Painted front door and it looks awful! Help please!

[verloc]

Hi all,

I washed and sanded and washed again. Then applied a white undercoat (door was previously painted black). A couple of days later (last night) I painted it with an 'exterior door' paint Oxford Blue but it looks really bad - like denim! I tried painting it with small amounts on the brush with the grain but it is very blotchy. Should I attempt a second coat and what can I do to make it better second time around? I've read all about how to paint a front door so was disappointed to do such a bad job

Presumably I need to sand again?

Many thanks in advance.

 

[Robbie uk]

White is not the correct undercoat for a blue door. The finishing coat was probably put on too thick. The door needs flatting off again. Use a grey undercoat or buy some undercoat mixed to the same colour as your topcoat. The topcoat may need to be thinned a little to ease it going on. A second coat of gloss may also be required. A picture would help a lot.

 

[misterhelpful]

You state that you painted last night. If the temperature dropped quite low, which it did in my part of the world, this could have affected the drying.

Otherwise Robbie's advice is good, although as you said you used small amounts on the brush, it could be that not enough paint was applied.

 

[TheDec]

Your problem here is as Robbie has stated, firstly you used the wrong undercoat to both cover the black and to accept the blue. atmospheric tempratures at this time of year will produce little effect on a curing paint system.

You will need now to sand back to both remove the shine and any imperfections within your paintwork, dust off and start again.

This time use a light to mid grey undercoat, when dry abrade with 120 grit dust off and your ready to apply your finish coat. most oil based paints will require easing with a drop of spirit/turps to give them sufficient flow to produce a good finish.

So give your paint a good stir and decant some of it into a suitable container such as a paint kettle, add to this a splash or two of spirit and stir well. fully charge your brush by dipping it halfway into your paint drawing your brush across the brim of your kettle, repeat this two or three times.

Now your ready to start, remember now that your brush is charged so dip into the paint slightly less than you did to charge it.

Working from the top down apply your topcoat both evenly and firmly, work both downwards and outwards across the door finishing each section with light upward strokes.

I presume that you door is flush and not paneled, if it is the latter then it will need a slightly different method.

Dec

 

[misterhelpful]

atmospheric tempratures at this time of year will produce little effect on a curing paint system.

Why is this then Dec, when most paints should not be applied if the temperature is likely to drop below 5°C and the actual temperature dropped to less than 1°C?

Just because it's warm in the day doesn't mean it's warm at night!

 

[TheDec]

Firstly I am unaware of the temperature bordering on freezing on the night of May the 3rd, what the op has described here is a classic case of both the wrong undercoat and application. Of course temperature and humidity can have a drastic effect on any paint system whilst the curing stages are underway. yet I don't think this to be the case with regard to the problems that the op has described.

 

[misterhelpful]

I agree it is not the likely cause but just another possibility. The temperature did drop to 1°C, according to the thermometer in the car at 6.00am, and the forecast for various other parts of the country was for below freezing.
Not having a dig, just saying it could have been a reason.

 

[verloc]

Thanks very much for all the advice so far, much appretiated.

I'm on a bit of a budget and so was hoping to get away with sanding it a bit and then putting another coat of the blue on. Perhaps it was the white undercoat that really showed up any unevenly painted bits so using the 'patchy' blue as an undercoat I could just paint on top? Or am I nuts and should just go and get a grey undercoat and start again?!

I'll be painting again this saturday when its a clear with no rain or much sun. I can't put a picture up I'm afraid but it is very patchy with light bits and dark bits - literally like a pair of blue jeans.

Any more tips would be great. Thanks again.

 

[misterhelpful]

Undercoating is the correct way to do it but if you have budget and time constraints then I see no reason why you can't go over the top of your first coat, just be aware that by doing it this way you may well need a third coat.
Of course, make sure you sand and prepare for the next coat the way Dec has described.

 

[TheDec]

Well you get away with just a gloss, but charge your brush first and don't forget to thin your paint. it will go on a lot easier and will provide you with better covering power.

Dec

 

[verloc]

thanks again all

How should I thin it? Can I keep it in the tin adn add a splash of turp substitute or is white spirit better?

 

[TheDec]

Yes you can if you wish thin it in the tin but take care not to over do it, there is little variation regarding white spirit and turpentine substitute. And it would'nt matter which one you used.

Dec