

How to Paint Interior Doors

Painting interior doors is an inexpensive but easy way to update your home. I am going to show you how to paint interior doors (there is a video at the end of this post), and it is easier than you think!

I partnered with Ace Hardware and used this gorgeous pale pink to paint my daughter’s closet. It is Clark + Kensington Paint + Primer in One and is exclusive to Ace Hardware. I would suggest using the hi-gloss finish for closet doors, but they also offer semi-gloss, satin, eggshell, and flat finishes for all your various project needs!

I’ve selected my 6 favorite paint colors which are inspired by the colors I use in my home, and you can see them HERE.

Ace Hardware has over 5,000 stores around the world and everything you need to tackle that paint project. I love the small-store feel and personal shopping experience.

Their Paint Studio is a great resource to check out online, and they have a color visualizer where you can upload a photo of your room or project to see how the project will look!

This paint works well on everything from walls to furniture (see how I painted my buffet with the gorgeous Pine Grove here) to interior doors!

Here is a before of my daughter’s closet doors. The cream was boring and those vinyl dots were too much with the wallpaper.

Here’s the after – so much more calming (thanks to the paint color Pure Zen)!

I switched out the door knobs for some simple brass ones and it is amazing how little changes can make a big impact.

I love sophisticated look of her closet doors, and I have slowly been transforming all of our home’s interior doors with paint.

For the rest of our home, I went with a charcoal gray (similar to Clark + Kensington’s Cast Iron 38-4).

Supplies for Painting Interior Doors:

Tutorial for Painting Interior Doors:

For this tutorial, there is no need to remove the door(s) from the hinges.

How to Paint Interior Doors

  1. Prep for painting.

    Before you begin, test the current paint on the door to see if it is oil-based using a cotton ball and nail polish remover. If it comes off, it is water-based and you can continue! If it doesn’t come off, you have an oil-based paint on your doors which makes the paint job a little trickier (and messier).

    Wipe down the door to remove any grime/dirt. If there is loose paint, you will need to sand.

    Add a drop cloth or thin piece of board under the door to protect your floor or carpet.

  2. Protect/tape the door hardware.

    Tape off the hinges that are on the door to protect from paint. Add a strip of painter’s tape to the hinge and use an xacto knife to cut around the hinge.

    Tape off (or remove) the door knobs.

  3. Prime the door.


    When using darker paint, a tinted primer makes the job a little easier.

    Use a brush on any inset panels and hard to reach areas.

    Follow up with a paint roller for the rest of the door.

    Allow to completely dry before adding the optional second coat or moving on to paint.

  4. Paint the door.

    As you did with the primer, use a brush on any inset panels and hard to reach areas.

    Follow up with a paint roller for the rest of the door.

    Add two coats of paint and be sure paint is fully dry before adding second coat.

  5. Enjoy the newly painted door(s)!

    I love the interest our painted doors bring to our home. The can add fun pops of color to unexpected areas.

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Ace Hardware. All opinions are 100% mine.

Are you new to my blog? Go HERE to see my home tour and HERE to shop for items I use in our home.

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2 thoughts on “How to Paint Interior Doors

  1. Hi Sara, love your BLOG! I am a DIY newbie and would like to know the color you used for your Interior doors. Thanks