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You know when you start fixing up one thing and it keeps leeding you to other jobs that now need to be done.. Yep this is one of those jobs. I am replacing my handrail for the front patio, This led to the front door and door frame that had flaky paint straight down to the timber and needed to be fixed. The Screen door is a by product of the modification...
The paint has been flaking since I moved in years ago and I should have done it earlier but other projects kept turning up.
Materials
- 3 of Poly Paint Stripper 1L
- 3 of satin black spray paint
- 2 of satin white spray paint
- 1 of 1 step prep primer and undercoat
- 1 of semi gloss white enamel paint
- Sand paper various grit
- 2m by 1.2m Aluminium fly screen mesh
Tools
- 25mm Paint scraper
- 40mm paint scraper
- Small paint brushes (two sizes)
- brass wire brush
- Screwdriver Flat head and philips head
- Claw Hammer
- Fly Screen roller.
Steps
Step 1
The paint was flaking on my front door, I could use my fingernail to remove the paint and couldnt see a way of fixing it. So the paint had to come off the door. The door frame had severely flaking paint back to the timber. So this also had to go. The screen door was the old style cream door and the flyscreen mesh was perishing in places. All in all everything needed to be brought back to spec.
I really dont know what the previous people used or even how? I havnt seen paint do this before. I really should have tackled it earlier but was in the too hard basket as I knew the whole patio needed fixing.
The paint has been peeling for 13 years and was peeling when I bought the place.
The more I looked the worse I realised it was.
I asked the question to the Bunnings community what colours should I redo and one of the suggestions that came back I was Spray painted screen door by @homeinmelbourne 
I really liked the look and also recognised my screen door style.
Step 2
I really and I mean really wasnt looking forward to stripping the door. Wierdly every time I put the paint stripper (Note to self dont get it on the skin as it BURNS) it really only removed the topmost layer of paint?
The main tools I used, plus a 40mm scraper and in the end a brass fine brush that worked wonders for removing the paint out of the grooves.
Prepped in case stuff fell on the floor.
This was just with the paint scraper without any paint stripper.
That black piece hanging in the air is actually a length of paint removed with paint stripper..
That whole top most part of black paint came off in one piece!
I wasnt sure I was using the paint stripper right until I saw this happen... Do small areas and wait. Dont try to do a larger area and then work through as there is a sweet spot time wise with the softened paint and then it starts hardening again.
Screen door trim to stop the screen door banging. It was coated in a very plasticy stype paint? I removed the timber strip then sliced it with a knife down the center of the strip and peeled it cleanly like a banana. Wierd stuff is all I can think of.
Screen door removed so I can scrape the paint.
Not fun, lots of coats of paint stripper, scrape and then recoat with more paint stripper but gradually it become nicer.
Shocker of old paint, think there were 4 seperate colours all up with I dont know how many coats.
The colours you find underneath.. The blue was only on the inside of the panels and the panels themselves.
Pretty much removed all but how to remove the last or sand it?
Please "Poly Paint stripper" can the cans be made a little different so we dont waste the last of the stripper? lol It was a pain trying to get it all out or is there an easy way to do so?
I ended up using that thin brass wire brush and it worked so easily, it removed the paint from the valleys and the hard to remove sections. I still used the paint stripper first then scrubbed like you would for a steel wool on a dish.
Step 3
Now came the part I was a little nervous about. Replicating a project I has seen on here I have done limited spray painting and limited replacing/making flyscreens before.
I debated which to do first. The White outer edge or the inner black. I chose the black first but looking back I think the outside edge first then the black would have made a cleaner job.
Taped the edge and just realised I really didnt need to as it was going to be painted over later.. mmmm
Other side now.
I generally take photos of what I use. It makes it easy to go back and buy more. Which I had to buy a third one of black as touch ups were needed.
Undercoat for the door and door frame
Top coat for the door and door frame
I really liked how it was coming along.
Time to do the edges.
The satin White I used.
Fault number ?? lol I was lazy and should have taped down all the joins in the paper. It was harder to tape down on the edge as I wanted the channel for the rubber strip that holds the screen in place to be black. The wriggly mesh went right up to the chanel so it was hard to get a clear distinction between the two. If I had done the white first and then the black this wouldnt have been a problem.
Happy with the outcome tho.
This is what happened because I didnt tape all the way along the paper edge.
The door is all painted. Love how the black fools the eyes.
Step 4
Time to paint the front door and put the mesh into the screen door... Painting wasnt a problem. Mesh into the screen door was where my hesitation began. Pure nerves but it felt like it was hanging over my head.
It felt wierd painting over the timber after removing all that paint.
It was satisfying but also a little nooooo at the same time.
First coat done! My sister commented that its a nice shade of yellow... hahahahah Man I hate that colour! But it really proves you need a few undercoats before the final coat. I did two undercoats and two top coats as I had the paint anyway.
Kicked myself as I had forgotten I needed to paint the trim. (It was tucked away in another room all safe)
Time for the screen to be put in.
The instructions say cut 2cm wider then the area needed... bahaha riiiight. Thankfully I didnt as I messed up with the first run. I was using Aluminium screen mesh and whenI was running the wheel along to push the rubber strip into the chanel I went too hard and too many times and ripped the mesh. Lucky I hadnt cut it!
Now is there an easy way to cut a tidy edge? I did find that the cut ended up within the chanel once I went over with the pushdown wheel and pushed the rubber strip all the way down into the chanel.
So good its almost like a bought one lol Well almost. A few scratches but nothing I am too unhappy with. The revamp of the screen door cost approximately $80.00
Final coat done, time for the edging and the lock plates to be sorted.
Really didnt know how to clean up flaky chrome so left it as it is. Note "watch videos a few times" and still not understand why the door dosnt "lock"
Mmmmmm 30-45mins of watching you tube and screwing things back together hoping I havnt manage to loose something while painting it. Finally figured it out after watching a lady handywomen put a screen door lock in and then she casually mentions the kick plate pushes in the tab so it can lock….. arghhhhhhh of course I was doing it without the door in its spot….. Blood pressure a bazillion….
Step 5
Time to put it all together including the screen door trim 
Yeah was a little stressy as I knew anything could throw out the sequence and I wanted to finish it that day.
I had purposfuly left the nails in the trim to make it easier to align the timber where it was before I took it off.
Trying to figure out which piece and was it upside down or this way up...
One of the Bunnings team members (Mitch I think) had suggested metho or turps (I couldnt rem which one) to soften paint. I had black paint on the door latch and no paint stripper left. Only had turps in the house so used turps. It did make it easier to scrape the paint off.
Trim went in fairly easy. There were a few scuffs as the final coat of paint only went on 2 hrs before. (I touched them up afterwards)
The door plates, dodgy bro inc at it again. I hadnt realised how dodgy they were until I went to reinstall them and went "Why?"
Thank you "Bunnings Magazine" Seriously you helped me out with fixing the height of the screen door so I could get that first screw in I was hunting for something about a cm thick that wouldnt matter if it got scratched or marked. Bunnings magazines to the recue!
First screw in! Phew stressy part done.
Now here is another issue I ran into. Even though I had put the trim back in the same holes it wasnt quiet right. When I pulled the screen door closed I heard a crruuuuuuu and stopped fast. The trim was out by about a mm. So I had to lever it off without marking that fresh paint and then fix it in place.
Step 6
Last step was the photo op for the door. Must say I am so glad someone pointed me towards the spray painted screen door project as its what started me off on the whole colour and what to do scheme
The paint on the inside of the foyer looks shocking now that the new paint shines so bright!
Close door, locks ok, nothing sticks.
Bring on those hot summer afternoons/evenings where you want every ounce of breeze to come through the house!
What a wonderful transformation, @Dave-1. Your door looks great.
Thank you for sharing those steps and taking us through your journey. I enjoyed reading it. Kudos to you for trying a new technique of painting you weren't extremely familiar with. Lovely to read that you were inspired by @homeinmelbourne's project.
Congratulations to you for this project once again. Can't wait to see more of your work.
Akanksha
Good Morning @Akanksha
thank you, Next step is painting the patio. currently researching the different concrete paints and what is needed. So far the cost has been the same for a Bunnings 3 paint step for 4L or 10L of industrial floor paint. lol So I am taking my time making a decision as I need to save for the timber handrails anyway. Just means clean the pool or tidy the timber projects will get done before as they are either free or cheaper
Dave
