Even if a wooden door is of high quality, over time it loses its presentable appearance. If the purchase of a new product is not included in your plans, you can try to restore the canvas. This is what door paint is for. The appearance of the product can only be refreshed or changed beyond recognition. You will not need special financial investments and specialized knowledge.
In general, this kind of repair is an interesting activity. The design, as a rule, consists of a frame on which MDF sheets are glued. Usually the frame consists of a wooden beam. From the inside, the door is hollow, so it is so light and not very strong. Before restoring an old door, you should consider that it will be easier, of course, to purchase a new one. But if finances do not allow, people's ingenuity will help you.
When choosing the materials you plan to use, you should focus on those that are designed to work with wood, not metal. Before starting work, it is important to determine what damage wasapplied construction. Depending on this, there are different types of repair. The next step is to repair holes or scratches.
Choosing the type of restoration
In practice, there are many ways to restore doors. Among the most popular craftsmen distinguish the following techniques:
- cleaning the canvas with staining;
- drawing a pattern through a stencil;
- changing the shape or facade of the door.
Before choosing a particular option, you should evaluate the degree of wear or breakage. Be sure to take into account the material at the base of the canvas, the design of the room and the functional purpose.
Restoration does not require hard-to-reach instruments that are difficult to handle. You should prepare:
- angle grinder;
- brushes of different diameters;
- planer;
- sandpaper.
It is more convenient if you have an electric planer available. Depending on which restoration method you choose, you may need other accessories.
How to get rid of scratches on the door
If you are wondering how to restore an old door that has scratches, you will need certain tools and materials. Cooking required:
- sandpaper;
- putty spatula;
- enamel;
- wood putty;
- primer for wood;
- brush forpaint application.
When choosing wood enamel, you should prefer MDF compound, which is a two-component speci alty paint.
Work methodology
If you, like many home craftsmen, wondered how to restore an old door, the next step with sandpaper is to clean not only the scratch itself, but also the area around it. It is necessary to go beyond the limits by about 1 cm. Then the cleaned area is cleaned of small particles and dust.
The next step is to putty on the wood. Then, using a spatula, remove the remains of the mixture, trying to make the surface as even as possible. After the putty dries, it is re-smoothed to even out the bumps. Use sandpaper for this.
If you are faced with the question of how to restore an old door, you must remember that the putty is applied very carefully. In this case, you can make new scratches. In order to avoid this, it is necessary to use rubber spatulas. After that, the primer on the tree is applied to the treated area in an even layer. It is left to dry. The entire door in the next step is covered with enamel or paint on wood.
How to close a hole
For this repair you will need the following tools:
- construction knife;
- mounting foam;
- sandpaper;
- spatula;
- paint;
- newspapers;
- polyester resin;
- wood putty;
- primer for wood;
- paint brush.
Newspapers can be replaced with something similar. Polyester resin is sometimes replaced with epoxy. Both of them are offered in the car market. The paint can be used the same as in the repair option described above.
Work algorithm
The first step is to cut a hole that will be slightly larger than the existing hole. Such work is facilitated by a construction knife. If possible, you need to make a chamfer, deepening by 0.5 cm. At the next stage, newspapers are stuffed from the inside of the hole along the edges. They can be replaced with paper. If this is not done, then when filling the door, a large amount of mounting foam may be needed. The hole is then filled with foam. As soon as it dries, the protruding part must be cut off to get a flat surface.
If you want to know how to upgrade an old door, you must follow the technology. At its next stage, it will be necessary to apply resin to the resulting surface in order to obtain a solid base. This operation is best done wearing rubber gloves, because if the resin gets on the skin, it will easily stick, and it can only be removed with a solvent.
As soon as the resin hardens, putty on wood is applied to it. The dried layer should be cleaned with sandpaper to get a flat and smooth surface. After the base has been cleaned, primer is applied to the putty on wood. It is better to do this several times, between sets you should withstand 20 minutes. As soon as the primer dries, it is necessary to apply the selected paint to the surface of the entire door. It is better to apply the primer with a paint brush, this will avoid streaks.
An alternative simple restoration
If you are wondering how to update an old door, you can choose the simplest option, which is to carefully sand and then paint. This technology is suitable for cases where the door does not have any particular damage. Before carrying out work, the canvas is removed from the hinges. If there are glass inserts, they must be removed. The existing fittings are being temporarily dismantled.
Next, you can proceed to the restoration of the door. To do this, its surface is cleaned of the old coating. You can use one of the convenient methods. For example, this is often done with an electric drill, which is equipped with a grinding nozzle. You can use a grinder or regular sandpaper.
After removing the old paint, you can begin to eliminate defects, if any. The formation of cracks can be repaired with putty and leave the canvas until it dries. Wood is recommended to be treated with antiseptic impregnation, which will protect the material from fungus, mold and other pests.
Restoration of old doors is usually accompanied by painting. This can be done in the next step. The composition is optional. It might even be a stain. You need to focus on your own preferences andtake into account the type of door. One of the available finishes is plain paint.
If desired, the doors can be pasted over with wallpaper. If you approach the work correctly, as a result you will get an original solution.
Technological methods of restoration
An old interior door can be repaired using a more technologically advanced technique. For example, many choose a false facade or carry out repairs using different stencils. The latter allow you to apply different patterns on the door. They are created using paint that contrasts in color with the main canvas.
A suitable stencil can be made by yourself or purchased from a specialized store. The work is easy. The stencil will need to be fixed on the door with adhesive tape and applied with the selected paint. After that, the stencil is removed. For convenience, the canvas can be removed from the hinges.
Using vinyl stickers
An old wooden door can be updated with vinyl stickers. They allow you to decorate the canvas with any pattern. You can order the production of a sticker according to your sketch or print the image you like using the services of an outdoor advertising agency. The reverse side of the film is covered with an adhesive. Restoration will consist of carefully gluing the sticker to the surface.
Replacing the facade or installing a false facade
If you are wondering how to ennoble an old door, you can replace the facade with it. This methodwill allow you to get the final version, which will depend on your imagination and your own preferences. In the facade, it is necessary to prepare windows for inserts. You can, on the contrary, close up the existing holes for glass inserts.
Installing the false facade is quite simple. This allows you to completely transform the appearance of a wooden canvas. For fastening, you need to use ordinary PVA glue, nails, self-tapping screws and other solutions, which will depend on the weight of the product. You may first need to install the crate.
Applying acrylic paint
When choosing paint for a door, you may prefer an acrylic composition. To do this, the door is removed from the hinges, the fittings are removed from the canvas. The decorative coating must be removed. The canvas is covered with a primer. Then you can start applying acrylic paint of the desired color. Before that, it is important to check how the composition will look on the door. To do this, the selected mixture is applied to an inconspicuous place, for example, the lower end.
Acrylic door stains are more durable than conventional wood stains. If necessary, at the final stage, you can replace the fittings, glazing beads and cashing elements. Other updates are not ruled out.
How to remove the door
Before the repair, you will definitely come across the question of how to remove the old doors. The solution to the issue will depend on what sheds are in front of you. If the models are card models, then they consist of two straight or angled plates screwed to the box and the canvas with self-tapping screws. They are connected by a hinged element.
In order to remove the door from such hinges, you need to make a minimum of effort. It is better to enlist help, especially if the product is heavy and has fragile inserts. Before you paint an old door, you will need to prepare it by removing it from its hinges. To do this, the canvas is hooked from below and slightly rises. Then the door must continue to move up, turning if necessary. The upper half will be removed from the pin at a certain moment, and after that the canvas can be removed to the side.
There are also screw-in loops. Removing the door from them will be a little more difficult. The articulated axle has a small pin that must be removed from the structure in order to separate the halves afterwards. To do this, the door closes, then using a screwdriver or other suitable device, you need to push the pin up and grab it with your fingers or pliers.
The MDF door can then be removed by pulling up on the pin and turning it slightly as you go. The main load in this case falls on the upper part of the structure, so it is better to start work from the bottom loop. In order for the door not to collapse, you need to ask someone to hold it or use improvised objects as props.
Repair of canvas that is not included in the opening
Do-it-yourself restoration of an old door may involve eliminating the problem, which is expressed in the fact that the canvas touches the box and does not close completely. This may be due to the fact that the wood has swollen, increasing in size. The reason may lie in the high humidity inindoors or in that the canvas has become old.
The box is deformed, and the door can no longer be closed. Repair in this case is quite simple. You need to understand which part of the box is deformed. To do this, you need to study the gaps between the canvas and the box. If the gap is significant, the problem is in the rack, which is located on the opposite side of the gap.
Another reason for the malfunction lies in the canopies, which are fastened with self-tapping screws. In order to bring them to their original state, you should twist them deeper. The first method is suitable for the case when the door rubs against the frame rack. It is necessary to deepen the landing of canopies. To do this, the canvas should be removed from the hinges that unscrew from the box. Using a chisel, the attachment points must be deepened by a few millimeters. Canopies and the door are then installed in place. This procedure usually corrects problems.
Do-it-yourself wooden door repair may involve intentional deformation of the box rack. In order to do this, it is necessary to remove the platbands, free the cavities from filling. The door then closes. It will be necessary to mark the place where the door touches the box. Drill from the inside of the box you need to drill a hole. Using a perforator, it will be necessary to make another hole and drill a hole from the end of the opening. Now you need to use a block of wood, setting it between the racks. The box is wedged, and a self-tapping screw is inserted into the hole. Once the spacer has been removed, the normal operation of the door will return to normal.places, and the gaps will need to be filled with foam.
There is another solution to the issue of lapping the fabric. But it is recommended to use it as a last resort. It consists in reducing the size of the door itself by trimming it. It is better to cut from the side of the hinges, but the appearance of the product may suffer.
In conclusion
Restoring doors can seem like a rather time-consuming process that requires serious effort. But this is not so, especially if you use modern materials and technologies - one of those presented above. To restore the appearance of the door structure, it will be necessary to dismantle the canvas. If the repair is small, cosmetic, you can do without removing the canvas. You can fix the flaws on the fixed door.
If the damage is minor and consists of scratches and chips, then you will need to sand the door. The surface will need to be covered with putty to begin with. The damaged area is cleaned of dirt, the top layer will need to be removed from this area.
The door can be restored to suit any interior style. The main thing is to choose the design of the structure and follow the technology.
