How do you repaint doors, skirting and window frames?

Quick answer: clean, test, sand, prime, then two coats of enamel

Repainting trims comes down to seven steps. Dulux says old oil based gloss must be sanded back to a dull finish before its water-based enamel goes on. Here's the order, drawn from Dulux's product instructions for its 1Step Prep primer and Aquanamel enamel.

1. Clean. Wash the door, frame or skirting with sugar soap. Dulux says to use a scourer on tough stains.
2. Test. Do a tape test on the old paint (it's explained below). Paint that lifts has to come off.
3. Fix. Scrape loose paint, fill cracks, holes and dents, let the filler dry, then sand it smooth.
4. Sand the gloss. Dulux says to sand very glossy surfaces to a dull finish with 240 grit sandpaper, then wipe off the dust.
5. Prime. Spot prime filled patches, and prime any bare timber or MDF.
6. First coat. Brush the edges, corners and panels, then roll the flat areas.
7. Second coat. Let the first coat dry, sand lightly, dust off and recoat.

Dulux lists its Aquanamel Semi Gloss at 30 minutes touch dry and 2 hours to recoat. So two coats on a door can go on in one day. Dulux also says some colours need more than the usual two coats to cover fully, so check the tin for your colour.

The paint: a water-based enamel in gloss, semi gloss or low gloss

Doors, frames and skirting need an enamel. Dulux says enamel is the best choice for doors, windows and trim because it gives a durable, long lasting finish. Water-based enamels are the easy option for a home job. Dulux says its Aquanamel washes up with water, has low odour and won't yellow over time, which makes it easier to live with than oil-based paint.

The bigger choice is how shiny you want the trims. Each sheen trades looks against toughness, and none of them is right for every house. Here's how the makers describe them.

Dulux's sheen guide also says front doors and skirting might need a gloss product for easier cleaning and less marking. And higher gloss can make a colour look lighter than the same colour in low sheen. Test a sample pot in the real sheen. For walls and the full sheen scale, see our guide to low sheen vs semi gloss.

Painting over old gloss: yes, once it passes a tape test and is sanded dull

You can paint over old paint on a door or skirting board, as long as the old paint is sound and the shine is sanded off. New paint sticks to the layer under it. If that layer is loose, the whole lot lifts.

Dulux gives a simple tape test on its 1Step Prep page. Cut a small X through the old paint with a sharp blade. Press sticky tape firmly over the cut, then rip it off. If paint comes away on the tape, Dulux says it's unsound and should be removed. Do the test in a few random spots, not just one.

Old gloss needs extra care. Dulux says its Aquanamel Semi Gloss can go over water or oil based coatings, but oil based coatings must be sanded back to a dull finish first, and the fine print limits that to the Vivid White base. So read the tin. On the Aquanamel page, Dulux's instruction is to lightly sand glossy surfaces dull, remove all the dust, then apply 1Step Prep Water Based where needed.

The Queensland Government says paints with high levels of lead were used in many Australian houses before 1970, so have old paint on an older home tested before you sand it.

Surface by surface: what each trim needs before the topcoat

Each trim surface needs its own prep before the enamel goes on. Bare timber and MDF need a primer. Sound painted trim needs a clean and a light sand. Old gloss needs sanding dull. Aluminium needs a metal primer. This table pulls the makers' instructions together.

On MDF and timber skirting, Dulux's Aquanamel instructions say to sand rough areas smooth, remove the dust and apply one coat of 1Step Prep Water Based. For timber, the 1Step Prep page adds: fill nail holes with a flexible wood filler and sand raised wood fibres smooth.

Painting a door: brush the edges and panels, roll the flat faces

The neatest way to paint a door is to brush the edges, corners and panels first, then roll the big flat areas. British Paints says brushing first makes rolling the larger areas cleaner and easier. Dulux says to use a good synthetic brush or a short nap microfibre roller, and a 5mm microfibre roller on flat areas like doors for a smoother finish.

1. Off or on the hinges. British Paints says to take the door off and lay it flat on sawhorses if you can. If you can't, tape around the hinges and leave the door ajar.
2. Hardware off. Remove handles and knockers, wash with sugar soap, fill cracks and lightly sand off old glossy paint.
3. Brush the detail. Paint the outer edges, corners and any panels with a brush.
4. Roll the faces. Use long, straight strokes. Work steadily to avoid lap marks, and finish with light strokes all in one direction.
5. Don't overwork it. Dulux says to work in manageable sections and stop brushing once the paint starts to dry.
6. Flip and rehang. British Paints says to wait at least 24 hours before flipping a door to do the other side, and to let it dry fully before putting the hardware back.

A six panel door works the same way. Brush the panel edges and grooves first, then roll or brush the flat panels and the rails around them. Lightly sand between coats for the smoothest finish.

Skirting boards and door frames: fill, sand, brush two even coats

Skirting boards and door frames get the same prep as a door, with a brush doing most of the work. They're narrow, so a roller rarely helps. Dulux designed Aquanamel for doors, skirting boards, architraves and trim, and says it holds up to knocks and constant use.

Start with the gaps. Fill nail holes and dents, let the filler dry, sand smooth and spot prime the patches with 1Step Prep, as Dulux instructs. Tape the wall edge or the floor if your hand isn't steady. Then brush two even coats along the length of the board. Light sanding between coats knocks back any dust or brush marks. On a door frame, do the inside edge where the door closes as well, but let it dry before you shut the door.

Don't want enamel at all? Dulux lists Wash&Wear Semi Gloss as an alternative to enamels on doors and skirting boards. It's the same semi gloss look in a wall-paint product, handy if you're doing walls and trims in one go. Our guide to painting a room covers the order for the whole room.

Aluminium window frames: bare metal needs a metal primer, painted frames need advice first

Bare aluminium window frames need a metal primer before any topcoat. Dulux says its Metalshield RFU Etch Primer etches the surface for better adhesion, and it lists aluminium as a surface it suits. The prep is to clean the frame with sugar soap and a Scotch-Brite pad, then rinse with clean water and let it dry.

There are two catches. Dulux says not to put that etch primer on top of existing painted surfaces, so already-painted or coated frames need a different approach. And it has to be applied and dry above 10 degrees, using a compatible Metalshield topcoat. For a coated frame, call Dulux Help and Advice on 13 25 25 before you buy anything.

Upstairs window frames are a working at height job. Over 1,000 Queenslanders are hospitalised each year after falling off ladders, says the Queensland Government, mostly around the home. Safe Work Australia says working at heights is high risk and one of the main causes of death and serious injury in Australia, and Queensland has a code of practice on managing falls that applies to all workplaces. If you can't reach a frame safely from the ground or a small step ladder, stop there. That's a job for a painter with the right access gear.

Front and exterior doors: pick the right enamel and a dry day

A front door gets the same clean, test, sand and two-coat method as an inside door, with two changes. Use an enamel made for outside, and pick your day. Dulux makes its Aquanamel Gloss and Semi Gloss for interior and exterior surfaces. Its low gloss is interior only, so leave that for the inside.

Weather matters more outside. Dulux says not to paint on very cold or humid days, and that rain or overnight dew while the paint dries can damage it. Paint early on a dry day so the door has time to dry before evening. For the finish, Dulux suggests semi gloss to pair with low sheen walls, or a distinctive gloss.

Getting the trims painted for you

Our instant estimate gives a guide range of $2,500 to $6,000 for a standard repaint of the doors, frames and trims across a whole house, including GST. That's a guide, not a quote. The firm price comes after a free site visit.

J. James Painting Contractors has painted Sunshine Coast homes since 1985 and holds QBCC licence 1281728. We work across the Sunshine Coast, including interior painting in Caloundra. See our interior house painting page for what's included, or check the interior painting cost guide for room and whole-house ranges.