Have doors installed unfinished, or pre-painted?

11 years ago

We've ordered new doors: front, side and back. The side and back have one light, the front door has three square lights. When we ordered the doors (with our windows) they asked if we wanted them stained, painted, or unfinished. They talked up the guy who does their finishing quite a bit. I decided, since I didn't know when we'd be painting the house, to go ahead and have their finisher paint them.

The front door took forever to come in. Then, I've taken forever to pick paint colors. I finally emailed the finisher the colors I wanted, and he responded that they'd been priced for one color only, not two (one interior/one exterior). I need to call the window company and find out what they're going to charge me for him to finish the doors. They already owe me a bit of a refund for something else. And they said they'd refund the paint money if it turned out we didn't want him to do them.

It turns out we're getting the exterior of our house painted shortly, and will probably be painting the interior of the kitchen ASAP. The dining room and entry hall, we weren't planning on painting now, but if the door contrasts the existing trim, I can deal or at least paint the trim.

Should I just have them hang the doors unfinished and have them painted in the course of painting the house?

With painted doors, it would be normal to have the interior match the interior and the exterior be an accent color on the exterior, right?

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Comments (4)

bluerdgddrs
11 years ago
Are you going to have a professional painter paint the interior? I ask because sometimes painting doors, depending on detail, can be a pain to paint. I would say if they're difficult looking have a professional do it, if not then tackle it yourself and save some $ :)
brightm
Original Author
11 years ago
We're definitely having a professional paint the exterior. The one time I've had a professional paint my house, he painted the doors. He just painted the exterior. But I'd think if he could paint the exterior of the doors, for a bit more he could paint the interior o.f the doors.
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randita
11 years ago
A professional painter can do a good job either way, but in my experience, it's much faster and easier to paint a door laid horizontally over sawhorses. The paint flattens out more evenly that way. Also you're not painting around hinges which takes more time and skill.

I've seen professionals who insert long nails into each end of the door and the nails hold the door on the sawhorses. Then when they've finished painting one side and it's just dry to the touch, they turn it over and paint the other side.

Post over on the paint forum to get good answers.
three3apples
11 years ago
I'd do whatever it takes to have them painted in the factory.