Changing the color of a set of doors is a great way to update the look of any interior space. If you’re lucky enough to have interior French doors, you might be feeling a bit daunted by the idea of taking them on as a do-it-yourself job. Fortunately, however, there is a product called “masking liquid” that can make painting French doors that are located anywhere inside your home a much easier job than it would be otherwise! As you read this guide, you’ll see some questions and answers that will help you understand more about masking liquid.
What is the purpose of masking liquid?
If you’ve ever painted, well, anything, you’ve probably found yourself taping off the area beforehand or been forced into scraping off unwanted paint flecks after the job was completed. Both of these options are tedious, frustrating, and may make you decide that painting just isn’t worth it! Masking liquid eliminates the need for either taping or scraping by creating a film over the top of areas you want to protect from excess paint.
How can masking liquid aid with painting French doors?
Because even French doors typically have glass panes of some kind, they can be particularly challenging to paint. Many homeowners don’t want to take on the task of painting around the glass that could easily get paint all over it. By applying masking liquid before you start your paint job, you’ll avoid this potential problem altogether.
How do I put masking liquid on my doors?
The answer to this question depends somewhat on how large the panes of glass in your interior French doors actually are. If you have multiple smaller panes separated by muntins, for example, a 3-inch angle brush is a good application tool. If, however, you have a large single pane with no muntins, you can use a bigger brush of your choosing.
Using your brush of choice, simply put a thick layer of masking liquid onto every part of the glass you want to avoid getting paint on. It will look white, like standard classroom glue, at first. Once the liquid turns clear and gets a filmy appearance, you can begin painting your doors whatever color you’ve decided on.
How do I remove masking liquid?
When you’re done painting your French doors, and they’ve dried completely, use an Exacto knife or a similar tool to remove the masking liquid, which will now be a film, somewhat like a sheet of lamination plastic. Once you’ve loosened an edge, the masking liquid sheet should simply peel away from the glass. If your doors have multiple panes, you’ll have to remove the masking liquid from each section separately.
Now that you know about the magic of masking liquid, you should have no trouble painting any set of French doors in your house! Remember, though, this product isn’t just for doors. You can also use it to paint window panes when you’re working on trim and doing a variety of other projects around the house. Masking liquid can be purchased at nearly any hardware or craft store in your local area.