Dec 24, 2024
Renovation Journal

Farewell, honey oak: spraying the office doors white

One month into our office renovation, we've reached a milestone: all doors are sprayed! Refinishing them was a marathon, not a sprint.

Farewell, honey oak: spraying the office doors white

Let's just say we're not known for our lightning-fast DIY projects. Slowly but surely, the honey oak reign in this house is coming to an end. We usually need to apply multiple coats (3-4 thin layers to avoid those dreaded drips) and patiently wait for each one to dry completely. Despite our best efforts, drips still pop up here and there. We may need a more sophisticated sprayer. We use the Wagner Control Spray Qx5 Corded Electric Handheld HVLP Paint Sprayer. It's cheap and does the job, but it's not the best sprayer.

Three wooden doors leaning against a wall.
Three tall, wooden doors with six raised panels each are propped against a light-colored wall. The doors appear to be made of a rich, dark wood with a glossy finish.
Two tall, wooden doors with six raised panels each are leaning against a dark blue wall.
Three wooden doors leaning against a wall.

We've also learned white paint is brutally honest. It exposes every imperfection – scratches, dings, drips from wood lacquer, and gaps in the trim. This requires meticulous sanding between coats to achieve a smooth, flawless finish. While it is time-consuming, the final result is always worth the effort.

Three tall, white doors with six raised panels each are propped against a light-colored wall. The doors appear to be made of a smooth, painted wood.
Three white doors leaning against a wall.
Three tall, white doors with six raised panels each are propped against a light-colored wall. The doors appear to be made of a smooth, painted wood.
Three white doors leaning against a wall.