Any ideas on how to fix an exterior door paint problem?

Question

We are re-doing our exterior doors and sanded them over the weekend. The problem is that it started pouring down rain in the middle of the night and now they are all wet. Is there any way to save the doors or are we going to have to replace them?

The doors aren't warped but you can tell that they soaked up some rain.

Answer 1

I assume these are wooden doors? The rain should not harm the doors. You may have to fine sand them again to close the wood grain if it has opened. They will just have to dry out before you can work on them. If you have not already done so, and you expect more rain you may want to cover them with plastic bags, tarps, plastic or something. When you expect a few days of dry weather, take the plastic off and allow them to air dry for a few days. Start with a good stain blocker (paint), like Zinzer brand. This serves as a primer and also covers up anything that may come through the paint onto the surfice once complete. Pine doors have a bad habit of allowing sap or the knot holes to come through the paint. Let this dry and sand it down with a fine grit sand paper or 0000 steel wool just to rough the surfice. This allows something for the final coat to adhere too. Also, I like useing rollers and paintbrushes on exterior doors, not spray cans. Use your paint brush to get into the cracks and small places, once done, go over it all neatly with a rough texture paint roller. I think rough looking doors ad character to some homes. Accept the fact that doors take a lot of abuse and well maintenance is constant. Wood doors especially. Next time instead of sanding the doors, use a paint stripper. Home Depot or Lowes have great guys in the paint department that can give you brochures or good advice on this sort of thing. Look for the old guys, these are guys that have worked in paint, repairs or home constructions for years and semi-retire to hardware stores. I find they are a wealth of experience.

Answer 2

lots of good advice. I have been a contractor for 33 years and if these were my doors , this is what I would do. First get a moisture meter from the hardware store. If the moisture content is about 15 percent don't paint them. wait until the moisture level is below 15 percent. I would use a high quality exterior oil primer. I would also brush it on. surface prep should include a light sanding and wipe down the doors with a tack cloth. if there is mildew you must remove it first. Use a bleach solution. Start with 1 part bleach and 3 parts water. in crease the mixture to 50/50 if needed, rinse and let dry. Prime. caulk and fill holes as needed. Sand, tack cloth, re prime, if these doors are wood be sure to prime the top and the bottom along with the sides and edges. Follow up with 2 coats of a premium acrylic gloss paint. Never paint in the direct sunlight. The best time to paint a door is either early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Good luck.

Answer 3

I actually hate to answer questions that have so many answers already, but, I don't see a great answer here yet so I am going to give you one. You should place a fan on the door, I would not concern myself with anything other than drying the wood to start. If you have a hair dryer, you might want to use it on the lower part of the door where it will be the wettest.

Are you going to paint or stain the door. If you are going to paint it, purchase a water based (latex) sandable primer. Any small amount of moisture in the door will be drawn into the primer as it dries and become a part of the primer. It is made from water. Keep the fan on the door until the primer has dried completely. Sand it lightly and apply 2 coats of your finish color paint.

If you are going to stain the door you will need to dry it completely with the fan and hairdryer.

To allow the door to dry on its own is not going to work if there is high humidity in the air. You must put a fan on it.

Answer 4

The water damage does not sound to bad.

Wood can handle some water.

Trees get rained on all of the time.

Let the wood dry out completed before you paint it.

If it rains a lot where you live try covering the door up so it does not get any more water on it.

Once you paint if the damage is not serious , the marks will be covered.

Answer 5

When do you expect sunshine? The doors won't warp that quickly; only if they continue to get soaked. Regardless, of what you
want to put on them, the doors must be dry.
When they completely dry,sand entire door, sanding in the direction of the grain. There will be raised grain, from the absorbtion of moisture. Then use a good quality sealer (Bin primer/sealer). Then paint.

Answer 6

If the doors are solid-core, as all exterior doors should be, there will be no problem. Once the wood dries completely, it will require a thorough sanding again, as the moisture caused the surface of the wood to swell, and the grain to stand out.

Answer 7

They will dry out but protect them from rain and provide plenty of air flow around them. Inspect them for warps before you repaint. The wood could probably use a light rubbing with linseed oil before you paint.

Answer 8

Great answer Jimmy.And a few others.It's nice when people answer from personal knowledge instead of pasting something from a website.I do a lot of wood restoration work and I read some of the worst advice on the net.If you listen to the answer above mine,this person will have you standing there all day with a hair dryer.LOL.

Answer 9

They will dry out OK. And when dry paint them with a good quality primer, then undercoat, then 3 coats of gloss enamel. Lightly sand between coats.
Will last for 10 years.

Answer 10

The doors are probably not damaged. lay them flat and let them dry. Being painted once helps, the paint cures and forms a waterproof barrier even if you remove most of the paint. After the doors dry prime them with a good primer before installing them then finish the doors hanging.