How to paint doors & door joinery

Q. We will be repainting our front door and wondering what primer and sort of paint we should be looking for. The door looks to have a few layers of paint on it already and we think it is aluminium.

A. If the paint is sound, wash down thoroughly to remove all dirt and debris using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash. Apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl.

If there are areas of paint flaking, remove via scraping and sanding to a feathered edge. If it removes back to the aluminium, apply a spot primer of Resene GP Metal Primer followed by the above paint system.

You can check the metal to see if it’s aluminium by using a magnet. If the magnet holds, it is steel not aluminium.

November 2023

Q. We're taking delivery of a new set of wood bifold doors that open onto an uncovered deck (has eaves though).

We've been told to seal the bottom of the doors to prevent moisture contamination. What products would you recommend to seal and prime these doors with (they are coming pre-primed with a single coat)?

A. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat, two on the bottom and top if you are not planning on topcoating those areas. Also, apply a full coat over the doors even though they have a primer already on as this is mainly for transport and construction and usually not very stable.

September 2023

Q. I have a houselot of rimu trim/doors etc to sand and finish. Due to the wear and sun bleaching, I expect this to be a rather difficult task. The painters that have looked at it won't do it and will only paint over it. The existing finish is oil based.

A. You will need to sand to remove all existing coatings. This will assist in getting the timber a uniform finish again. Start using 120 grit sandpaper. If you don’t see much removal, try either 80 grit or 100 grit sandpaper. Once coating is removed, sand again using 180 grit and 220 grit to sand away any scratch marks from original sanding.

Use Resene Qristal Clear (Flat, Satin or Gloss) to get a similar appearance.

If you are wanting to deepen or change the colour of the timber, you can use Resene Colorwood wiping stain first once you have sanded all the existing coating off. There is a good selection of colours and they come in small quantities so you can try a sample.

You will see slight changes in colour from area to area depending on how much sun damage there is.

September 2023

Q. I want to repaint the interior door and window trims of my 1960s house. The original paint is oil, so could you please let me know what products I should use? And I also want to paint a bare timber (interior) door. Could you please recommend what prep and products should be used?

A. For the interior door and window trims, you have two options. You can clean and recoat with oil-based enamel topcoat such as Resene Lusta-Glo. The most popular option is to do a little more work up front to swap over to a waterborne enamel topcoat, this makes for much easier maintenance in the long run. This requires a little sanding, more of a scuff, dust and clean, then apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel semi-gloss in your desired colour.

If the bare door is pine the door is bare pine and it doesn't have a clear coat of any kind of the surface, we recommend priming with one coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or whichever topcoat you choose to go with for the existing doors and windows above.

September 2023

Q. How do I paint over 1960s varnished doors?

A. We recommend the following - clean down with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and sand only any areas that need smoothing out. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness, the thinner the coat the better. Follow this with two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss in your desired colour.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing. Adding any paint system will always require a level of maintenance.

August 2023

Q. I want to paint new MDF faced doors in my house. My builder has recommended a two-pot epoxy type paint for its toughness but I have only an airless sprayer so I think I am stuck with a waterborne paint. Could you please recommend a suitable, tough paint system? I know the glossier systems are harder but they also show up any defects more easily so I think a semi-gloss system might be better.

A. Semi-gloss is the most popular sheen option and yes, it is the happy medium between cleanability and not highlighting imperfections. The primer we recommend is one coat of Resene Quick Dry waterbased primer undercoat - where possible leave for 24 hours before overcoating, especially in colder months.

We do have a water-based two-pack topcoat option called Resene Waterborne Uracryl 802, this can be tinted to most Resene colours. Otherwise, a standard waterborne enamel, which is the standard for most homes and is single pack is Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss.

August 2023

Q. I have repaired a wooden interior door hole using auto body filler, then primed and painted it in satin. The repair is still showing up under critical light. I am wondering if I can sand it down and use Resene Timber Surface Prep as a high build finish to act as a micro filler, rather than another ultra fine skim coat body filler over the painted surface (or is epoxy high build a better choice?)

A. Resene Timber Surface Prep is not designed with this intention. In saying that, it could be worth a try, provided the satin finish you have used is waterborne or thoroughly sanded before application.

August 2023

Q. I have new Hume interior doors. I have sealed them with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer by spray. What paint do I use to now finish the doors? I would like them to be semi-gloss.

A. We recommend Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss as the topcoat (two coats). This is a waterborne enamel.

August 2023

Q. I'm planning on painting some laminated kitchen doors from white (unpainted) to Resene Evolution. What primer/top coat combo do you recommend? I'll be applying with a sprayer (if I can get it working). Otherwise it will be applied by brush/roller.

A. The following paint system can be used for painting laminates such as Melteca®. Scrub down using a cleaner such as Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Wet sand with 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper taking care not to unduly scratch the laminated surface.

Rinse clean and allow to dry then apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this only needs to be a thin coat and will not achieve opacity over the laminate colour).

Allow to cure for at least 48 hours then undercoat with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. For best results either spray or roll the topcoats using a Resene No.4 roller sleeve.

The paint system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden, and a full cure requires a month. The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original laminate.

August 2023

Q. I have a replacement door sill/threshold that needs painted. The wood is new (a couple of months ago) and it will be subject to foot traffic and exposed to some weathering as it’s at the front door entrance which is semi-covered by a porch. Please note there is no threshold plate sitting on top. What products would you recommend?

A. Providing the timber isn't Totara or Matai, the decorative best system would be one coat of Resene Wood Primer, one coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat and two coats of Resene Super Gloss.

July 2023

Q. I have mahogany doors which were vanished 30-odd years ago. To paint them do I need to do anything special other than a good sand?

A. We recommend the below system for the best adhesion:

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease and a slight scuff with sandpaper over any areas that need smoothing Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

Follow this with two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in your desired colour.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs.

In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

May 2023

Q. I have cupboard doors that are chipboard (or similar) with a plastic veneer of some sort on them. Is there anything I can put on them - paint, stain, etc to change the look?

A. Stain is not an option, as our stains are fully penetrating and need to sink into the timber itself.

Paint is an option though. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease and pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Sand with 180-220 grit sandpaper lightly, just a quick scruff nothing too strenuous. Wipe off all sanding dusts. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow it to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating.

The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness and does not have opacity ( a solid coverage), the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl (semi-gloss).

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until a full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

March 2023

Q. What is the best paint system if we want Resene Uracryl 402 on a new timber door? We want a clear finish for interior.

A. We recommend the below for Resene Uracryl 402 (semi-gloss) clear on a timber door.

No primer required. Apply one coat of Resene Uracryl 403 gloss clear (this penetrates into the grain of the timber further) followed by two coats of Resene Uracryl 402 clear.

March 2023

Q. I am painting a varnished door. I did a test patch with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, and it seems to repel it, causing spots to not have any sealer on them. The finish is a traditional varnish which is quite waxy, compared to polyurethane. I thought a product containing more solvents may help.

A. Sometimes Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer will not cure if the substrate is too waxy or is too dirty (build up from hands etc). Sand to remove any non-cured Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as well as sanding to remove any gloss and creating a key, apply one thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. Leave for 48 hours and see if it has cured (gone hard and does not scratch/peel away). If hardened, apply one coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and leave for 48 hours. Then apply two Resene topcoats of your choice.

If this doesn’t work, unfortunately I don’t see a solution for painting other than removing the existing coating altogether.

January 2023

Q. If I paint my front door black - what would be a good contrasting colour for the steps up to the deck and front veranda? Is black too hot to walk on in summer?

A. We do have Resene Walk-on Black available as a CoolColour. This will help to reduce heat build-up but will not make the surface cool.

The surface painted black would still be hot to walk on, you probably need to consider tender young feet. You may be best to choose something lighter.

January 2023

Q. What do you recommend to paint 1970s hollow core doors, stained veneer, original finish?

A. For a pigmented paint system we recommend cleaning the doors with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, focusing on the high hand contact areas. Once clean apply one coat of Resene Waterborne Sureseal, leave for 48 hours to cure, then follow with two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss in a colour of your choice.

Please note that this paint system will reach full cure after seven days, please be gentle with the paintwork in this time as it will be susceptible to scratches in this period.

Sanding is not necessary as we recommend an etch sealer, Resene Waterborne Sureseal. This will etch into the coating and create adhesion.

December 2022

Q. I am having Bali-style double front doors made. The timber is kwila. The position is not exposed to rain. I want the doors painted white but the yard will not paint them as they are not sure how to control the tannin in the wood. So the doors will be delivered sanded and our painters will paint them.

A. Prime them with Resene Wood Primer, then topcoat in your chosen Resene exterior waterborne enamel, such as Resene Lustacryl.

November 2022

Q. What flat paint can I use to paint kitchen doors?

A. We don’t recommend flat paint finishes for doors as they are prone to finger marking and absorption of oils from hand contact. Most customers use semi-gloss Resene Lustacryl. We do have lower sheen Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom, but it will not be as easy to keep clean as the semi-gloss finish.

June 2022

Q. I have a 48 year old exterior door surround woodwork painted with oil based paint. It has been sanded back and coated with Resene water based primer undercoat. What should I use as a white topcoat. Also interior window surrounds with same past history but as yet not prepared for painting. Should I use oil or water based paint. My wife is a bit of a cleaning addict and most days woodwork is wiped with a detergent cloth.

A. You can choose to apply either a traditional solventborne enamel or a new technology waterborne enamel to the surface primed with Resene Quick Dry. Re exterior, the only solventborne enamel that can be used is a full gloss such as Resene Super Gloss. The waterborne enamel equivalent, Resene Enamacryl, does not give the finish and high gloss level of Resene Super Gloss but when exposed to full weathering the Resene Enamacryl will have better gloss retention than Resene Super Gloss.

For the interior, use Resene Lusta-Glo or Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom. The waterborne enamel will apply to give a very good finish, equivalent to Resene Lusta-Glo, with the added advantage that it will not undergo yellowing which is a feature of a solventborne enamel. The Resene Lustacryl can also be used if a semi-gloss exterior finish is required, and can be wiped down using a cloth and a mild detergent but will be damaged if cleaned with abrasive cleaners or cleaners containing an alcohol as part of the cleaner composition.

June 2022

Q. Can you please advise how to paint a plain (i.e. not a panel door) interior door without brush marks? Should I use a roller? Should I remove the door and lay it flat? Should I spray?

A. For rolling use a Resene No.4 roller sleeve for both the primer and topcoat application. I suggest that you add Resene Hot Weather Additive to Resene Quick Dry as well as the topcoat, Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom. Yes it is easier to roll when the door is flat, roll on a good wet coat roll out then lay off from one end to the other with a 50% overlap. Do not overwork the wet paint film as this may cause aeration and increased level of orange peel.

If the door facing is a hardwood timber you will need to apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer first and then apply the Resene Quick Dry/Resene SpaceCote system.

June 2022

Q. I have an orange gloss back door that I want to repaint with black Resene Lustacryl. I am not sure what preparation I need to do or what undercoat to use.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, clean down to remove grease/oil paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Using 220 grit sandpaper sand the existing paintwork to a dull finish. If the existing finish is a waterborne paint then wet sand using the same grade of wet and dry paper. Wipe clean with a damp cloth to remove sanding dusts. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl CoolColour Black topcoat.

A Resene CoolColour system will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigment technology. The CoolColour system will reduce but not eliminate the potential for heat distortion of the timber door.

June 2022

Q. I have an older home with doors varnished clear and painted. I want to repaint them with acrylic but I am unsure on the type of primer to use as I am certain the door has been painted with oil based paints.

A. Using Interior Paintwork Cleaner, clean down to remove grease/oil paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Thoroughly sand to de gloss/profile, dust off and wipe down with a damp cloth to remove residual sanding residues. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom in your topcoat colour.

June 2022

Q. I have wooden door handles on my 1970s doors. I’d like to paint them the same colour as I’ve painted the door. What is the best way to do this please?

A. Using Interior Paintwork Cleaner, clean down to remove grease/oil paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Sand to de gloss/profile using 220 grit sandpaper, dust off and wipe down with a damp cloth to remove sanding dusts. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom in your topcoat colour. If you want a harder wearing finish replace the Resene Lustacryl with two coats of Resene Lusta-Glo or Resene Super Gloss.

June 2022

Q. I have been told that my doors and floors should not be painted gloss because gloss paints are more brittle than semi-gloss. Is this true, and if so, what causes the brittleness?

A. Traditional solventborne enamel topcoat are usually semi or full gloss. As the coating ages it does embrittle and become much harder. The brittleness comes from a continuing cross linking of the enamel resin used for this paint type.

In contrast paints based on conventional waterborne resins are essentially cured after a week and there is no ongoing cross linking. A waterborne enamel paint sits between the two resin types in terms of hardness, in general terms full crosslinking takes up to a month to occur but after that time there is little or no ongoing curing to cause embrittlement.

June 2022

Q. I have just put one coat of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss on an existing semi-gloss door and it is all patchy, with rough patches that are not glossy.

A. Did you sand the existing paint and prime? The first coat can be patchy for a number of reasons but application of a second coat should give a uniform finish. If you roll apply using a Resene No.4 sleeve it is easier to achieve a uniform finish.

June 2022

Q. Can I paint over door frames that have oil based semi-gloss with water based semi-gloss?

A. Yes but you will need to sand the oil-based paint to profile/de gloss, dust off and wipe down with a damp cloth to remove any residual sanding dusts then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

June 2022

Q. What can I use to prime/paint over varnished doors (circa 1960s) without having to sand first?

A. Using Interior Paintwork Cleaner clean down to remove grease/oil paying particular attention to hand contact areas. A light sand with 220 grit sandpaper will give the best outcome.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

June 2022

Q. We have a garage door, powder coated over galvanised steel, 20 years old. There is some rust appearing on right angle folds. Sanding reveals water creep under the powder coat and flaking. What do I need to do to recoat?

A. Scrub down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label instructions. Do not allow the wash solution to dry out on the surface (this includes window glass and joinery). Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

All paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods, (3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc), chemical stripper or high pressure water-blasting taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas.

Remove all areas of white corrosion material and as much red rust as is practicable and all paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods e.g. 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc, to leave only soundly adherent corrosion products taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas.

Where under-film corrosion is taking place the existing paint must first be removed as above and remove under film corrosion products taking care not to damage sound zinc coated areas. All paint edges must be feathered to a smooth finish.

Note: The performance of the subsequent paint systems will be largely dependent on the thoroughness of this surface preparation stage.

Spot prime bare areas of prepared metal with Resene ArmourZinc 110, apply a full coat of Resene Galvo One and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof.

Where there are overlaps access for cleaning and painting is not possible.

June 2022

Q. For a garage roller door, I saw Enamacryl recommended but I'm wondering whether the paint will flake off where the door metal flexes? Is there an application method that won't look crappy? (spraying maybe, but that's beyond what I can do). What preparation would be needed for a previously painted door, and also for a bare metal one?

A. Resene Summit Roof can be used as the topcoat paint for roller doors. This is based on a conventional waterborne resin system and has better flexibility than Resene Enamacryl. Resene Enamacryl is based on a self cross linking resin and cures to a harder dry film than Resene Summit Roof. As long as two surfaces painted with Resene Summit Roof do not come into direct contact then there is no issue with using this for roller doors. You will find it easier to achieve a better brush finish using Resene Summit Roof.

June 2022

Q. I have a pair of old steel garage tilt doors which I want to repaint. They are currently painted, however the paint is old and needs sanding back to remove the loose paint. Which is the best primer to use before I topcoat?

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label/data sheet. Do not allow the wash solution to dry out on the surface (this includes window glass and joinery). Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Then waterblast and feather back any edges by sanding, then spot prime bare metal with Resene Galvo-Prime before topcoating.

June 2022

Q. We are getting a sectional garage door done in a Meranti ply. The door will be finished in Resene Woodsman. We want to seal the cut edges prior to painting to prevent/minimise water getting inside the ply and delaminating it over time. Ideally it needs to be more than just a paint sealer as water still likely to penetrate through that on end/cut edge.

A. The best sealer would be Resene Wood Primer, but it is pigmented. If you can carefully mask off the cut ends then prime before staining the exposed face.

June 2022

Q. I want to recoat four roller doors, they are not rusty just a bit tired. I think that they are COLORSTEEL® from new, the paint is sound.

A. Scrub down using Resene Heavy Duty Paint Prep and Oil Remover diluted and used to label/data sheet. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Apply a prime coat of Resene Pre-coated Streel Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof.

April 2022

Q. I have a front door I want to paint a exterior front glossy black. I need a paint that has the following properties – high gloss, brush application and durable. I would be taking the door off and painting it in a horizontal position, so a low viscosity paint and/or a slow drying product could be used. I was looking at two component paints.

A. A traditional gloss enamel such as Resene Super Gloss is high gloss and brush application but the enamel will lose gloss over time. The gloss loss is a factor of exposure to weathering. Alternatively you could use a gloss two pack polyurethane topcoat such as Resene Uracryl 403, gloss can be improved by application of a coat of Resene Uracryl 403 UVS Clear over the Resene Uracryl 403 base colour. While the two pack system will not achieve the same high gloss level as Resene Super Gloss it is a more durable finish to weathering. Both systems will need to be applied to an appropriately prepared and primed substrate.

April 2022

Q. What do I use to paint a fibreglass door?

A. For fibre glass doors our recommendation is to scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

Then wet sand with 220 grit wet and dry sandpaper, wipe clean with a damp cloth. Allow to dry then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying 2 coats of a waterborne enamel topcoat. In this case the coat of Resene Quick Dry is an essential component of the system. You could undertake the same prep and then apply 2-3 coats of a Resene Uracryl 402 UVS Clear, but this is not something that we have researched. We have no clear adhesion product to substitute Resene Quick Dry with before applying Resene Uracryl Clear.

April 2022

Q. I am looking to paint my wooden (hardwood) front door which is currently stained with Resene Woodsman. The door is in full sunlight facing west. What would be the best paint system to use? I will sand down and apply a primer sealer before the colour.

A. We recommend cleaning with Resene Timber and Deck Wash. Lightly sand and dust off, then apply one coat of Resene Wood Primer the two topcoats of a waterborne enamel such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss.

Waterborne paints such as Resene Lumbersider and Resene Sonyx 101 are more resistant to direct UV light than solventborne paints. This is because the paint binders in waterborne paints tend to be ‘transparent’ to U.V. radiation, while solventborne binders actually absorb the radiation, which breaks them down.

April 2022

Q. I had a door supplied and I had purchased Resene paint they used for the door. In installing the door they had to trim one of the edges and I have noticed that they just repainted the edge of the door with a single coat of paint and did not apply wood primer. Will this be a problem? Can I just overcoat this with a primer and then put a topcoat on the door or do I need to remove the paint before priming? The paint I have used is Resene Lustacryl and I have an oil based wood primer I can use.

A. Yes, this will require a primer and more coats, as it stands there is not enough paint film on the surface to fully protect The best system is to sand and prime with one coat of Resene Quick Dry or an oil-based primer is fine as long as it is from Resene as we don’t guarantee our topcoat over other brands of primer/sealer. Finish with two topcoats of Resene Lustacryl.

April 2022

Q. Is it a good idea to paint a front door black full gloss in the Hawkes Bay summer heat?

A. Black will cause the painted surface to heat up if fully exposed to sunlight. The heat stress can cause the door to undergo warping/cupping. With panelled doors there can be cracking of the panel sections.

We do have a Resene CoolColour Black system that can be used, however a Resene CoolColour system will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigment technology.

My experience is that reduction of heat related issues on any exterior substrate is advisable, particularly on timber substrates.

We cannot give any guarantees that heat related issues will not occur but suggest that you contact your door supplier for their opinion. I would not be surprised if they say no to painting the door black.

March 2022

Q. I live in a seaside environment and have a steel panelled garage door which is powder coated. After 10 years the paint is starting to bubble in specific places and bits of rust are showing. I think the door is structurally OK, it's just the paint system that is failing. Do you have any suggestions on how to remediate this issue? Is it possible to strip off the powder coating, treat if necessary and repaint? It's a very large door.

A. Long term corrosion control is a huge challenge in a coastal environment. We often see coating breakdown on sections that are not regularly rain washed as salts accumulate on these areas. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions. Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

All paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods, (3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc), or high-pressure water-blasting taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas.

Remove all areas of white corrosion material and as much red rust as is practicable and all paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods e.g. 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc, to leave only soundly adherent corrosion products taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas.

Where under-film corrosion is taking place the existing paint must first be removed as above and remove under film corrosion products taking care not to damage sound zinc coated areas. All paint edges must be feathered to a smooth finish.

Note: The performance of the subsequent paint systems will be largely dependent on the thoroughness of this surface preparation stage.

Ensure all edges of damaged paint are prepared back to a sound feathered edge and immediately spot prime all areas of corrosion and any other bare metal with a full coat of the specified primer. Spot prime prepared areas of corrosion and bare metal with Resene ArmourZinc 110. Overcoat areas primed with Resene ArmourZinc 110 with a full coat of Resene Galvo One and then apply a full coat of Resene Galvo One and finish with two coats of Resene Summit Roof topcoat colour.

Regular washing down with fresh water of areas not subject to rain washing to remove salts will be beneficial but appreciate that this may not be possible in your situation.

March 2022

Q. I want to paint a pair of sliding wardrobe doors. They are vinyl covered Gyprock. The vinyl has a slightly raised rippled surface, but has turned yellow with age (30+ years old). How do a prepare and paint?

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then apply one thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours before applying two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The paint system will take 7-14 days to harden.

February 2022

Q. I want to paint my front door a different colour on the inside vs the outside. My concern is how it would look having both colours, the edges of another colour showing when the door is closed?

A. We do have many customers who paint each side of their door a different colour. Normally what a customer will do is paint the leading edge of the door the same colour as the main face of the door. So that would mean for a door that opens inwards the outside face and the side where the hinges are you paint the same colour. Then the inward facing side of the door and the side with no hinges you paint the second colour. That way when the door is opened you see the same continuous colour on that side.

October 2021

Q.We are repainting a wardrobe door which has slats on it. Each slat around 2.5cm wide. Do you have any recommendations for brushes or sanding tools that would help get a good tidy finish? It’s hard to get into the spaces.

A. The only way to sand such a narrow gap is to cut a piece of timber to be less than the gap width and wrap a piece of sandpaper around the timber piece and then insert that into the gap and sand. Brushing is possibly more of a challenge, and you may have to use a small detail brush, we sell these as a Detail Brush Set, to apply the paint.

October 2021

Q. Which product should I buy to protect against the rust of the screws and hinges leaking through the paint? Also, is it OK to paint over the hinges, etc? Or would the paint just peel off over time?

A. Paint as a solution to this is often unsuccessful as rusting can weep from behind the painted top of the screw. Try to deepen the screw hole by screwing in further than flush fill with an epoxy filler such as RepairCare DryFlex SF Filler. Then paint over. Do not overfill the hole as the filler is not easy to sand flush.

Re the hinges question, again the same as above re the potential for rust staining to continue from inaccessible areas. Yes, the hinges can be painted but this does not guarantee that rust staining will not continue to appear.

For windows and doors, the best solution is to change to stainless fixings.

October 2021

Q. What do I use to repaint an aluminium door that has lost patches of paint but with intact undercoat showing? The colour coat appears to have lost adhesion.

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions. Do not allow the wash solution to dry out on the surface (this includes window glass and joinery). Rinse clean or hose down with copious amounts of fresh water ensuring all wash solution and surface chalk residues are removed.

I recommend that the topcoat is sanded to remove back to the undercoat and the undercoat sanded to profile. Then apply a full coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Application of a Resene CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the painted surface cool to touch.

October 2021

Q. My very old front door (1880s villa) is not in perfect shape. I think high gloss will show up imperfections, so am I better to use semi-gloss? If so, is there an oil based enamel semi-gloss or are they all water borne enamels?

A. A reduced gloss level will assist in reducing the visual impact of surface imperfections. You cannot use a traditional solvent based semi-gloss enamel where the paint is subject to exposure to UV and rain. However, you can use a semi-gloss waterborne enamel topcoat such as Resene Lustacryl as the topcoat system.

September 2021

Q. What paint should we use on the lip of our front door?

A. A full gloss conventional solventborne enamel such as Resene Super Gloss would be more resistant to wear. I suggest that you strip the lip paint back to bare timber, sand and reprime with Resene Wood Primer then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Super Gloss in your chosen topcoat colour.

September 2021

Q. I have sanded down my front door. Unfortunately when I started to apply the replacement stain it of course shows through to the bare spots. Do you have a stain that is not see through or will I now have to paint it? I think the doors are cedar.

A. Stains are designed to be semi-transparent and where there are marked colour differences in the substrate staining will give a patchy finish.

So, unless you completely strip the existing stain, paint application of a solid colour paint system is your only option.

September 2021

Q. I have two cedar stained exterior front doors that I want to paint white. Please advise what product I should use to seal over the stain to avoid any stain bleeding into any future paintwork. Most of the doors has become quite porous.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Sand to de gloss with 220 grit sandpaper. Dust off and wipe down with a damp cloth to remove residual sanding dusts. Apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer, a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl White.

If you want a very high gloss finish apply two coats of Resene Super Gloss enamel instead of a waterborne enamel topcoats.

September 2021

Q. How do I paint varnished rimu trims and doors?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. To maximise adhesion lightly sand with 220 grit sandpaper. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing. Note that painting will not reproduce the original features of the laminate.

August 2021

Q. I painted my front door over the weekend. I gave it a light sand (enough to take the gloss out) and put a coat of yellow Resene Super Gloss enamel paint on. It’s bright and beautiful!! The door had small imperfections that I'd hoped the paint would fill - but didn’t. Before I put another coat on, can you please recommend anything I can do to smooth it out?

A. Sand the chipped areas back to a feathered edge then prime with Resene Quick Dry. Depending upon the depth of the imperfections this may fix the issue. After prepping you could look to use PAL Contract Filler to fill the chipped area, when dry flush sand and reprime with Resene Quick Dry before topcoating.

August 2021

Q. I have some kauri doors I want to paint. They look like there were dipped and stripped in the 80s and look very natural i.e. no gloss or obvious finish. However I suspect they have a coating of something on them. Maybe oil based satin poly. What prep should I do before painting them please?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Thoroughly sand with 220 grit sandpaper to profile for recoating, wipe clean using a damp cloth. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen topcoat colour.

August 2021

Q. What would you recommend as prep and paint system on flush panel exterior fibreglass front doors? They seem super smooth.

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label instructions. Sand the surface using a very fine sandpaper e.g. 320 grit sandpaper or wet sand with 400 wet and dry paper. Care must be taken to minimise damage or scratching the surface as scratch marks may telegraph through the paint system. Wipe down with a damp cloth to remove sanding residues. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Use the Resene CoolColour version of the topcoat colour. Application of a Resene CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool pigmentation and reduce heat related stress on the substrate; it will not make the painted surface cool to touch.

June 2021

Q. We have an old villa with internal doors/frames that have paint over what appears to be a varnish. The paint is flaking, which looks to be due to poor preparation of the varnish. We had the varnish tested for lead while a specialist painter was here to look at lead paint removal. The tests were a bit ambiguous. Overseas there is concern over lead in wood varnish but I could not find mention of it in NZ - have lead based varnishes never been used here?

A. Lead is usually absent from old clear varnishes. To the best of my knowledge there may be small quantities of lead present originating from lead based driers.

June 2021

Q. What is the practical difference between Resene Sonyx 101, Resene Enamacryl, Resene Lustacryl and Resene Lumbersider?

I am painting a front doorstep and door surround in solid white. Next I want to paint my window sills and architraves (also white). What paint can I use for these?

A. Resene Sonyx 101 and Resene Lumbersider are based on a conventional waterborne resin. Resene Lustacryl and Resene Enamacryl are based on a dedicated waterborne enamel resin system. Resene waterborne enamel paints cure to a harder film and can be used for opening joinery. Paints based on conventional waterborne resins will fuse and stick if two painted surfaces come into contact. Waterborne enamels have 'block resistance' which means that the fusing/sticking does not occur if two surfaces painted in a waterborne enamel come into contact.

June 2021

Q. I always use Resene paints, etc but have a paint choice problem. The previous owners of our current house half/decorated, including painting the door frames. However a small area has been damaged by a wheelchair. I don't know if the existing paint is oil or water-based. Can I find out which, so I don't have to completely sand off the whole door-frame?

A. There are two challenges to be faced if looking to only spot repair the damaged area. One is to match the colour and the other to match the gloss level. It may be easier to sand the damaged area back to a sound feathered edge, sand the remaining paint work to profile for recoating then spot prime any bare timber with Resene Quick Dry and then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl colour.

May 2021

Q. I need to repaint an interior door with waterbased semi-gloss. What method gives the best finish: brush or roller?

A. The best finish is achieved by spray, the second best finish by roller, the third best finish by brushing.

May 2021

Q. I have had a new front door installed that is constructed in cedar. The joiner advises that cedar needs an oil-based enamel undercoat. Can I use a water-based enamel over an oil-based enamel undercoat?

A. The system for cedar is to apply a prime coat of Resene Wood Primer to seal in tannins, then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry before topcoating with two coats of a waterborne enamel.

April 2021

Q. How do a fix and paint a door set? The paint has cracked off and the wood is cracked from sun exposure.

A. Sand back to remove existing paint and greyed degraded timber. Flush fill cracks using RepairCare DryFlex SF Filler, do not over fill the cracks as the cured filler is not easy to sand smooth. Apply a prime coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with a coat of Resene Enamel Undercoat and two coats of Resene Super Gloss enamel.

February 2021

Q. I have a solventborne topcoat to finish the trims on the doors. Can I use Resene Quick Dry undercoat under this?

A. Yes, Resene Quick Dry can be overcoated with both Resene water and solventborne topcoats.

December 2020

Q. I have just repainted all the internal doors and trim in my house with Resene Lustacryl. Unfortunately, it is now coming off in places on the doors, especially where fingers touch but also in the odd other place. The Resene Lustacryl was applied over semi-gloss oil based enamel which is 8 years old. A lot of preparation work was put into these doors including removal for painting, followed by thorough cleaning, extensive sanding down, followed by further cleaning to remove all sanding dust.

A. Resene Lustacryl was certainly easy to work with but clearly has not bonded to the substrate even after thorough preparation. The recommended prep system is - using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Then sand to profile and then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry before topcoating with Resene Lustacryl.

November 2020

Q. I have some internal doors that were originally painted in enamel. They have had waterbased interior low sheen paint put over the enamel paint without primer. I would like to paint them in enamel again. How can I do that without stripping the acrylic off? Although I don't think the old acrylic is that well adhered because it wasn't primed first and there is some chipping.

A. From what you describe a total strip would be required. Particularly if there is chipping occurring.

November 2020

Q. What paint can I use on the inside of a textured glass door (1970s)? We just want a white finish.

A. Use Resene Imperite IF 503 White for a solid white.

November 2020

Q. I want to whitewash my timber doors. Can I give a light sand and use a waterborne low sheen that I am using for my walls? Or do I need to use a pigmented sealer like I am for my walls?

A. For white washing, the best way to achieve the look is to sand back to bare timber, wipe off sanding dust and ensure the doors are degreased paying particular attention to areas of hand contact then use Resene Colorwood Whitewash. Then overcoat with two coats of Resene Aquaclear, if you want to increase the level of whiteness add one pottle of Resene Enhance White per litre of Resene Aquaclear.

September 2020

Q. I am painting old kitchen MDF cabinet doors. How do I prepare the surface which has some small parts of swollen wood?

A. Paint cannot fix the issue you have, the issue is due to water ingress into the MDF substrate which has caused fibre swelling which is irreversible. You are best to contact a cabinetry maker for a solution to the swollen sections.

September 2020

Q. We have purchased internal doors and these have vertical strips so we have been advised that the best finish is spray painting. We are going to have these finished in Resene Black White semi-gloss. The spray painter has given us two choices – a two pack product or a waterborne enamel.

What will be the difference?

A. The two pack finish will potentially have a harder surface finish than Resene Lustacryl.

August 2020

Q. Our 30 year old interior basic MDF hollow core door was repainted last year. The edge in two places before being repainted was worn smooth through to the bare MDF where our hands must have handled the edge to open and shut the door. These spots are sticky and look permanently grubby. How can I rectify this, does this area need sanding back and some sort or sealer used? The door was repainted with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Then sand back and prime with Resene Quick Dry before applying the Resene Lustacryl topcoats.

June 2020

Q. I need a paint system to put on metal hinges in a harsh coastal environment.

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label/data sheet. Thoroughly scrub the surface with a stiff nylon broom to ensure complete removal of all grease, moss and mould residue, and any other contaminants, then rinse with copious amounts of fresh water or high pressure water blast ensuring all loose paint and salts are also removed.

Remove all areas of white corrosion material and as much red rust as is practicable and all paint that is flaking or unsound must be removed by using mechanical methods, (3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc), to leave only tightly adherent corrosion products taking care not to damage either the substrate or the surrounding areas.

Where under-film corrosion is taking place, the existing paint must first be removed as previous methods including under film corrosion products taking care not to damage sound zinc coated areas. All paint edges must be feathered to a smooth finish.

Note: The performance of the subsequent paint systems will be largely dependent on the thoroughness of this surface preparation stage.

The challenge with your situation is access to treat and remove the rust flakes/scales.

If you can achieve the required prep details then the best system would be two coats of Resene ArmourZinc 110, two coats of Resene ArmourX GP Metal Primer and two coats of Resene Lustacryl topcoat colour.

June 2020

Q. I am going to paint a wooden door with side frames and a large garage door. They look like they were stained with an oil based stain which is quite dried out in good condition. How should I prepare them to paint with high gloss black oil based?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Sand to de gloss/profile then apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer, followed by a coat of Resene Quick Dry, then you can topcoat.

June 2020

Q. In the process of repainting a door frame, I used an acrylic based matt finished ceiling paint in error. I then applied a coat of semi-gloss paint without priming. The results are that the enamel paint has not applied properly, it is very patchy. I was just seeking advice on where to from here?

A. Flat paints or ceiling paints are not recommended for door painting and when overcoating direct with an enamel paint you may get a patchy finish. The only rectification would be to sand the painted areas to profile, then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

June 2020

Q. Our front door is in a covered porch but is exposed to the sun and the door is now damaged with the varnish flaking; cleaning up and painting is the best option. Which paints do you recommend?

A. Do a full strip and then sand, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl topcoat colour. If the door timber is cedar or a hardwood replace Resene Quick Dry with Resene Wood Primer.

May 2020

Q. I'm going to paint some dark brown stained shutter style wardrobe doors white. They don't appear to have much of an overcoat/gloss varnish on them. If they do have a varnish it's a satin finish. What product would you suggest I use as a sealer/undercoat as I'm hoping to avoid sanding them down as that will not be very feasible given the shutter style.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Then sand to profile for recoating (220 grit sandpaper), dust off and apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

May 2020

Q. I have removed and stripped hinges back to bare metal. What products do I need to refinish these?

A. The timber primer is not suitable for hinge priming, you will need to apply two coats of Resene ArmourX GP Metal Primer then topcoat with Resene Lustacryl.

May 2020

Q. The door frames in my house are aluminium rather than wood. Are they able to be painted?

A. Apply a coat of Resene Vinyl Etch and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

May 2020

Q. We want to paint all of our interior doors which are currently polyurethaned. We were thinking of painting them a charcoal/gun metal grey (haven't picked a colour yet). We were also hoping to add some moulding to the doors. The doors are hollow, some are painted and some have a clear matte coating.

My question is what kind of primer/prep would we need? Would we need to sand off all the existing paint/coating? Is it a separate primer for the clear coating to the painted doors?

A. It's a fairly simple process for painting old clear polyurethaned doors. After a good clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner give the door a good sand (remove all dust using damp cloth), then apply one full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer and two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel.

May 2020

Q. I have wooden doors that currently have a dark wood stained look and I am wanting to paint with Resene Half Black White in a semi-gloss finish. What sort of primer should I use on the doors?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. Sand to profile, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer then two coats of Resene Lustacryl tinted topcoat.

April 2020

Q. We have a painted black exterior front door, which needs to be sanded down and repainted. What is the best undercoat and topcoat to use? We would like to keep it black.

A. After sanding, apply two full coats of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl CoolColour Black.

April 2020

Q. I’m presently in the throes of repainting door and window joinery. As is everyone else I suspect!

I’d like to know what paint oil or acrylic would you recommend for the door sills of my front and French doors? Sills are matai and pine.

A. For the sills the primer is Resene Quick Dry. While the primer can then overcoated with a waterborne enamel finish, such as Resene Enamacryl, a solventborne topcoat such as Super Gloss will give a harder wearing finish to foot traffic. The only downside is that the Resene Super Gloss enamel will undergo chalking sooner than Resene Enamacryl.

April 2020

Q. I have old timber windows and doors that are cedar with clear finish varnish on the inside. Over time, especially on transoms the varnish has gone and the timber is stained where condensation has sat and the timber is either a dark colour from mildew or bleached in colour. What can I do to treat any mildew and restore the timber to its natural finish/colour before re-varnishing? Also, the putty has perished, do I simply replace with wood putty or a timber coloured sealant?

A. The staining probably results from water ingress under the varnish film. This is commonly seen with older native timber windows that have been clear coated.

The clear will need to be stripped to expose the bare timber, treat first with Resene Moss & Mould Killer to label instructions and then with a 5% solution of oxalic acid. Oxalic acid is available from most hardware store chains. While it is an acid it is not that corrosive but the active is the same as in rhubarb leaves so ensure you wear gloves, eye and clothing to protect exposed skin. Apply the oxalic solution into the stains and leave and then remove by repeated wiping with a damp cloth changing the water on a regular basis. Then allow to dry out.

Cannot guarantee that this will remove all of the water staining. If the water ingress can’t be addressed reapplication of a clear coat will see the situation being repeated.

April 2020

Q. I'm trying to decide what to use on skirtings and door frame, semi-gloss or satin? I want them to be easy clean but not too shiny.

A. A semi-gloss such as Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel is the usual finish for these areas.

April 2020

Q. I want to paint some old vanished wooden doors – from a house built in the early 1970s. I've started with the first door and stripped as much varnish off as possible, then painted it with a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer. When it dried, it had orange streaks all over the door. I tried Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer on the other side but this also streaked. What should I use instead?

A. The orange streaks are tannin bleed from the timber into the waterborne primer/sealer.

You will need to apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer before topcoating with any waterborne topcoats.

April 2020

Q. Please give me advice how to prepare old varnished veneer wood doors for painting. Some of them have a smooth surface, some are covered by tiny cracks and some have dents as well. I tried to sand the varnish off but it's a really hard job and I couldn't finish even one door.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Thoroughly sand then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

April 2020

Q. We have four varnished doors in our apartment that we would like to paint white.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Then there are two painting options, first is to sand to degloss the varnish (do not need to remove the varnish back to bare timber) then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry Primer Undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The second option after cleaning; Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Although it is more work my preference would be for the first approach.

April 2020

Q. I have a Rimu interior door which is very expensive so I want to get the varnish right. It is a Renall door and their instructions differ to the ones in the Resene recommended paint systems.

Renall says: Seal all surfaces with the first priming or sealing coat. Do not use a water based (acrylic) primer. When clear finishing a 3-4 coat system should be used.

A. The Renall pigmented primer recommendation can be met using Resene Wood Primer, you can then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry as the undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. For clear coating use Resene Qristal Clear Polyurethane instead of the paint.

April 2020

Q. I have two wardrobe doors which are Veneer (1960) and I want to paint them. I have a DIY sander to use. My question is do I need to sand before I use an undercoat and topcoat? Also, what undercoat would I use? I have some Resene paint to use for the topcoat.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Carefully sand so not to cut through the veneer. Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry before top coating.

April 2020

Q. What type of paint do you use for skirting and door frames? We have used Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen Kitchen & Bathroom for the walls in our bathroom. Do we use the same for the skirting and door jambs?

A. We recommend you use Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom for skirting and door frames. The higher gloss level is more hard wearing.

February 2020

Q. I have stained doors and skirting and would like to paint over them with white paint. What do I need to do to avoid the strain coming through the paint? Is there a particular paint that is best suited to skirting and doors?

A. We recommend you apply a seal coat of Resene Sureseal.

February 2020

Q. I have painted two French doors with oil based gloss but need to repaint with a low sheen enamel. Am I able to use an acrylic enamel directly on a newly glossed oil enamel – if not what sort of undercoat would I need – acrylic or oil based?

A. To be safe apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry before applying the Resene Room Velvet (waterborne alkyd).

February 2020

Q. We have an exterior shed door that has been polyurethaned. We want to match it to our house door which is Resene Bi Hoki. Can you advise a suitable undercoat and topcoat system to do this?

A. Sand the existing clear coat to de-gloss it and profile it for repainting. Dust off and apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

February 2020

Q. Is there one type of paint suitable for use on both the interior and exterior of a front door?

A. Resene Lustacryl applied over a suitable priming system can be used as the topcoat for both interior and exterior door facings.

December 2019

Q. I am planning on painting my powder coated, wardrobe door frames. Do I need to have the powder coating removed first or what primer do I need to use?

A. The following can be used to paint interior powder coating:

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. How do I avoid getting an orange peel effect when using a roller to undercoat and gloss interior doors?

A. Roller texture, orange peel is always seen with roller application. The only way to reduce this is to brush lay off using a dry paint brush while the roiled coating is still wet. Roller sleeve selection can also influence roller texture.

Q. We want to paint our aluminium double front doors from a white/cream to Resene Fuscous Grey. We also need to fill four screw holes in them. Can you advise what preparation we need to do and what paint to use?

A. Wet sand the existing coating using 220 grit sandpaper to profile for repainting. Wipe clean and then fill screw holes using RepairCare Dry Flex SF then apply a full coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl CoolColour of the topcoat colour.

Q. We have a metal entranceway door which I think has been powder coat painted. We would like to paint it to match our other interior doors we have painted with Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. Is this possible?

A. Use Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner to ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Then wet sand using 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper to profile for recoating (avoid undue scratching of the surface), wipe clean and apply a full coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl in your chosen colour.

October 2019

Q. Is it ok to use Resene Sureseal on varnished doors that we wish to paint?

A. Resene Sureseal is not an adhesion primer for a clear coated substrate. We recommend Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer.

Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease; pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better.

October 2019

Q. We have a metal entrance way door which I think has been powdercoated painted. We would like to paint it to match our other interior doors we have painted with Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel - is this possible?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas.

Then wet sand using 400 grit wet and dry sandpaper to profile for recoating (avoid undue scratching of the surface), wipe clean and apply a full coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

October 2019

Q. What is the best paint to use on a door threshold? The entrance doesn't get a lot of traffic (it's from the bedroom onto a deck) but it's on the second floor and faces north so it's exposed and gets a lot of sun. The timber is native; it's certainly not radiata.

A. Best to strip the existing coatings, sand smooth and then prime with two coats of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

If using a dark top coat colour we recommend using the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour. A Resene CoolColour system will not render the painted surface cool to touch, but the CoolColour system will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool pigment technology.

Dark colours may cause the rapid drying of damp timber with the ensuing danger of warping, though this effect will be lessened when a CoolColour is selected in place of a standard colour. The CoolColour system will reduce but not eliminate heat related stress on the substrate.

Q. How should I prep an oiled timber door ready to be painted?  The door was last oiled 10 plus years ago.  Can I use an acrylic paint or should I use an oil based paint to finish?  It is a sheltered exterior door, probably rimu. It last had any attention over 10 years ago. No weather damage or mould. It's in good condition we would just like to change the colour and paint it.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Then sand using 220 grit sandpaper to profile for recoating. Apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The oil will need to be hard dry, if not then sanding will be difficult.

Q. I am wanting to paint the skirtings and doors in a 1950 house which are possibly stained or varnished.  How do I go about this?

A. Ensure the surfaces are clean and grease free then apply a coat of Resene StainLock followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have a 20 year old home which has lovely hollow core, interior, polyurethaned rimu doors. We are redecorating the interior of the house but it looks like the doors will need to be painted. We like the look of the Resene limed finishes which still retain the wood grain look but somewhat darker. How do we prepare the doors for this type of finish? We are hoping there is a solution or reluctantly we will just paint over.

A. Resene Colorwood Whitewash is a possibility but it cannot be tinted to a colour.

The existing clear coat will need to be thoroughly degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, paying particular attention to areas of hand contact. Then sand using 220 grit sandpaper to profile the clear coat for recoating (sand to de-gloss not to remove).

Apply a full even coat of the Resene Colorwood Whitewash, making sure to brush out areas of overlap, as these will appear as a whiter line compared to adjacent areas followed by a coat of Resene Aquaclear in your preferred gloss level.

Q. I have a renovation project where we are cutting into an existing concrete wall to form a door opening at an existing window. We anticipate some cut ends of steel.

What is the best paint system to specify to seal the opening, prior to installing the new door joinery?

A. Cut ends will need to be profiled using emery paper then apply three coats of Resene Armourcote 221 epoxy primer.

Q. What primer do I use on a timber door using Resene Uracryl 402 as a topcoat?

A. We recommend Resene Quick Dry, leave the primer to dry for at least 48 hours before applying the first coat of Resene Uracryl 402 topcoat.

Q. The internal doors in my home are stained timber, with what appears to be a varnish finish. We wish to change the doors to a paint type finish. Could you tell me how I should proceed and whether oil based or water based paint should be used?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, and pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I want to paint a stencil onto my double glazed glass door. Which paint would be the best and am I able to clean it off if I decide I don't like the effect.

A. We recommend two pack Resene paint for glass, the paint achieves very strong adhesion and would not be easy to remove.

Q. Last summer I got as far as undercoating an exterior door and would like to finish the job. It is under a covered porch without exposure to sun or rain. Will I have to sand it right back or can I get away with a light sand, wash and reapply the undercoat? I used Resene Quick Dry.

A. If the primer has not been exposed to weathering degrease paying particular attention to areas of hand contact, lightly sand, dust off then re-apply the Resene Quick Dry.  Then topcoat.

Q. Is Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel suitable for painting a door?

A. Yes, Resene Lustacryl as long as the door is correctly prepared and primed.

Q. My father has purchased a unit with a sliding door. There is a panel of yellow 70s glass, and I would like to paint over this with same wall colour. Is there an etch type primer that will allow acrylic paint to adhere?

A. Yes, for painting out glass you can use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as the adhesion primer. Leave to dry for 2-3 days prior to applying your topcoats so that it has a chance to key into the surface. You will need to paint both side of the glass.

Q. I've been stripping back door frames and doors at my 1930s house then sanding, and wherever there is pine, I've been successfully staining it with Colorwood stain with no problems. I've just stripped and sanded the skirting boards and they are a very pale pine - different from the stuff I've done before. I can't get the stain to work on the skirting boards - there are white patches in the pine which won't take the stain, so it is uneven and blotchy. I'm not sure what to do and have become quite discouraged. Should I have just tried oil based or gel stain or is there no hope for these skirting boards?  It is quite blotchy pine to start with.

A. The whiteness may be undercoat residue which has not been removed.  I have seen this when stripping very old paint systems.

You may have to accept painting with a fully pigmented paint system to achieve an aesthetically acceptable finish.

Q. We are looking at getting a new entrance door and the two options we were looking at (even though solid) have stated on them not to be painted a dark colour. What would be considered a dark colour and would it be ok to use Resene CoolColour dark paint or not?   Is this something specific to the doors we were looking at or all doors – i.e. would we be better to just paint the existing one the dark colour we wanted?

A.  I would use an LRV colour cut-off of 40% or less as being a dark colour. If selecting a topcoat colour with an LRV of less than 40% we would recommend the Resene CoolColour™ system, a coat of white primer and two coats of topcoat tinted to the CoolColour tint formulation.

The CoolColour top coat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology. Dark colours may cause the rapid drying of damp timber with the ensuing danger of warping, though this effect will be lessened when a CoolColour is selected in place of a standard colour.

It is a key requirement to envelope prime top/bottom and side edges of the door with a solventborne wood primer to seal against water uptake.

Q. I am painting an old totara doorstep, which I have sanded. I have Resene Sureseal and your white primer. The topcoat will be oil based black. Which primer should I use?

A. Oil based primers such as Resene Sureseal will not dry when used to prime totara.

You will need to use Resene Quick Dry as the primer. Resene Quick Dry can be overcoated with an oil based topcoat such as Resene Super Gloss.

Q. I want to paint my front door entry.  If I use Resene Walk-on and add Resene SRG Grit do I need to undercoat first? The concrete is good condition, quite old though.

A. Ensure the concrete is clean and dry then apply a saturation coat of Resene Sureseal then finish with two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. I am repainting the outside of my son's house. I will be painting the wooden windows frames and external doors. My daughter in law has a 9-month-old baby and she does not like the smell of paint - what paint system would you recommend?

A. You can use Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat as the primer and then two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Both products are Environmental Choice Approved.

Q. Can you give advice and the process for painting varnished interior doors in white?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas. A sand of the varnish to profile will also assist in primer adhesion.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. The sealer is not designed to be applied as a thick wet film thickness or give opacity, the thinner the coat the better. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I am painting two new external fibreglass doors. I will be finishing with Resene Lustacryl. Do I need to use an etch primer or will your Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer be okay?  I don't want to be repainting in a few years.

A. Degrease using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label directions and then sand using 380 grit sandpaper, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry followed by the two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour if selecting a dark topcoat colour. The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

Q. What is the best paint for windows, doors and architraves on the interior and exterior? Would it be low sheen or flat? The interior is good condition enamel, about 20 years old. The exterior varies from good to poor condition and needs sanding, fill, and prime/undercoat.

A. Old enamel paint can be difficult to prepare to achieve adhesion of a new paint system. Ensure the existing enamel is clean and free from grease etc. then thoroughly sand to profile for recoating. Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Dark colours may cause the rapid drying of damp timber with the ensuing danger of warping, though this effect will be lessened when a Resene CoolColour™ is selected in place of a standard colour. The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the Cool Colour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

Q. How do I paint a metal front door in a sea spray zone? I think its powder coated at the moment and is in good condition - no pitting, paint peeling or rust - just not a very nice colour.

I have painted my tin garage roof and walls with a spray gun and Resene Hi-Glo paint but the door isn't at my house, it's at a friend's house and she's concerned the sea spray would affect a painted door.

A. Wash down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label directions, lightly sand with 400 grade sandpaper to profile the powder coated surface. Apply two coats of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

We recommend the Resene CoolColour™ version of the Resene Hi-Glo be used if selecting a dark topcoat colour. The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

Q. I inadvertently repainted doors that had been painted with turps based enamel with water based enamel. Experience tells me that this does not stick well and is easily scuffed off.  Do I need to remove this waterbased paint completely or will an undercoat followed by a top turps enamel paint be hard enough?

A. Sorry, but yes the waterbased enamel to coat will need to be sanded back to expose the original enamel layer, then sand the original enamel to profile, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry before reapplying the waterbased enamel topcoats.

Q. I have some very rusty, old, AHI roller doors. How should I prep them and what should I use to paint them? Can I use anti-graffiti paint? What would you recommend?

A. The trick with doors likes this, is not to roll them up on themselves within a week or so of painting, so as not to minimise the damage to the new coating. Ideally they should be removed and laid flat to paint then reinstalled a week so later. They will always incur some form of damage when they are finally rolled up unfortunately. If you are unable to take them out of service and they must be rolled daily, you have a dilemma as you won't get enough time to achieve a good level of finish. 

Repainting roller doors like these unfortunately never quite achieves a perfect finish. Assuming the doors are still the existing factory finish (baked enamel/powder coated etc.) and you want an anti-graffiti coating, you'll need to power tool clean the white and rust and give the door a good clean down with Resene Roof and Metal Wash. Spot prime repairs and bare metal with Resene Armourcote 221 (two pack epoxy) then one full coat of Resene Armourcote 221 to all areas and two coats of Resene Uracryl 402 (semi-gloss two pack urethane).

Q. I just wanted to check what Resene products I should use to prepare/paint internal varnished wooden doors. I will clean and sand all the woodwork first, and then which primer/undercoat is recommended? Do I need to use smooth surface primer and then what is recommended for the topcoat?

A. If you degrease (paying particular attention to areas of hand contact), then sand to profile (you do not need to remove all the varnish) you can apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry then overcoat with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel.

Q. I have doors to be painted, which are doors from the bathroom/toilet/laundry and lead into hallways. As the rooms are wet areas, do the doors need to be painted with oil based or can a waterbased paint be used? Also, what undercoat do I use? One side of the door would be wet area the other side would be ordinary. The doors look like they are preprimed and have a wood grain effect on panels.

A. Lightly sand, dust off then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl Kitchen & Bathroom.

Q. I'm going to sand and paint varnished internal doors. After sanding, I will use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer just in case. Should I undercoat over the top of that before applying topcoat? Also, is Resene Quick Dry undercoat ok?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, paying particular attention to areas of hand contact. If you sand to de-gloss there should be no need to use the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, instead apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry.

Q. The trims and doors in my house were previously painted with oil base paints. What do I need to do to prep the surface so I can repaint them with waterborne paints? Is there an alternative to having to sand them?

A. Ensure the areas to be painted are degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner paying particular attention to areas of hand contact. Recommend sanding with 220 grit sandpaper before applying a coat of Resene Quick Dry. Sanding is to profile and is the belt and braces approach to achieving the highest level of adhesion of the paint system.

Q. We have internal flat doors which we think have been painted with oil based paint. Originally we were told to give it a light sand and we could paint with waterbased enamel paint - this didn't work. We were then told to use an undercoat first, and then paint - this also didn't work. What will we need to do? One of the doors is a sliding cavity door, so are unable to take it off the rollers.

A. Unfortunately there are no standards for degree of sanding.

Our advice is to degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then sand using 180 or 220 grit sand paper to profile the surface (if the existing finish is high gloss then sand to degloss). Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene waterborne enamel.

The adhesion will depend upon how well the existing paint is sanded.

Q. I want to paint over my powder coated aluminium door. How do I ensure that I can get good adhesion painting over powder coating and what products would you recommend?

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions then sand using 380 grit sandpaper taking care not to unduly scratch the powder coating.

Then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl (use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour if available). The CoolColour topcoat will not render the painted surface cool to touch but the CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made on non-cool technology.

Q. I'm painting a kauri door; I've taken it back to wood and am ready to prime and paint. What's the best product to use, primer and paint?

A. Prime with Resene Wood Primer, then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I’m about to start painting and have a number of doors that were varnished many years ago. Will light sanding suffice or will I need to do more than sand as preparation?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, paying particular attention to areas of hand contact, sand to de-gloss then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry.  Then you can topcoat with either water or solvent borne enamel systems.

Q. I recently bought Resene Enamacryl in Resene Half Thorndon Cream. I am putting it on with a good brush and over a good undercoat. I am painting doors and it is drying very patchy where I am over brushing. I went back to the store and they thought it sounded as though it might be drying too fast, even though it is no more than 16 Celsius. They sold me some additive to slow the drying down; however this has had very little effect, if any.

A. The advice given by the ColorShop was correct, waterborne enamels have a very short open time and the applied wet film sets up very quickly and if you go back over an area that has set up, then the effect is exactly what you are seeing. The dry time of a waterborne paint is not determined by temperature alone, humidity and air flow also impacts on dry time. We have recently introduced a new Resene Lustacryl formulation, which has a much longer open time and we are looking to soon do the same for Resene Enamacryl.

Q. I have a fibreglass exterior door. What I should I paint it in?

A. Degrease than apply a coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl (use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the topcoat colour if available). Both products are waterborne.

Q. I want to paint a metal garage door, could I use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as an undercoat? There is one small area of surface rust. What would you recommend for topcoat? I was going to use Resene Lumbersider but I am open to suggestions.

A. Wash down the surfaces, using a 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc to remove all lose rust and spot prime the prepared areas with two coats of Resene GP Metal Primer, prime all other bare metal with the same then apply two coats of Resene Summit Roof.

Q. I need to touch up a few skirting boards and door frames that have marks on them. The paint previously used was Resene Sea Fog but I don't know which finish was used i.e. semi-gloss, matt etc. Can you recommend what finish I should use on these surfaces please? Do the testpots come in all finishes? I'm not looking a large amount of paint so a testpot may be all that's required.

A. Resene testpots are made using a conventional Resene low sheen exterior waterborne paint. We do not offer testpots in a range of Resene paint finishes. The most likely Resene paint that was used as a skirting paint would be either Resene Lustacryl or Resene Lusta-Glo. Resene Lustacryl is waterborne and Resene Lusta-Glo is solventborne.

Q. We have a customer that wants to wet paint a red band on anodised aluminium doors that we are making to match the hand painted red band around the whole building. What are the best products and method options you would advise suitable?

A. Apply a coat of Resene Vinyl Etch as the adhesion primer and two coats of Resene Uracryl 403.

Q. I have powder coated exterior sliding doors that are dark grey. Is it possible to paint directly over this? If so what paint would be suitable?

A. Ensure the doors are free of oil/grease/sealant residues and then apply a prime coat of Resene Vinyl Etch and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 402.

Q. I have totara French doors and they need painting. Could you please give me advice on what to do with these due to the oils produced by the totara timber? My preference is oil paint.

A. Resene Quick Dry must be used as the primer for bare totara. Solvent based primers such as Resene Wood Primer will not dry when applied direct to bare totara.

Q. Our client has requested a high gloss for exterior front door to be spray painted by a specialist. What type of paint is recommended?

A. Suggest you use Resene Super Gloss for a high gloss finish. It has great durability for hard wearing areas and dries to a mirror gloss finish.

Q. I am going to repaint some interior doors. The doors in the past have been poorly prepared and acrylic enamel has been used over an old oil paint system. The existing topcoat is lifting in places. Is there a coating that can be used to give a satisfactory sealer/undercoat, to stop this from happening in the future? And then use a Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss as a topcoat.

A. Sorry, there is nothing to improve adhesion of the topcoat. You will have to sand the existing waterborne enamel back to the original enamel paint and make sure that the old enamel base paint is also thoroughly sanded. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. How do I stop gum bleeding out of timber? The timber is pine 150 x 50 facings around garage doors.

A. Strip resin bleed areas back to bare timber and apply a coat of Resene Aluminium Wood Primer. Note: the hard dry time of this primer is much longer than the standard Resene Wood Primer White so delay overcoating until the primer is hard dry (cannot be imprinted with a fingernail).

Dark colours can exacerbate the potential for resin bleed, Resene CoolColour™ technology can reduce but not eliminate the heat absorbed by the colour, if using a dark colour then definitely use the CoolColour version of the colour. The CoolColour version will not render the surface cool to touch, but it will reflect more heat than the same colour made using conventional colour pigments.

Q. I wish to stain a recently installed door frame (inside) to match up as close as possible to a Lockwood interior wall. What is the best product to use in order to achieve this?

A. If the timber is bare (interior exposure only) then you can apply a stain colour of Resene Colorwood then overcoat with Resene Aquaclear (waterborne clear) or Resene Qristal Clear (solventborne clear).

Q. I have a new stable door made from pinus radiata (dry timber) exterior, but sheltered. Should I paint the door or oil stain it? I am concerned about sticking where the top and bottom sections meet.

A. I suggest you look to apply the following system; prime with a coat of Resene Wood Primer, followed by an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl (use the Resene CoolColour™ version if you are using a dark colour). The CoolColour version will reflect more heat than the same colour made using non-cool technology, but does not render the painted surface cool to touch.

Q. I am about to start sanding and repainting my exterior window and door joinery. What primer/undercoat should I be using before I paint it the new colour? And once I have prepared the window is it just primer/undercoat and then two coats of the new paint? The new colour will be quite light in colour. The timber is rimu.

A. Prime using Resene Wood Primer, then a coat of Resene Quick Dry undercoat and two coats of a waterborne enamel topcoat such as Resene Lustacryl.

Q. Do I have to sand laminated kitchen cabinets or varnished door frames, before using Resene Vinyl Etch?

A. For the best adhesion yes, ensure the laminate is completely degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then wet sand using 400 grade wet and dry paper, wipe clean then apply the Resene Vinyl Etch.

Q. I am painting the interior of the house and I would like to know, what is the hardest white Resene product for painting the skirting boards? The rest of the doors and frames, I have painted with Resene Quick Dry undercoat and Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel topcoat.

A. The only 'harder' finish is Resene Lusta-Glo but the white is not as white as Resene Lustacryl and as a solventborne enamel, Resene Lusta-Glo will yellow over time.

Q. Which type of paint is suitable for an exterior wooden door? The paint is for an old tongue and groove door, so I would assume the door was originally, oil based coated. I have wiped the topcoat with isopropyl alcohol and the paint has softened, and the white undercoat is starting to appear. It looks like only one topcoat which would be easy to sand off. The door will be exposed and facing north, the colour will be red.

A. If the paint is softened or removed by IPA, then it will be a conventional waterborne paint.

The door and colour will be subject to the highest level of exposure, so be prepared for a more regular maintenance to maintain aesthetics. Sand the existing paint and then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of tinted Resene Enamacryl.

Q. Is Lumbersider suitable to use for a front door? Or should I rather use an enamel product?

A. We do not recommend using Resene Lumbersider for joinery, for these areas we recommend Resene waterborne enamel paint such as Resene Lustacryl.

Q. What is the best paint for a wood doorstep?

A. A two pack polyurethane such as Resene Uracryl 402 or Resene Uracryl 403 applied over a compatible primer.

Q. I'm thinking of using Resene Lumbersider in colour Resene Feverpitch - after suitable preparation. I also have two steel garage doors which I want to paint the same colour. Is there paint for metal in that same colour? The metal doors have been painted and they are in quite good condition.

A. You certainly will be able to get the colour Resene Feverpitch in paint suitable for these doors.

Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash used to label directions, you can lightly sand, then assuming no bare metal is present apply two coats of Resene Sonyx 101 (if using dark colours apply the CoolColour™  version of the selected colour. Resene CoolColour™  versions of a colour reflect more heat than the same colour, made using non cool technology.

Q. I am painting over old vanished doors/trims/window sills. I have rough sanded the doors and used a (non Resene) primer sealer undercoat two coats and two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel semi-gloss. I have just run my fingernail on it and it peels off back down to the door. What do I do to prevent this, or what am I doing wrong? Could you help please, as I am doing the whole house and have about 10 more doors to do?

A. The issue is the primer you used, has not given adhesion. You will have to remove the existing paint system back to the original varnish and apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, then reapply the two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I would like some advice please, for painting a brand new fibre-glass exterior door. I need an oil-based system and given how exposed it is to the sun, I need a CoolColour option. I have heard that it’s best to use a light tone colour on the door. The door is for my Mum and she had her heart set on Resene Havoc. With this new information that may be too dark.

A. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions, and then sand using 240 grit sandpaper, dust off and apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl  CoolColour™ (if available in your final chosen colour).

Q. I would like some advice on painting our (previously unpainted) exterior front door please. Would Resene Quick Dry interior/exterior be appropriate for an undercoat or Resene Wood primer, as it is a wooden door? Also, what type of paint would you suggest as topcoat?

A. Is the door already painted, if not what is the timber used to make the door?

I recommend a coat of Resene Wood Primer (seal all edges as well as door face), an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry and then finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl (use the CoolColour™ version of the colour, if choosing dark colours). The CoolColour version of the colour reflects more heat than the same colour, made using non-cool pigments.

However, before painting check with the door supplier that the door has not been sealed at the factory, with a clear mineral oil sealer. If it has, then the recommended paint system cannot be applied and you will need to stain using a mineral oil based stain.

Q. We have dark brown aluminium joinery door frames inside our house. Some of the frames are faded from cleaning with incorrect products, I believe. What is the best solution to renewing the colour?

A. Painting is the only option but this will not give the same smooth even finish of the original powder coating.

Q. What paint should I use on my white wooden front door step? I have found house paint wears through quickly. Is there a harder wearing product?

A. Ensure the steps are clean then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on.

Q. I want to paint over solid rimu doors and skirting boards approximately 20-25 years old. I think they are varnished with polyurethane? What type of paint do you recommend?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating.

Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is not formulated to be applied as a high build coating or to achieve opacity, only a thin coat is required. Then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Flat doors can be rolled. The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I am painting old varnished doors. I have used Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer on them; do I need to undercoat before applying the topcoat?

A. No, if applying a Resene waterborne enamel topcoat system. Allow the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to cure for 48 hours before topcoating.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks, until full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. What is the hardest wearing semi-gloss, for interior window and door frames?

A. Resene Lusta-Glo solventborne enamel.

Q. I am looking to paint inside veneer panel doors, e.g. bedroom toilet etc. These would be dated around the 1980s and will be painted white. Can you please advise what preparation work is required and what is the best paint to use e.g. Semi-gloss, full gloss? I am also looking to repaint the door frames - should this be semi-gloss or gloss to match the doors?

The doors have a vanished look but are made of a wood veneer. They are not a solid wood door so may have a pre-engineered brown stain when made. As mentioned in my previous email I want to paint them white with the door frames to match.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, pay particular attention to hand contact areas.

Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before over coating. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. We are getting renovations done, and are doing the painting ourselves. The builder has told us to prime the doors (external French doors) to protect them from weather before they install them. I understand that we may need to prime again so that the topcoats will stick as the primer can degrade. But my questions is how long will the primer act as a protection coat from the weather? Does it have to be painted with topcoats within a few weeks, or will it protect the wood from the weather/rain for several months until the weather gets warmer and drier?

A. It is about degree of weathering and primer type. We recommend Resene Quick Dry primer. When you come to topcoat check for primer chalking and then prep using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions, then reprime.

Q. Do l use water or oil polyurethane on interior rimu sills and doors?

A. For dry areas you can use either but I would stay with the traditional solventborne varnishes for wet areas such as bathrooms.

Q. I have timber varnished doors in the hall that I have painted over with Resene waterborne enamel. Can I paint over the existing surface with Resene Lusta-Glo enamel having cleaned and lightly sanded to get a more durable finish? Or must the paint be stripped and an undercoat applied?

A. After cleaning down and sanding I recommend a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat be applied before the solvent borne enamels top coats are applied. Leave the Resene Quick Dry to dry for 24 hours before applying the Resene Lusta-Glo.

Resene Zylone Sheen is formulated on a conventional waterborne resin and if this is the paint then Resene Quick Dry is a must.

Q. I have an older home with oil based high gloss paint on the door surrounds and skirting board. I have sanded the surfaces which are in good condition but are yellowing with a few marks. I have painted some of the surfaces with waterborne enamel. The paint, weeks after application, does not appear to stick well. Should I be applying some sort of undercoat first or giving heavier sandpapering to overcome the high gloss hard surface that I am applying the paint to?

A. I would recommend a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat be applied after degreasing, sanding and removal of sanding dusts.

Q. Do you have a brochure or instructions on how to paint over my varnished doors? The house was built in the 1980s and the frames are stained rimu with standard ply doors also stained rimu. I have 9 to do and need to know what products to use, and how to do it to prevent bleeding or the paint coming off.

A. Ensure doors are degreased using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, paying particular attention to areas of hand contact. Then apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this product is not designed to give film build or opacity, in fact a thinner coat is best) and leave to cure for 48 hours before applying two coats of Resene Lustacryl or Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages, the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion, as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. Would Resene Lustacryl be suitable for painting pressed metal door frames? The application is residential internal.

A. If new, then yes, but only if the metal surfaces are degreased and then primed with Resene Galvo-Prime.

Q. We have a varnished front door which seems to have black areas on it and very faded areas. I have basically been told by various people simply to sand lightly and paint, but assume there needs to be some sort of sealer coat over the varnish before applying a paint finish. There is some cracking at the foot of the door which I assume will need some sort of filler.

A. The dark areas are typical of what occurs with panel section doors that are exposed to full weathering, water ingress occurs through breaks in sections and is often more pronounced at the bottom of the door. Also if the bottom and side edges of the door are not sealed than water uptake also occurs.

It is difficult to make the sections 100% watertight so a solid paint finish may also have a degree of failure.Treat the door with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label directions. Thoroughly sand the door to remove all loose flaking varnish ensuring edges are sound and feathered back.

Then apply a full coat of Resene Wood Primer, apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of either Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. Ensure that the bottom edge and sides of the door are also prepared and painted with the entire paint system.

If this was an interior varnished door and the varnish layer was intact then we recommend Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as the adhesion primer but this approach cannot be used in your situation.

Q. I have a new fibreglass front door. I have Resene Lumbersider for the colour, but what undercoat should I use?

A. Degrease the door surface using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions, and then apply a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat.

Q. I was told about a product you have that can prime/seal old lacquered door frames and skirting boards without the need to sand first, and the paint won't chip. What is this product called?

A. Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer is our recommended adhesion primer for this situation. Allow the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to cure for 48 hours then apply a thin coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel topcoat.

Q. I'm considering recolouring 30 year old anodised bronze aluminium doors and windows. The original bronze is fading and they all look very tired. The location is by the sea and I'm surprised that there is no total loss of the anodising or signs of major oxidation/salt damage. I searched your website and found Resene Imperite 413 which looks to be perfect. I then found your previous questions and answers covered the same topic. However the products recommended vary. For example I see Resene Imperite 503, Resene Armourcote 220 and 221, Resene Uracryl 402 and 400. So can you please advise the latest products? I'd like to spray if possible so can you guide me through preparation and the spray process?

A. My best recommendation is to clean down using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used to label directions, then apply a coat of Resene Armourcote 221 and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 402 or Resene Uracryl 403.

Q. Our front door is cedar and has been left as natural wood and oiled with tung oil. We would like to paint it a gloss black. It is under a veranda roof and is on the south side of the house so doesn't get any sun on it. The door is not exposed to the weather at all. We just need to know what to put on before the gloss paint. We have used a sealer to paint over dark stain before but thought oil might need something different. What should we use as an undercoat or primer?

A. Sand then apply a coat of Resene Wood Primer then apply two coats of Resene Super Gloss Enamel.

If the door was exposed to weathering, painting with a dark colour may cause issues with residual oils migrating to the surface as the door surface would get hot.

Q. What product is the best treatment for brand new internal hollow core rimu doors? We already have existing ones that look like they are vanished with either a semi-gloss or a satin/flat finish. I have purchased Resene Qristal Clear. Is this ok to use?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner used to label directions paying particular attention to areas of hand contact. Then sand to provide a mechanical profile for the new clear system and yes you can then apply Resene Qristal Clear.

Q. I want to paint some ‘closed’ louvre doors. They are currently stained a mid-brown and I want to paint them white. Could you advise what sort of prep work (i.e. undercoats) i would need to use? The final coats will be a semi-gloss Resene White.

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow to cure without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. If there are signs of bleeding of the stain colour please contact Resene Technical for further advice. Then apply two coats of Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl (semi-gloss finish). The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I'm about to renovate four internal core doors. The plywood surfaces are painted and there are a few tiny nicks, small dents and scratches that I'd like to fill before painting. The worst scratch is 2mm wide but only 0.1mm deep and runs for about 200mm. Can you please recommend a procedure for repair and repaint and a list of products I will need? The paint is 25 years old and possibly the original surface. It has a tendency to chip rather than peel or become grazed or marked with an impact which makes me think it is possibly oil based. The same paint is used on wooden window sills (aluminium frame windows). There has been 25 years of moisture seepage from the window frames to the wooden sills due to condensation and heat exchange. The seepage has travelled for about 3-4 mm under the paint. The paint is lifting off in chips rather than being curled up into splinters of paint.

A. It seems that the paint is chipping back to the bare substrate. There is likely to be a build-up of paint and this can cause the very first coat of paint to lose adhesion upon knocking. My suggestion is that it is time for a complete strip and start again.

A heat gun and a tungsten blade scraper is the most efficient way to remove paint from flat areas. For detailed areas a paint stripper is often required.

Use RepairCare Dry Flex SF for filling, this is a two component filler that comes in a cartridge and with a cartridge gun delivers the right quantities of base and hardener which you then mix to a homogenous mix before using, then sand smooth when hard cured. The easiest paint system is a primer coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and two waterborne topcoats, for cladding use Resene Sonyx 101, for windows and joinery use Resene Lustacryl as the topcoats respectively.

Q. I have several window sills and door sills that have the paint (semi-gloss enamel) lifting in thick chunks where the sun shines on them. I don’t think sanding them by hand will be sufficient to remove the paint to repaint the frames. How do you suggest I go about the repaint? How best to do a total strip?

A. A heat gun and a tungsten blade scraper is the most efficient way.

Q. We have many doors in our house painted an awful dark brown. We want to paint them white. What is the best way to paint these interior doors?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner paying particular attention around door handles or push points. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I like your colour Resene Coriander. Can this be used on a front door? Is it suitable? Can it be changed to an exterior finish?

A. Resene colours can be used for interior and exterior painting so I see no issues with using the colour for an exterior door; however I do suggest that you use the Resene CoolColour™ version of the colour applied over a white basecoat such as Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat.

Q. Our front door finish seems brighter than the colour chart colour. We have used a glossy finish. The garage door in the same colour seems duller.

A. Different gloss levels can make the colour seem different even though the colour is identical. A high gloss will make the colour seem brighter and cleaner. If the garage door was a flatter finish it will seem duller and muddier (earthier).

The colour charts and testpots are both done in low sheen paints finish so your front door would likely seem brighter and cleaner than the chart and testpot. If your garage is a lower sheen finish (or weathered so it’s less glossy) it may match the chart better.

The gloss of the front door as it weathers will generally reduce slowly so may bring the colour closer to your garage door. The other option potentially is to equalise the gloss levels – by either making the front door flatter or the garage door glossier.

Q. What prep work do I need to do in order to paint wooden interior doors white? They are very smooth with little imperfections. Also what is the best paint to use and is the best way to paint them to lay them flat and use a roller?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and then sand to give a mechanical key for the new paint. Then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Roll all products with the recommended roller sleeve. There will be roller texture but this is unavoidable.

Q. I’m going to strip all the enamel off my scotia, door/window frames and repaint with a waterbased paint. Do I need to prime beforehand? Also, can I use the same paint system on exterior as well? Or do I need to use enamel on exterior windows?

A. Yes, prime first with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and the same can be used for exterior timber priming.

Q. The home we have bought has had the doors, skirting and architraves painted in enamel and then subsequent owners have painted in acrylic without any preparation. The paint is now peeling in some places.

We have sanded some spots but others seem fine. Do we need to sand every single surface before treating with some primer undercoat or can we paint straight over what's there? We purchased Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat to paint them all with before topcoating with an acrylic gloss.

A. To ensure good adhesion of a new paint then sorry but yes but you will need to sand. This will include the old enamel base coat.

Q. We have bronze aluminium doors and windows from the 70s that we would like to recoat. Is it possible to use one of your epoxy primers and then Resene Armourcote spraying enamel?

A. You can use Resene Armourcote 220 as the primer but this can only be overcoated with a two pack tinted topcoat such as Resene Uracryl 400 series or Resene Imperite I.F. 503.

Q. I am stripping internal doors and repainting by brush, the doors are hollow ply with a smooth surface. I am getting brush drag marks on the final coat. The water based paint seems to be drying very quickly even though the temp is around 16-20 degrees. The drag marks are appearing when I overlap the paint.

A. Waterborne enamels do set up quickly and this can result in brush marking as the wet film open time is short and flow and levelling often does not occur to the extent as seen with traditional solvent borne enamels. The only way to reduce this is to add Resene Hot Weather Additive.

Q. I am painting my doors. The first coat is Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, followed by Resene Quick Dry undercoat, then two coats of acrylic enamel. My question is - do I need to lightly sand after every coat?

A. No unless there is surface contamination. Definitely not needed after the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer has been applied.

Q. I primed a COLORSTEEL® roller door with Resene Galvo One around six months ago but I ran out of time to do the topcoats. The data sheet only mentions 'May be overcoated... anytime over a period of three months'.

Given the time that's passed since the Resene Galvo One went on, is there anything special I need to do before applying the Resene Hi-Glo topcoats? I'm thinking it's going to need a good clean (metal wash)? I have some left. Perhaps a very light sand with 200 grit paper?

Will it need redoing with Resene Galvo-One?

A. Lightly sand using 220 grit sandpaper to provide a mechanical key for the new paint. Scrub down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted and used to label directions. You will have to re-prime before topcoating.

Q. I have a brand new cedar paint quality exterior front door. What product should I use to seal or undercoat it? Then can I use any exterior paint after that? e.g. Resene Sonyx 101 semi-gloss acrylic or should it is waterborne enamel?

A. Use Resene Wood Primer as the primer coat then a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have trimmed the bottom off my pine exterior front door because it dragged on the sill. What type of paint should I prime or undercoat and topcoat the bare timber with?

A. Use Resene Wood Primer, two coats if an exterior door.

Q. I want to paint Sapelle Mahogany veneer interior doors. The house was built in 1985 and I'm sure the doors are original. In that era they would have sprayed with solvent based polyurethane I guess which is in very sound condition. What preparation is needed to paint them with Resene Enamacryl?

A. Using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner ensure the surfaces to be painted are clean and free from grease, paying particular attention to hand contact areas. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and allow curing without water contact for at least 48 hours before overcoating. Then apply two coats of Resene Enamacryl. Roll all coats using the recommended roller sleeve.

The new paint system will take five days to develop good initial adhesion and will continue to cure for an additional three weeks until full cure occurs. In the early stages the paint surface will not have good resistance to cleaners or abrasion as these features develop as the film undergoes curing.

Q. I am planning to paint some internal windows and door frames that were painted 20 years ago in enamel paint. Can I paint over these with the new generation water based enamels?

A. Yes, clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner and sand the old enamel, then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry Primer Undercoat and then finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel, such as Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss or Resene Enamacryl gloss.

Q. Can I use waterborne enamel on internal doors?

A. Yes but if the existing paint finish is a traditional solventborne enamel the following is recommended: clean down all areas using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner paying particular attention around door handles or areas of hand contact. Sand to provide a key for the new paint system, and then apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then finish with the two coats of waterborne enamel.

Q. I want to repaint some cedar French doors using enamel paint. What sealer/primer is best to use?

A. We recommend Resene Wood Primer for bare cedar.

Q. We want to repaint some sliding wardrobe doors in our daughter's bedroom. They were put in by the previous owner so I'm not sure what they're made of. I'm guessing MDF but could be wood as they seem very heavy. They look like they were professionally spray painted originally and I'm wondering whether it would work to paint them ourselves using a brush/roller, or do we need to get them spray painted again?

A. Sand the doors to provide a key for the new paint system then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat then finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl (roll all coats to give the best finish).

Q. What paint is recommended to spray new internal doors? The colour is Resene Rice Cake and I want a semi-gloss to low gloss. The doors are timber and plywood; they came preprimed.

A. We have Resene Lustacryl (waterborne semi-gloss) or Resene Lusta-Glo (solventborne enamel); while both can be sprayed they are formulated mainly for brush/roller application.

Q. Some parts of the door frames have been painted with oil based paint. Can we apply a product then paint over with water based paint?

A. Clean down the frames with Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner following label directions, sand with 180 grit sandpaper, dust off and apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel.

Q. I want to refresh doors and window surrounds, skirtings etc. in my home. They have initially been painted in oil based enamel but I want to freshen them to white. Someone told me I will have to use oil based enamel. Someone else told me to ask Resene as they think it could be easier to 'seal' it with a coat of sealer then you can use a water based enamel instead. Could you advise please if the latter is true and if so what is the sealer please?

A. You can use a waterborne enamel such as Resene Enamacryl as the new topcoat. Assuming there is no flaking or mould then wash down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and sand to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system. Apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Enamacryl.

Q. I have painted some doors in my house with Resene Half Spanish White and then with two coats of Resene Write-On Wall Paint. It's working okay, but once rubbed off, often leaves a black cloud like residue and I think I might not have painted the whiteboard paint on thickly enough. I have one other door to do now and want to put another coat of whiteboard paint onto the doors I have already done, to give them an extra coating. How do I prepare the surface of the doors that already have whiteboard paint on them?

A. Wipe down with a cloth and meths to remove all traces of whiteboard eraser residues then wet sand using 220 wet and dry paper. Take care not to sand through to the underlying pigmented coat but just enough to dull off the Resene Write-On Wall Paint clear. Allow to dry and wet wipe to remove dust then re-apply the Resene Write-On Wall Paint clear.

Q. Is it possible to paint over melamine kitchen doors? If so does Resene have a paint product that you recommend?

A. The following paint system can be used for painting laminates such as Melteca®. Scrub down using a cleaner such as Jif® and remove all residues. Wet Sand with 400 wet and dry sandpaper taking care not to unduly scratch the laminate surface. Rinse clean and allow to dry then apply Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (this only needs to be a thin coat and will not achieve opacity over the laminate colour). Allow to cure for 48 hours then undercoat with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. For best result roll the topcoats using a Resene No.4 roller sleeve. The paint system will take at least five days to develop adhesion and harden, and full cure requires a month. The painted surface will not have the hardness properties of the original laminate.

Q. Can I stain over interior doors that have been gloss painted?

A. You would need to totally remove the paint or varnish system first.

Q. We have just put in an oak front doorstep. What is the best product to protect it while keeping the natural oak colour? We need something that will provide really good protection. It is currently stained, however the wood developed black spots within a day. I presume this is because we are close to the west coast and we have a lot of ironsand around our place and the wood has reacted with the metal in the sand.

A. The black spots are referred to are probably sap staining and may leave a permanent stain even if treated with a bleach solution such as diluted Resene Moss & Mould Killer. We do not recommend any water white clear system for any type of exterior timber. We recommend treating the stains with Resene Moss & Mould Killer diluted and used to label instructions then apply two coats of a Resene Woodsman Wood Oil colour. You could choose a colour close to the timber colour.

Q. What is the best way to prep old varnished interior doors and door frames prior to painting?

A. Degrease using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner, taking particular care around handles where hand contact occurs. Apply an adhesion coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Adhesion will take at least 7 days to develop and the paint will continue to harden for an additional 3 weeks.

Q. I'm painting the inside of my house and have bought the paint but I need to do the doors and they have all been painted in enamel. I hate painting with enamel. Do you have an acrylic paint which will do the job please (fingers crossed)?

A. I suspect the issue you had related to prep and not the paint. You will need to remove the failed topcoats and sand the old enamel then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel. For the best finish roll the waterborne enamel topcoats.

Q. I want to change the colour of our internal window/door trim. The trim has previously been painted with oil based enamel and is in good condition. Can I lightly sand and then paint straight over with water based acrylic paint?

A. Degrease and sand to provide a mechanical key for the new paint system. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel such as Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen or Resene Lustacryl.

Q. NZBC D1 and NZS 4121 state that doors must have a colour contrast for visually impaired people. The contrast needs to be 30% based on LRV values. Do you know of a formula that I can apply to check this based on the LRVs?

A. LRV (Light Reflectance Values) do work on a 0-100% scale and are a measure of what the colour looks like. So if you need a contrast of 30% LRV then you would need a colour of say 40 LRV and 70 LRV to give the required colour contrast difference of 30% LRV.

However if you have an LRV change of 30 you could end up with a dark green and a lighter green, which wouldn't necessarily be enough contrast for someone who is colourblind. Ideally as well as a strength difference, you would also use contrasting colours (e.g. yellow with blue), different sheen levels and good lighting to help emphasise the colour contrast.

In our colour codes – e.g. B54-058-237 The '54' is the luminance (which is similar in many ways to LRV), the middle part '058' is the saturation and the '237' is the position on the colour wheel. Each of those elements can be used to compare colours to add additional contrast.

LRVs only normally apply to solid colour finishes, not stained finishes. Some suppliers measure LRV by different standards, so if you are comparing LRV across two brands that will be used side by side and need to be contrasting you may need to check how they are measured or do a visual check to ensure they provide sufficient contrast.

You can view Resene colours by reflectance value in our online colour library - this would give you a quick reference to what colours at various LRV values look like.

Q. Where we have used Resene Lustacryl on interior doors with wood grain pattern but not true wood and we want to paint after 11 years, do we need to prime again or can we just apply a further two coats? This product has been very good but with family wear and tear and EQC work we would like to repaint the doors to be in line with the rest of the house.

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to label directions then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat before recoating with Resene Lustacryl.

Q. We are demolishing an old house on a property in the country and were going to remove the old doors which have a lot of character and use them as tabletops in a cellar. I am assuming they haven't been painted for 40 years so would have been painted with lead paint. Is there any danger in using them if we just clean them up with soap and water as they are very dirty? Also once cleaned is there any risk to anyone if the paint is left undisturbed?

A. There will be a risk of lead release if the paint layer is chalked or disturbed. Cleaning down with water and a detergent should not pose any appreciable risk again as long as the paint surface is sound. However we cannot comment on the future risk of lead contamination if the old painted surface is used as a table surface but would suggest that the paint should be removed to avoid any future risk. This is best undertaken by a commercial paint stripping business.

Q. I bought a house with aluminium ranch sliders painted with a waterborne gloss exterior paint. The paint is chipping and peeling. Do you have a product for me to strip it off?

A. You could use a 3M Rust and Paint Removal Disc (this is attached to an electric drill). This may be quicker and easier to use then liquid paint strippers. You just need to be careful not to unduly damage the base metal.

Q. I have several one piece panel doors to repaint that have been previously spray painted in a relatively new home. They are a colour similar to Resene Double Tea or Resene Napa and are to be repainted white. They have had two coats of Resene Lustacryl white so far brushed on but the original colour is still showing through as are the paint lines where the joins would be. Will another coat solve this or do I need a coat of primer or something else?

A. It is relatively easy to over extend Resene Lustacryl and this is possibly why you are not achieving coverage as easily as you may have expected. If the product is being applied beyond the recommended application rate then this will lead to a reduced dry film thickness and coverage per coat. We recommend you apply another coat as you appear to be very close to blocking out the original colour.

Q. What is the best undercoat to use on old shiny enamel paint on doors and skirting boards? We have lightly scuffed the surface with sandpaper.

A. We recommend Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat, which can be topcoated with waterborne and solventborne enamels.

Q. Our front door has been painted in, I think, a two pack finish. The problem is it has become very dull and lost its shine on the outside. Do you know if I can fix this? If I wet the painted surface with water the original colour returns.

A. If the original colour returns when the painted surface is wet, it suggests that the paint has chalked due to exposure to weathering rather than colour fade. Scrub the surface down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label directions, allow to dry then apply a full coat of a Resene Uracryl 400 Series UVS Gloss or Semi-Gloss Clear.

Q. I have a COLORSTEEL® roller door that I would like to paint. It's in reasonable condition but the colour is faded and is easy to mark. I'm going to waterblast and scrub with Resene Roof and Metal Wash but need advice on the paint to use. Does it need to be primed first and what paint is most suitable for a topcoat? Any paint used obviously needs to cope with the door being rolled up every day.

A. Wash down as you have described to leave a chalk free surface. Apply a full coat of Resene Galvo One and then finish with two coats of Resene Hi-Glo or Resene Sonyx 101.

Q. I have an exterior laundry plywood door that I've sanded back and filled in the cracks. I know I should use an oil based undercoat before the two colour topcoats. I have 3L of Resene Sureseal pigmented sealer in my garage and was wanting to know if I can use that as my oil based undercoat instead of having to buy another 4L. The information on the tin doesn't mention wood or plywood but does say hardboard. Would this guard it well enough from the direct sunlight and weather it sees most of the day?

A. Resene Sureseal can be used as a sealer for timber but it does not have the timber protective properties of Resene Wood Primer. If you did use it you would have to overcoat with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat before topcoating, unless the door receives no direct exposure to the weather.

Q. I have a new smooth aluminium entry door. I don't like the colour. Is there any way I can change to a dark grey or charcoal colour?

A. Prime with Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours before applying a Resene waterborne enamel such as Resene Lustacryl. Note that the Resene Lustacryl will take at least five days to develop reasonable adhesion and full cure will take four weeks. In the early stages care will be required not to damage the new paintwork.

Q. We have a new fibreglass exterior door which we are painting on the inside as well. What products do I need please? I wish to paint the door a bright red.

A. Prepare by washing with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label directions. Then apply a prime coat of Resene Armourcote 221 and finish with two coats of Resene Uracryl 403.

Q. I bought a new house and it has wooden interior doors that are not painted and are plain wood with possible varnish. Is there a way we can paint these without having to sand them? i.e. is there a special type of priming paint needed/available?

A. Clean down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner then apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl. The paint system will take at least seven days to achieve good adhesion and continue to cure with final film properties being achieved after a total of four weeks. To avoid brush marking apply the Resene Lustacryl by roller. In summer addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive is required to achieve a reasonable open time.

Q. I have an aluminium sliding door in good condition but I need to change the colour. What Resene product do I use?

A. Degrease using Resene Roof and Metal Wash diluted and used following label directions. Apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for at least 24 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. The adhesion of the top coats will take time to develop so care to avoid damage will be required for the first two weeks post application.

Q. I have some Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. And I want to repaint an aluminium front door. The door is painted in the same system as the aluminum joinery, though in our house it is a different colour.

When I used these two paints with a brush to paint some outdoor fittings I can see brushstrokes from about 1.5m away. How do I paint the door without seeing brushstokes when it is dry?

A. Waterborne enamels do dry very quickly and this can result in brush marking. This can be reduced by addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive. If the door is flat then rolling will give the best finish if spraying is not an option.

Q. Can I paint an aluminium ranch slider and windows? Our house is 1940s with wooden joinery, and the ranch slider probably dates to 1980s. I think it's anodised.

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label directions then apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer and leave to cure for 48 hours then apply 2 coats of Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel.

Q. I have undercoated my French doors with acrylic undercoat paint. Can I put oil based topcoat on them (on the outside)?

A. Yes you can overcoat with an oil based enamel but for exterior exposure you can only use the gloss enamel.

Q. Our 10-15 year old front door is made of plastic but has a wood look texture finish. The paint finish has pulled off in places. How do I refurbish?

A. Remove failing paint and clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash. Apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer and finish with two coats of a Resene waterborne enamel Resene CoolColour™™ version of the colour if available.

Q. When using a waterbased enamel on interior window and door frames, I have had trouble getting a smooth finish without brushstrokes. I have a good quality brush and have learned that you cannot go back over the paint as it goes off really quickly. I have also tried using a small roller, but do not like the finish as much. The woodwork I have been painting has a sealer applied to it first as I am painting out all the natural wood to lighten up the place. The paint also seems to take a few coats to cover the sealer/wood underneath, particularly on the skirtings. Do you have any pointers or advice for me?

A. Brushmarking is unfortunately a negative feature of application of waterborne enamels. This is due to the shorter open time. Open time can be increased by addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive. Also when brushing apply a liberal wet coat, lay off and try to avoid going back over the area.

Q. My question is about old French doors that have varnish on them. There are mould and ugly black stains. How do I fix the problem? Can I use stain to revive the timber and apply vanish on the top?

A. The mould growth and staining is likely to be beneath the varnish layer. The only way to address this is to completely strip the varnish from the timber, treat the timber with Resene Moss & Mould Killer, stain with Resene Colorwood stain then apply three coats of varnish.

If the doors are exterior then a solid paint finish should be applied. After carrying out the above prep, prime the bare wood with Resene Wood Primer, apply an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry primer undercoat and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have a door which was purchased in the USA. It's made of fibreglass and I want to know if you have a paint or stain which would be suitable for that material. The door is from the ThermaTru brand Fiber Classic Oak.

A. Based on the USA info you can use any Resene exterior acrylic paint; however two painted surfaces cannot come into contact otherwise the painted surfaces will fuse. Alternatively to overcome this use Resene Enamacryl or Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. Scrub the surface down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to label directions prior to painting.

Q. I have a door painted with Resene Lumbersider. Can I paint over it with Resene Lustacryl to give a more durable/suitable finish?

A. Clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash to label then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat before applying the two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I am painting over existing enamel door frames, doors etc and don't know whether I need Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel or Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. Does it purely come down to whether I want a low sheen or semi-gloss finish? What is the latest trend in regard to doors vs walls? Do internal doors and frames now tend to be more semi-gloss, or low sheen like the walls?

A. Traditionally the trend has been for semi-gloss or gloss on doors and trim; however the preference now seems to be towards lower sheen options. There's no wrong choice as long as you are choosing a waterborne enamel. The old rule still applies though, the higher the sheen level the better the durability and cleanaibility. So, yes, it really does come down to your preference. Mine is semi-gloss on doors and trim, low sheen on walls.

Q. I have used a waterborne enamel on interior doors. They now have a 'chalky feel and texture'. Can I paint over them with Resene oil based enamel and what prep should I do?

A. To recoat this with a solventborne enamel, sand to remove surface texture, dust off and apply a full coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and then finish with two coats of the enamel.

Q. Do you have paint that will go on aluminium? It's a door strip to go on an existing aluminium door to stop the rain coming in.

A. Degrease then apply a coat of Resene Galvo-Prime and finish with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Paint system will take at least five days to develop full adhesion.

Q. What is the correct paint system for priming of Melteca/Formica® kitchen doors? Resene Vinyl Etch or Resene Smooth Surface Sealer? Will be followed with Resene Uracryl.

A. If using Resene Uracryl 400 Series as the topcoat you can only use Resene Vinyl Etch as the adhesion primer. Thin the Etch Primer using No.4 Thinner by 15% and apply to achieve a thin coat only.

Q. What paint do you recommend for high wear areas such as door thresholds?

A. Resene enamels (e.g. Resene Super Gloss) or two pack polyurethanes (e.g. Resene Uracryl 400 Series) applied over an appropriate priming system.

Q. What type of sleeve should I use for a flat-pack door using Resene Enamacryl. What is the best filler to use for a very fine fill? Also it seems to be more shiny in some spots then in others. Is there anything I can do to eradicate the heavy brush lines without applying it with a spray gun?

A. Waterborne enamels set up and dry quickly which gives a reduced time for flow and levelling. This can partially be overcome by addition of Resene Hot Weather Additive. For rolling on flat doors use a Resene No.4 roller sleeve with the addition of the Resene Hot Weather Additive.

Q. I have mahogany veneer doors. Can I paint them white but keep a grainy look to the paint?

A. If you apply a standard paint system to a veneer that has surface fissures most of the fissures will not be completely filled.

Q. I want to paint a large front doorstep that is concrete with a smooth finish. It has not been sealed and I would like to use Resene New Denim Blue as the colour. What do you suggest - should it be sealed and then painted? The doorstep is covered but outside. I think it should have a sheen/high sheen finish.

A. Has the concrete had a curing membrane applied? You can check this by splashing water onto the concrete. If it is not immediately absorbed with darkening of the concrete then a curing membrane is present. If a curing membrane is the base the concrete will need to be diamond ground as the surface prep. As you increase the gloss level you also reduce wet slip resistance which is an important consideration when painting a trafficable surface.

If there is no curing membrane prime with Resene Sureseal then apply two coats of Resene Walk-on CoolColour™.

Q. I have a house built in the 80s and it has aluminium interior door frames. What do I use to paint these?

The house also has exposed stained timber exposed beams which we wish to paint again. What do I need to use?

A. Apply a thin coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to the degreased aluminium and allow to cure for 48 hours then apply two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel.

Q. I am working on the skirtings, trimmings, windows and doors. I have sanded them thinking I would use oil based paint. After sanding I have used a pigmented sealer. However, the family now want them to be varnished so we can see the wood grain effect on them. How do I go about this?

A. You would have to strip the pigmented sealer off using a paint stripper or thoroughly sand.

Q. Can I paint with an oil based semi-gloss (e.g. Resene Lusta-Glo) over existing Resene Lustacryl used on skirtings and door frames?

A. Yes as long as the Resene Lustacryl is well cured and after a sand to provide a key for the new paint.

Q. I need to repaint old aluminium sliding doors and windows, after filling the pits from years of sea salt. Does Resene have such a product?

A. You will need to apply a coat of Resene Galvo-Prime as the primer then follow with two coats of Resene Enamacryl Silver Aluminium to give the metallic finish.

Q. I would like to paint a high gloss but deteriorated varnished wooden front door. It has eight panels that are carved so it is not possible to sand and paint stripping is also rather difficult because of all the crevices. Is there some product I can use to 'de-gloss' and provide a good base for paint to adhere to?

A. You can use Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer as the adhesion primer. I would leave the adhesion primer to cure for 48 hours before overcoating. However the existing varnish must be tightly adherent to avoid detachment when the new paint system is applied.

Q. I have doors painted in Resene Zylone Sheen and am wondering if I can paint Resene Lustacryl over it. If so does it just need a light sand and 1 or 2 coats? The colour is the same.

A. Yes but suggest that the existing paint is cleaned down (pay particular attention to areas of regular hand contact) using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner. Apply an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat before applying the Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have timber framed bi-fold doors and windows so half exposed to the exterior and half interior. The door/window manufacturer recommends oil based paint. I am looking for a semi-gloss white (Resene Alabaster or equivalent) oil based product that is suitable for exterior and interior surfaces.

A. I can understand why door manufacturers would recommend oil based priming and undercoating systems but solventborne semi-gloss enamels chalk rapidly upon exposure to the weather and UV. We recommend Resene Lustacryl for exterior use if a semi-gloss finish is require. Resene Lustacryl is a water borne enamel. It can be used as the finish coats over oil based priming systems.

Q. I have just fitted a new wooden front door. I have varnished the exterior side but was wondering if I can paint white on the inside face of door? All my interior doors are white as well as my architraves. Is this the norm or should I have a varnished inside as well?

A. Usually the exterior face of wooden doors are painted with a solid colour as varnish will undergo degradation if exposed to full weathering. However there are no hard and fast rules, it comes down to personal choice.

Q. We have just bought a house and the previous owners have stripped the rimu door frames and window frames and skirting and architraves back to rimu then oiled them with a Danska Teak Oil. We want to paint over them and go back to a white colour. We have heard that there can be issues with this. Is there any process we can do to be able to paint over these?

A. The Danska Teak Oil should have dried to a hard film. If there is mould growth present then treat with Resene Moss & Mould Killer following the label directions, sand with 220 grit sandpaper, dust off then prime with Resene Wood Primer. Apply an undercoat of Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat then you can apply two coats of either a solvent or waterborne topcoat.

Q. I have varnished wooden internal doors and would love to put a whitewash stain or a lighter wood stain on them. Would a stain work or am I best to paint them? What's the best way to remove the varnish?

A. If you want to stain the doors then the varnish will have to be completely removed using a paint stripper. Clean the doors down using Resene Interior Paintwork Cleaner paying particular attention to areas around door knobs where hand contact has occurred. You can apply Resene Colorwood Whitewash, after sanding the varnish, to give a whitewash effect. To paint apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer, allow to cure for 48 hours then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. With the latter paint system you may get brush marking if brush application is used so we suggest rolling, assuming the doors are smooth.

Q. I have purchased an aluminum front door and don't like the colour. Am I able to paint it?

A. Yes, the aluminium is probably powdercoated. Ensure the surface is clean then prime with Resene Vinyl Etch primer followed by two coats of a Resene Uracryl 400 Series topcoat.

Q. I seek your advice on how can I repaint four huge wooden doors in front of the temple hall. The doors look like they are painted with Resene Qristal Clear Poly-Gloss. Has a yellow look/shining. Condition is still reasonably good. Can I just paint over the current varnish without having to sand?

A. If you want to repaint using a solid colour then clean down using Resene Paint Prep and Housewash following label/data sheet directions. Lightly sand the dust off and apply a coat of Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer (note the product is thin and not designed to give high film build or opacity). Leave the Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer to cure for 48 hours ensuring good ventilation then apply a coat of Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl waterborne enamel. For best results roller apply the Resene Quick Dry and Resene Lustacryl.

Q. Can I paint with an oil based semi-gloss (Resene Lusta-Glo) over existing Resene Lustacryl used on skirtings and door frames?

A. Yes, as long as the Resene Lustacryl is well cured after a sand to provide a key for the new paint.

Q. If a door has already been painted for some years with Resene Lustacryl am I able to just fine sand the paint surface and then overcoat using the same paint and colour?

A. Scrub down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash diluted as per label instructions then sand with 220 grit sandpaper before recoating.

Q. We wish to prime the window cutouts in solid (pine) core exterior doors. In the bad old days we would have used pink primer; what is the product of choice now?

A. We still recommend a turps thinned primer – Resene Wood Primer.

Q. We have tawa doors right through the house which my husband does not want to paint over. Could you please let me know the best product to blond these doors? We want to get them lighter but still keeping the grain which is quite nice in the doors we have.

A. Our standard recommendation for blonding is to apply Resene Colorwood Rock Salt then overcoat with either Resene Aquaclear or Resene Aquaclear with added Resene Colorwood Enhance White until the blonding intensity is achieved.

Q. I have a house full of 30 year old anodised and very badly oxidised aluminium window and door frames. What would you recommend I use to clean and paint them please? They are a darkish coppery colour and I am hoping to paint them a modern soft charcoal colour.

A. Wash well with hot water, detergent and water and rinse. Wet and dry sand to remove ALL white corrosion product. Take care to sand pitted areas especially well. Remove all sanding dust/oxides. Prime with two coats of Resene Armourcote 221 and then apply two coats of Resene Uracryl 403 tinted to your selected colour.

Q. I have a new fibreglass external main door. I have purchased Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss waterborne enamel. Can I use this on the fibreglass door, with or without a sealer or undercoat?

A. Sand the door with 240 grit sandpaper and dust off then prime with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat. If sanding isn't possible you can degrease with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash and then apply Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat and follow with two coats of Resene Lustacryl. Use the Resene nook and cranny roller No.4 sleeve.

Q. Whenever I have painted interior woodwork and doors in the past I have used oil based enamel as I believed it dried with a very hard surface. I have specified it to be used by a professional painter in a new house I am having built and he assures me that acrylic paint will do just as good a job and be much better for health and the environment.

A. The low VOC (volatile organic content) of waterborne paints certainly are better for the environment and the applicator. However once the solvents have gone from the solventbased enamels there is no ongoing VOC issue. Resene has also moved to producing lower odour enamels formulated on solvents with almost no aromatic hydrocarbon content. This change significantly reduces the health and safety issues associated with application of this type of paint. There are two general types of waterborne paint, conventional and cross linking. The latter are sold as waterborne enamels.

In terms of hardness the conventional acrylic is the lowest and the solventborne enamel the hardest; the waterborne enamels sit above the conventional acrylic but do not match the solventborne enamel.

The selection of which enamel to use, waterborne or solventborne, really depends upon the expected wear factors and personal philosophy on environmental impact. If you are wanting to maximise hardness then I would go with the solventborne enamel but accept the fact that these do release a higher VOC.

Q. I am painting the interior of my house and want to know for the doors should I be using an enamel or waterborne enamel paint?

A. Traditional solventborne enamels are more wear resistant than the waterborne version but many DIY users prefer to use a waterborne paint due to the solvents released from a solventborne paint.

Q. I have a customer with a new fibreglass entrance door to be painted and the manufacturer recommends oil based paints. Are you able to let me know what paints I need to use to get a finish that will last?

A. The manufacturer’s recommendation to use oil based paints is based on achieving adhesion of paint to the fibreglass door skin. The down side of oil-based paints is that they are prone to chalking upon exterior exposure to full weathering. In this case you could use Resene Enamel Undercoat as the base coat then apply 2 coats of a Resene waterborne enamel finish as the top coat. This will give a longer time to the onset of chalking of the exposed top coat.

Q. Please advise if internal solid and hollow core doors should have their tops and bottoms painted. Is there a NZS or BRANZ requirement or is it just considered best trade practice of what a competent painter would do?

A. There is a NZS that does state that the top and bottom of doors are to be painted or at least sealed with a primer or undercoat. In my opinion this is a must for bathroom doors and doors with an external face as this reduces the possibility of water uptake which can cause dimensional changes to occur.

Q. I am repainting all the door frames in my 25 year old house. Do I need to undercoat first or just apply two topcoats of Resene waterbased paint?

A. I would always suggest using an undercoat such as Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat in this situation. The existing paint is more than likely an old enamel finish so after degreasing ensure that the old paint is sound and well sanded then apply the Resene Quick Dry undercoat followed by the two coats of waterborne enamel finish. For flat doors roller application using a Resene No 4 roller sleeve will give the best finish.

Q. I have Resene oil-based soft sheen on the wooden doors in my house. Have now painted them with Resene SpaceCote Low Sheen waterborne enamel. Big problem is that paint is just scratching off with my fingernail after 3 days.

A. To ensure adhesion of a new coating over old or well cured enamels, the surface needs to be thoroughly sanded before recoating and then undercoated with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat before application of the Resene waterborne enamel finish.

Most doors are generally finished in a semi-gloss finish.

Q. Do you paint the top surface of doors?

A. The standard for painting does state that the top and bottom edges of doors are to be painted as this reduces moisture uptake from these edges. It used to be standard trade practice but seems to have become less common.

Q. A house I have been asked to look at has had its interior door and window frames sealed with waterborne enamel and topcoated with two coats of oil so no sealer/undercoats have been used. It was painted about 6 months ago. What can I do to fix or will it be ok? What will happen to these surfaces in the longer term because of this?

A. I assume by oil you mean an oil based enamel topcoat. There should be no real issue of adhesion of the oil based topcoat to the waterborne enamel basecoat as long as there was only a short interval between the applications. For internal timber we recommend application of a dedicated wood primer or enamel undercoat before top coating. It’s difficult to make any comments on long term issues without more detail on where the substrates are located within the house, the specific products used and whether it was a repaint or new work.

Q. I need to paint some doors that have been polyurethaned. What sort of sealer would I need to use?

A. We recommend Resene Waterborne Smooth Surface Sealer. This product is designed as an adhesion promoter to help the rest of the paint system to stick to the surface. Please note that the product is not designed to give a high film build or have high opacity.

Q. I have previously used a waterborne enamel in 'white' to paint both interior and exterior of cedar window and door joinery. In order to get a decent white coverage we needed to use four topcoats. Joiners that I have spoken to have said that an oil based topcoat should be used to get better coverage and better performance.

A. Coverage has nothing to do with the paint type, it is about the application rate of the paint. For cedar you will need to prime with solventborne Resene Wood Primer and then I suggest that you undercoat with Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat and then you should only need to apply two coats of a white topcoat to get coverage.

Q. Could you please advise the best way to prep existing door jambs and windowsills that have been painted in an oil based enamel? We have sanded and de-glossed it is that enough? We have replaced all trim/mouldings and skirtings and would prefer to repaint in a waterborne enamel but are not sure about the older oil based enamel.

A. Sanding is the usual prep for recoating old enamel paints, dust off or wipe down after sanding with a damp cloth, allow to dry then prime the prepared enamel paint with Resene Quick Dry waterborne primer undercoat then apply two coats of the waterborne enamel topcoat.

Q. We are building a new house. The paint specified for the internal doors, skirtings and architraves is Resene Lustacryl semi-gloss enamel. Our builder has suggested that we change the paint system to Resene Lusta-Glo as they believe it would give a superior finish.

A. The faster dry of a waterborne enamel such as Resene Lustacryl compared to a solventborne product such as Resene Lusta Glo does make it more difficult to achieve a brush mark free finish when applying the waterborne enamel compared to application of Resene Lusta-Glo. Waterborne enamels are often preferred as they dry faster and have very low solvent levels.

Q. I have a set of aluminium metal doors (ranchsliders) that are a terrible colour. Can I paint them with some sort of metal paint to cover them for a while until I replace them?

A. Yes you can. Wash the metal down with Resene Paint Prep and Housewash, rinse off with clean water and lightly wet sand using 400 wet and dry paper, wash down with water and wipe clean then prime with Resene Galvo One followed by two coats of Resene Lustacryl.

Q. I have just put Resene TimberLock on our badly weathered cedar front door. What I want to know is can I sand it down again before painting? Do I need to use a solventborne undercoat or can I use a waterborne undercoat such as Resene Quick Dry? I will use Resene Enamacryl as the topcoat.

A. I would not recommend sanding the Resene TimberLock. If asked I would have suggested sanding prior to application of the Resene TimberLock. If you do sand it then reapply a thin coat of TimberLock to the sanded surface. We recommend using Resene Wood Primer followed by Resene Quick Dry Waterborne Primer Undercoat prior to applying the waterborne enamel topcoat. The Resene Quick Dry is recommended as an undercoat to achieve the best adhesion of the Resene Enamacryl to the surface.