Painting a panelled door

[flirty41]

What's the best way of painting a panelled door? Yes, I know, with a brush and paint! But, seriously, I seem to recall that there is a certain way of doing this to get the best results. Anyone know? Thanks.

[ralph1953]

Hi Flirty - I clicked on this to make the short answer (after reading too many planted questions) then I read the whole question and reached for my copy of The Practical Handyman Apparently, you do the panels first; then the the vertical pieces in the middle (called muntings!!) then the horizontal "rails" (top, middle and bottom); lastly, the "stiles" (the verticals, left and right.) All of these should be painted from top to bottom. Remember, preperation is everything; you'll only get a good result if you remove all the old paint, or at least rub it down - otherwise just spray it with a couple of cans from Halfords!

[xyzzyplugh]

Maybe remove the door and lay it flat. But seriously, Flirty, get a pro' to do it or else look up and learn about 'Laying off' and how to avoid runs etc. :-)

[flirty41]

Thanks boys! xyzzy, a pro costs money, and I'm sure with Ralph's excellent instructions and a bit of faith, I can save myself that money and do the job just as well (I hope!). Thanks again!