If you have shopped for new bedroom closets or closet doors recently, you’ll have discovered it’s far more economical to give your old closets a makeover. However, this may be easier said than done, particularly if you were planning on doing it yourself. Fear not though because we’ve provided some top tips to help make your bedroom closet makeover a big success.
Tip Number 1 – The Old Paintwork
If your closets are painted, you’ll have to remove the old paint using a paint stripper. For varnish or stain, you can probably sand it back to bare wood, or use a refinisher to get rid of it.
Tip Number 2 – The Closet Doors
Carefully remove the doors. Take the handles and other hardware off them. You may even want to replace these for a completely new look to the doors. Lay the doors flat, preferably on a raised surface. This makes working on them a lot easier.
Alternatively, you may decide to get new doors which, although expensive, are still cheaper than replacing the whole closet. To do it properly, you could require the services of an experienced internal door installation contractor. They will make sure the doors fit properly.
Tip Number 3 – The Condition Of The Closets and Closet Doors
Is there much damage such as wear and tear, dents, chips in the paintwork and so on? If the closets and doors look relatively good, you may get away with just a good clean and light sand to remove the old surface. Good synthetic steel wool works well for cleaning wood because it’s kind on your fingers and the grain of the wood.
Tip Number 4 – The Prepping Process
Use turpentine, mineral spirits or paint thinner on your steel wood pad to clean any stains off the closets and doors. Then move onto the rest of the surface to be repainted. This will clean and remove the surface of the old paintwork, allowing the new paint or stain to adhere properly.
If you find there is a lot of stain, or heavy old paint to remove, you’ll need to use a stronger solvent that actually dissolves and removes the old paint.
A word of advice here about old paint. Work in a well-ventilated area and wear a mask, gloves and protective clothing to remove it because if it’s very old paint, it probably contains lead. Lead is toxic! You may even want to leave it to an internal door installation professional with experience working with old doors and paint.
Tip Number 5 – Using The Refinisher
It’s easier to work on a small area before moving to the next small area. Use the steel wool and whatever cleaning solution you’re using to remove the old surface. If you’re going to use clear varnish or stain, even out the color of the wood as much as you can for a better look.
When you’ve finished, the bare wood should be a nice even color and/or feel smooth to the touch. The better you do this part, the better the end result will be. Clean the pad regularly with the same solution you’re using to remove the old finish.
Tip Number 6 – The New Paint Or Finish
Once the old surface has been prepped properly, it’s time to add the new one. If you’re going for a clear finish, use a good quality varnish or stain. Most of these don’t have much odor, and are available in a choice of finishes from satin to gloss. Apply a couple of coats for a better result. If you want a coloured finish, simply substitute the varnish or stain for a good quality interior paint in the tint of your choice.
Tip Number 7 – The End Result
Your closets and closet doors should now have a lovely smooth, evenly colored surface. They should look great, and give your bedroom an entirely new look and feel.
Don’t feel comfortable doing all this yourself or would prefer to just get new closet doors? No problem. Just contact your closest reputable door installation professional.
Finding A Good Closet Door Installation Professional
This process is as simple as typing ‘closet door installation’ followed by your location into Google. For example, you’d use ‘closet door installation New York’ if you live in New York. Then do your research on each entry that come up. Alternatively, head to a trade directory website and use their search function to find contractors listed there who do ‘closet door installation in New York’ or wherever you live.