Painting new external door

[janetp]

I'm a fairly inexperienced diyer!

I have recently had an external door fitted by a joiner who treated it with wood preservative first. I need to get the door protected for the winter but I work full time so only have daylight at the weekends! Do I need to prime before undercoating and with drying time shortage am I going to be able to get it glossed or is there some way of temporarily protecting it until the spring, or - am I going to have to pay a professional to do it while I'm at work!!!!!

Grateful for any advice,

Thankyou

 

[Zampa]

Treating it with wood preserver may have caused you some problems Janet some wood preservers can bleed through the paint...or they can hinder the drying process of the paint.

You do need to prime it before you undercaot and I would advise you to put two coats of gloss on it after as gloss is far more flexible.

As you have only got weekends id say you have about five days work, given the slow drying times at this time of year....obviouslt not full days...but five seperate 'sessions'

Dont, whatever you do, gloss the door during the afternoon....stick to mornings, apart from the fact it will need to dry before you can close it, the cold weather will cause the gloss to go flat and leave white 'blooming' marks on the surface.

I doubt if you'l find a decorator to paint just one door foryou.....remember s/he will have to make 5 separate visits.

But back to the presevative business.......my gut advice to you would be to leave the door until the spring. allowing the door to 'weather' ...painting may work....it may.....or it may not....if it doesnt your going to have a right messy front door that may not dry or may start flaking very quickly

Sorry....I feel like the Grim Reaper now...

 

[janetp]

Thanks very much indeed for the reply. Don't worry about feeling like the grim reaper, you've confirmed what I was already suspecting after someone else was a bit surprised that the joiner had put the preservative on!
I also thought I was going to have to leave it until the spring - but my main worry there is the door swelling if it rains a lot - is that a big risk?

Again, thanks very much for your reply and very useful advice,

Janet

 

[Zampa]

The worst that can happen is the door will bind a little....you could try painting just the top edge...(the bit you cant see0 that might help.