Refinishing Your Doors

• 1). Use your hammer and flat tip screwdriver to remove the hinge pins from your doors. Hinge pins connect the 2 sections of each hinge together that allows your doors to swing. Place the flat end of your screwdriver under the edge of the top of the hinge pin. Use your hammer to tap on the handle of the screwdriver. The hinge pin will begin to slide up, allowing you to pull it out. Removing the hinge pins will allow the door to come free from the door frame hinges.
  
  
• 2). Lay one door on a set of saw horses. Use your drill to remove the hinges off the door and to also remove the doorknob. Removing the hardware will make it easier to refinish your doors. Place the hinges and the doorknob in a box or bag to keep from loosing or misplacing your hardware.
  
  
• 3). Place a 150-grit sanding belt on your belt sander. Sand both sides of the door, making sure that you sand with the grain of the door. You will sand from top to bottom or bottom to top. Do not sand from side to side. Keep a firm grip on your belt sander, and do not hold it in one spot for too long. Belt sanders work very quickly and will make a deep groove in your door. You will have to hand sand raised trim and other areas that cannot be sanded with a belt sander.
  
  
• 4). Slide the door so that the edge is hanging out beyond the saw horses. Have a helper hold the door in place so that you can use your belt sander on the edges. Repeat step 3 on the opposite side of the door. Switch sandpaper belts to the 220-grit. Once again quickly sand both sides of each door. The 220- grit sanding belt will give your doors a smooth surface to refinish.
  
  
• 5). Stain your sanded doors. Apply a coat of stain to to one side of the doors, and allow them to dry overnight before staining the opposite sides of the doors. Use a rag or brush to apply your stain and a clean rag to wipe off excess stain. Apply a clear coat polyurethane protector to preserve your stained doors. Use your paint brush and foam roller to apply the clear coat.
  
  
• 6). Paint your sanded doors. Apply a prime coat to your doors before aplying the cover coat. Use a latex primer that is suitable for interior or exterior surfaces. Allow the primer to dry before applying your cover coat. Paint one side at a time, and allow it to dry before painting the other side. Latex paint takes approximately 4 to 6 hours to dry.