What do I use to paint over horrid, plain wood (hollow) doors that have some sort of satin varnish on them?

Question

I'm new to Canada and the various paints etc....there are more finishes here than in UK; I don't want the mess or smell of oil-based paint, as these are interior doors. Where do I start - what sort of primer, then top coat? I don't want a shiny, glossy finish.

Answer 1

First, make the doors not so "plain". Use some moulding and trim on the doors. Lightly sand the painted part before attaching the moulding. Then paint with a latex satin if you want a gloss. If you want no gloss, use a flat latex.

Answer 2

I would consult my local paint store. One that deals strictly with paint only as oppossed to something that sells all kinds of different things. The specialized store will be more knowledgeble. It depends on what kind of paint is allrready there (or stain) You may have to strip the old varnish off first for a better result. A primer is usually applied to something to keep other stains from bleeding thru(If you had a fire for instance, the black marks left will bleed thru most any paint if you don't "seal" the walls) or to keep something from needing so many coats(depends how porous the surface is)

Answer 3

Like girl 1 said, you can dress up hollow doors w/ trim by making the 4 boxes of paneled doors. The paint you don't want to use is the best, oil based exterior paint. Sand or strip the varnish thats there or it will peel. Another good paint is acrylic, like in spraycans, it dries quickly and will stick to most anything. Another option is just using some stain to dress it up. Painting over the doors you are describing w/out alot of prep always ends up looking tacky.

Answer 4

Not sure about the brands in Canada, but ask the paint specialist for a non-allergy style paint thats low sheen (there is still a sheen thats very low on the finish but easier to wipe over) I've found that any 'silk finnish' catches the fabric a little.