Hardware and Work Surface

• Remove the doors from their hinges. Use a 16 penny nail and hammer to tap the pins through the hinges. Have a helper hold the doors while you remove the pins. Prepare a work surface for working on the doors---saw horses with cardboard taped around the top rails will work. Remove any hardware from the doors, such as door knobs and hinges. Be careful with the doors when you place them on the work surface; the doors will be heavy and could tumble and break. Have a helper assist you.
  
  

Sanding Wooden Doors

• If your doors have glass, tape the windows with blue painter's tape. This will prevent the glass from being scratched by the sanding. Remove the old finish and coloring with sandpaper. Sand the doors using coarse-, medium- and fine-grit sandpapers. Make sure the room is properly ventilated with a fan. Wear a dust mask when sanding. Use the coarse paper to remove any material, such as paint or polyurethane, and the medium and fine papers to produce a smooth finish. Use a dental pick to reach into crevices and tight spots. After you have finished sanding, spray a fine mist of water over the doors to raise the grain. Sand again with a fine-grit paper, sanding in the direction of the grain. Sanding across the grain will damage the wood surface. You can use an orbital sander instead of hand sanding.
  
  

Sanding Hollow Core Doors

• Because hollow core doors are not made from solid wood, there is no need to remove the entire finish down to the original surface, doing so will result in door damage---the door sheathing is thin and can be sanded away. Don't use a coarse paper for these doors. Begin with a medium-grit paper and only remove imperfections from the finish, such as paint runs and scratches. Do a fine sanding with the fine-grit paper, wipe the door clean, and you are ready for paint.
  
  

Painting

• Wipe the doors and make sure there is no dust on them. Apply a primer to the surface of the doors using a fine-bristled brush. Paint in even strokes---along the wood grain and not across. Use either water- or oil-based primer, but make sure the paint matches the base additive of the primer---oil-based primer should go with oil-based paint. Because the doors will be touched constantly, use high gloss paint; it will provide a surface that is easy to clean. Do a light sanding between coats with 220-grit sandpaper. This will remove any imperfections and provide for a smooth finish. Once the paint is fully dry, reattach the the hardware and reinstall the doors. Remove the tape from the windows. Be careful that the tape doesn't stick to the paint---use a razor to gently separate the two.