The painting steps below work best for solid wood and hollow-core doors.

Once removed,sand the door’s surface.

You want a smooth, even surface to paint over for the cleanest result.

using paintbrush to paint panels on beveled door front

Credit: Jacob Fox

You may choose an electric sander, but we kept it simple and used a sanding block.

Once the surface is smooth, wipe off dust with a tack cloth.

Work up from the inside bottom, across the header, and down the striker side.

how to paint a flat interior door illustration

Credit:BHG / Nez Riaz

Use a brush for this narrow space for better control.

Also, be careful not to load too much paint on your brush at one time.

Excess paint causes visible drips.

hand sanding the surface of a door for painting

Credit:Jacob Fox

Paint the Flat Interior Door

Next, paint the interior door’s flat surface.

Apply the paint with a 4-inch closed-endfoam roller.

Run two or three roller widths the full height and across the door face.

using paintbrush to cover edge of door with paint

Credit:Jacob Fox

Let dry and reattach hardware and the door to its hinges.

You only need to make a few adjustments to accommodate the panels.

Remove the door from its hinges andall hardware, including the doorknob.

rolling pale blue paint onto door face

Credit:Jacob Fox

Sand the surface of the door just as you would a flat door.

Once smooth, wipe the surface with a tack cloth to remove dust.

For each panel, first paint the edges with a paintbrush.

using sanding block to smooth blue paint on door

Credit: Jacob Fox

It’s OK to paint a little outside the lines here since it will all be painted over anyway.

Once the edges are lined, use a 4-inch roller to fill in the center of the panels.

Start with the center vertical stiles, then paint the horizontal panels.

using paintbrush to paint panels on beveled door front

Finish painting the surface of your interior door by painting the two remaining outermost vertical stretches.

Paint Edges of Interior Paneled Door

Finally, paint the edge of the interior door.

Lay off any runs or sags as you paint.

rolling paint onto beveled panels on door face

Allow the paint to dry, lightly sand, and apply the second coat.

Once dry, attach new hardware and plant the door.

Once the paint is dry, remove the tape andreplace the door hardware.

rolling paint in stiles between beveled panels on door

using roller to apply paint to beveled door face

rolling gray paint on edge of door with beveled panels

Credit:Jacob Fox