Pay particular attention to preparing the bottom of the frame to ensure the finished surface is as good as the rest. Clear away all flaking paintwork and dirt, right back to bare wood if necessary. Flaking and general deterioration are caused by moisture from condensation running down the glass and mixing with the dust that collects on the frame. Prepare this part of the frame well or it will only deteriorate soon after being repainted. Prime bare wood before using undercoat and gloss. Always brush about 3mm of paint onto the glass to prevent moisture getting into the putty and breaking it up. You may find it easier to use a cutting-in brush, specially angled for this job. Alternatives are a metal paint shield, which you rest on the glass at the correct distance from the frame, or masking tape.

If you use masking tape make sure to remove it while the paint is still tacky. If you leave it until the paint is dry you run the risk of pulling away the paint on the frame. The general rule for painting frames is to paint any surfaces which show inside the room when the window is open in the interior colour.

First remove handles, keyhole plates, finger plates and coat hooks to give yourself an uninterrupted surface. If you try to paint round these they will cause a build-up of paint, leading to unsightly runs. Clean out the keyholes to remove dirt and grease, which otherwise will be picked up on the brush and transferred to the rest of the work. It is a good idea to paint the top of the door as well, because although it is not normally visible it will make cleaning that much easier. Open the door and fix it in position with a wedge underneath, leaving both hands free for painting. This will also ensure the door stays where it is until the paint has dried. Plan to finish painting each area in one session to avoid the edge line showing up where painting is restarted.

Panel doors
Preferably use a 50mm brush, although you can use a 25mm one to make it easier to cut into mouldings. Don’t overload the brush when painting the mouldings, as a build-up of paint will cause runs.

Flush doors
A 60mm or 75mm brush is best; if you prefer, a pad or suitable roller can be used. Any of these will enable you to complete the work quickly and join up all the edges before they start to dry. When painting hinges, clean out the newly painted screw slots with a screwdriver before the paint has started to dry. Wipe the blade immediately after use. Clearing the slots is essential as you may want to remove the door at a later stage or adjust the hinges.

Some textured papers provide an ideal surface on which to paint, but thinner types can present problems.

Make sure the paper is well stuck down because the paint can soften the paper and cause it to bubble. The safest way to check the possible results is first to paint a small inconspicuous area, such as behind a piece of furniture permanently placed against the wall. If bubbles result you will either have to make minor repairs to the paper in the same way as for ceiling bubbles or strip off the paper completely. You may find the texture or pattern of some papers will still show through, even after two or three coats of paint, and seams between lengths that were overlapped when hung will become more evident.

General preparation

For general woodwork wash down the surface with sugar soap, washing soda or a proprietary paint cleaner, rinse off with plenty of clean water and allow to dry thoroughly. Fill in any cracks or holes in the wood with a proprietary wood filler. Make a key for the new paint by lightly rubbing down the old gloss to remove the shine with medium fine wet and dry glasspaper wrapped round a wood or cork block. Lightly wet the glasspaper to reduce the spread of dust and rub with the grain. With painted walls wash down as for woodwork to remove all grease and dirt. If gloss paint has been used previously, key the surface with wet and dry glasspaper wrapped round a wood or cork block. Fill any cracks in the plaster with proprietary plaster filler, glasspapering smooth when dry. Make good any damaged plaster.

Painting techniques

When you apply free-flowing oil-based paints with a brush, spread and lay off the paint in the following way to avoid runs and sags. Spread a liberal coat using strong pressure on the bristles, finishing with long parallel strokes along the grain. Wiping any surplus paint on the sides of the can or paint kettle, apply lighter strokes across the surface to provide an even spread. Finally lay off with lighter strokes from the tips of the bristles along the original direction. With emulsion paints, which are water-based and usually heavy bodied, or the gel type non-drip gloss paints, use the minimum of brushing out. Apply with even, random strokes to ensure a full application without paint running. Keep the brushing of non-drip gloss to a minimum, as too much brushing or over-stirring will only make the paint too thin. A second coat of gloss can be applied within 12-24 hours. Alternatively leave the paint at least four days to harden, then lightly rub down the surface with fine glasspaper and dust off before applying a second coat. Always wipe the surface of the paint with a rag when dusting off before the second coat.

Painting walls

Paint a complete wall without a break to avoid edges showing through. If you have to stop, make sure you break off when you reach a corner, such as on a chimney-breast. Use a 100 or 130mm brush, paint pad or roller, working away from the natural light to see where you have painted. With emulsion paint work in 300mm deep horizontal strips across the wall in downward strokes, starting at the top. With oil-based paint work in 600mm squares. If the paint is drying too quickly and the edges cannot be joined up in time to avoid unsightly marks, lower the temperature by turning off any heating to slow down drying. Reverse the procedure when work is complete to accelerate drying.