Hang a new door - Paint first or paint after hanging

[fifo28]

I am going to be hanging many doors.  Should I paint them first then fit and hang them or should I fit them then paint them.  Will the paint throw the fit off and then I have to replane or refit the door is basically my question.

Thanks

 

[Sparktrician]

If you're going to spray them, take them off, mark their location in the hinge mortises and cover the marking with blue tape before you spray them.  Be sure to paint the bottom of the doors, too.  If you mark the doors and reinstall them where they came from, you should have no need to plane or refit them. 

 

[Paul G]

Well I tend to fit and hang a door, then take it down for painting because I can do a better paint job. If your fit is too snug such that the paint is rubbing, painting the door while hung won't make any difference, either there is room for the paint or there isn't.

 

[LostInTheWood]

Regardless of hang first or paint first the thickness of the paint should in no way affect the operation of a door that is properly installed.  About 1/8 gap should be between the door and jamb all the way around.  I install first then paint later.  Painting first means you have to be careful with everything and trimming/planing a newly painted anything usually doesn't finish well after touch ups.  It's a much better finish overall if you do all your fitting first and put on a uniform coat of paint later.

 

[peter halle]

I prefer to hang a door and then apply the finish.  I really prefer to hang a door and then have someone else apply the finish.  But all in a day's wrk.

Peter

 

[jmbfestool]

Depends!  

Internal doors I hang all the doors first then paint them after.  If the client is going to paint them I insist all doors MUST stay half open untill they are sealed!   No door can be closed for long periods of time untill they are sealed with paint or stain.

External door again depends!  

If I'm fitting a door to an existing frame!
I make sure they are painted first.  Not to a finished coat but a good couple of coats.

If I am fitting the frame and doors
I will cut the door to size chisel the lock and hinges in and then paint the door with a good few coats .  

Then I'll fit the frame and hang the door after.    So atleast if it rains or I run out of time or the client doesn't get round to painting I know the external door has had a few coats already.

 

[AlexThePalex]

First you fit the door and make sure everything is the right size and functions properly. And then you finish it. When I use a brush I prefer to leave the door in the frame because you can apply finish to both sides at once. But if you want to make a door really nice, spray it. That's best done in a seperate spraying booth. Put two hooks in the top (or bottom) of the door, hang it and spray both sides in one go.   

If the client is going to paint them I insist all doors MUST stay half open untill they are sealed!   No door can be closed for long periods of time untill they are sealed with paint or stain.

Why is that, JMB? Wood movement?

 

[jmbfestool]

First you fit the door and make sure everything is the right size and functions properly. And then you finish it. When I use a brush I prefer to leave the door in the frame because you can apply finish to both sides at once. But if you want to make a door really nice, spray it. That's best done in a seperate spraying booth. Put two hooks in the top (or bottom) of the door, hang it and spray both sides in one go.     

If the client is going to paint them I insist all doors MUST stay half open untill they are sealed!   No door can be closed for long periods of time untill they are sealed with paint or stain.

Why is that, JMB? Wood movement?

Yes.  This is because I have been on jobs were clients have radiators on in some rooms and not in others etc.  They close the doors then one room becomes much hotter.  The doors start cupping and twisting.  Clients can sometimes leave them untreated for weeks or months.    Really winds me

 

[joiner1970]

Yeah me too. Once fitted an oak veneered front door and the client left it unsealed for weeks even though I told them to seal it asap. It got ruined.

 

[Scott B.]

We break them down and paint first, off site. Finishing them horizontally is the best, and spray if possible. Just don't load the mortises.

When it is impractical to do them off site, and we can do them on site, we set up vertically with the doors strapped together accordion style, like this: