The Black Doors
Interior black doors....Controversial? Trendy? Who cares!
I personally, am someone who changes my mind about things quickly and can get tired of things faster than I would like to admit out loud, but it is true. I have also learned that when it comes to things like home decor you should do what you love and not worry about what others think!
Are black doors trendy? I am actually not sure, I am usually a few years behind on the trends so I again say do what you want with your home!
Are black interior doors controversial? Meh, probably, you will either love it or not and again, that is ok!
I was not sure how I would ultimately feel about it, but I went with my gut and painted them black and you know what, I was shocked at how much I love them. While white doors feel clean and fresh, there is a sense of luxury with the black doors with the gold hardware. There is a grounding warmth they bring, that I did not expect.
Link to go handles can be found here,
I do believe the key to black doors is contrast. White/light colored trim and walls, gold or silver hardware, and a lighter floor color.
So how do you paint doors black?
1. Choose you black, it is amazing how many black colors there are.
You will have cooler tones that will pick up blues and you have warmer blacks, which is what I ultimately went with.
Take multiple samples to your house where you plan to have the door and check you colors in the correct lighting! This is important!
2. Choose your sheen,
I did not want a high shine but I wanted to still be able to clean them, as dust will show more on a black door.
A shinier sheen with clean up better but I wanted the softer look of the eggshell.
We were told not to do flat with the black color....I do not know why though
3. Make sure you are painting on latex paint with latex paint. If your doors were painted with an oil based paint, latex paint will just peel right off and it will be a huge mess.
Use rubbing alcohol on the paint, if it comes off, it is latex, if it does not come off it is oil based and you will need to use a primer that can be used on oil based paint but can be painted over with latex. Kilz has a primer that can do this. Or you will need to use an oil based paint.
4. Prep your doors
Clean them
Prime them if necessary (some doors are sold pre primed)
If you have to prime, get your primer tinted a darker color! This will reduce the number of total coats needed at the end.
5. Time to Paint, Option 1!
Use a brush first on the detailed parts as well as any corners and crevices.
Use a small foam roller on the edges and all the flat surfaces
6. Time to Paint, Option 2!
If you have a paint sprayer and have the space I recommend looking into getting Stak Racks from Amazon (or a similar set up). With these you can paint both sides at one time and stack multiple doors on top of each other to dry. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077G3C9B7?ref=nb_sb_ss_w_as-ypp-ro-model_ypp_ro_model_k0_1_7&=undefined&crid=DU0NZLBZZKVT&sprefix=stak%2Bra&th=1
You can also lean the doors up against a wall and spray one side at a time.
7. 2-3 coats needed
With darker colors you will need 2 coats for sure but many will need 3 coats for full coverage!
If you are using a paint sprayer that requires you to thin the paint, you will need 3-4 coats of paint.
The amount of paint will depend on how many doors you plan to paint. I used less than half of a gallon on 3 doors, one door double sided, 2 coats on each as well as two coats on bathroom cabinets. If you are just doing a couple doors I recommend just getting 1 quart to start.
Want to see more of this in action? Head to my Instagram! I have my black door stories saved for you to go watch!
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