No More Paint Drips! DIY Hacks for Hanging Doors While Painting

We've all been there - gearing up to paint a beautiful, smooth coat onto some cabinet doors, only to end up with drips, sags, and a mess. Painting doors can be tricky, but it doesn't have to be a disaster. With some smart techniques for prepping and hanging the doors, you can get pro-looking results.

From building DIY painter's gallows, to using drying racks or eyelet screws, we've got your backs. These door hanging hacks will help you prep, hang, and paint your doors like a boss. Let's banish messy paint jobs for good!

Prep the Doors Before Hanging

Sand and Clean Surfaces

Before hanging those doors to paint, it's important to start with a clean surface. Take some time to remove any old paint, dirt, or grease from the door. This gives the new paint something to adhere to. Lightly sand the doors as well to smooth away any imperfections. The sanded surface will help the paint grab on evenly.

Making sure your cabinet doors are prepped properly before hanging and painting is a key first step for avoiding drips and runs later on. Scraping off flaking paint and giving the wood a good sanding provides the ideal base.

Remove Hardware

You'll get the best painting results if all the door hardware is removed beforehand. Take off hinges, pulls, knobs, or any other hardware attached to the doors. This keeps the hardware protected from paint coverage. It also allows you to lay the doors completely flat while painting, rather than trying to work around protruding hardware.

By removing things like cabinet door knobs before hanging for painting, you'll save yourself the hassle later of having to cover or touch up hardware. It also prevents paint from collecting in cracks and crevices around the hardware.

Fill Holes and Imperfections

Check for any holes, cracks or imperfections in the cabinet doors from old hardware, etc. Fill these using wood filler or putty. This gives you an ultra smooth surface for painting. It also prevents paint from dripping through any holes, leaving unsightly dribbles.

Filling in small holes and flaws beforehand is important. The filler creates a continuous, sealed surface that won't allow paint to seep through. This prevents drips and an uneven look when the paint is applied.

Hanging Methods for Painting

Once your doors are prepped, it's time to hang them in a way that makes painting easy. No more trying to awkwardly tilt doors as paint runs off. We'll look at some DIY hanging solutions that keep doors secure as you paint for drip-free results.

DIY Painter's Gallows

One of the most effective solutions for hanging doors to paint is constructing your own DIY painter's gallows. This is easy to build out of wood and consists of a simple cantilevered rack that lets doors hang vertically. The gallows has adjustable arms to accommodate different door sizes.

With a DIY gallows, doors can be attached to horizontal strips that hang from the arms. This allows you to carry freshly painted doors while the paint is still wet. The rack can be adjusted up or down to make painting the tops and bottoms of doors easy.

Drying Racks

Drying racks provide another great option for hanging doors during the painting process. Racks can be constructed out of scrap lumber or purchased. Look for sturdy supports like sawhorses or workbenches to place the rack across.

The doors simply hang on the rack between the supports while they dry. This allows air circulation all around each door for quick and even drying. Portable drying racks make it easy to move doors in and out of painting position.

Eyelet Screws

For a super simple hanging method, attach small eyelet screws to the cabinet doors. These act as built-in hangers. Space screws evenly along the top of the door. After painting, hang the doors from the screws as they dry.

The eyelet screw option requires minimal work. Just screw them in before painting. The screws allow doors to be hung in many spots around the workshop out of the way. It's also reversible by removing screws later if desired.

Best Practices for Hanging and Painting

Using one of these effective hanging methods is a great first step. But a few extra pointers will help you nail the painting process. Follow these tips and tricks for professional looking doors.

Avoid Touching Sides

Be very careful not to touch the front and back surfaces of the doors when handling them. Only hold doors by the outer vertical edges. Touching the face surfaces can leave smears, fingerprints and other imperfections.

Careful handling preserves the smooth coat you just painted. Gripping by the outer edges prevents marring the pristine painted finish you worked hard to achieve.

Use Proper Painting Tools

Invest in quality brushes, rollers and other applicators. For those wanting a super smooth surface, consider using an electric paint sprayer. While spraying has a learning curve, it applies paint evenly.

Good tools allow you to apply just the right amount of paint without drips. Sprayers in particular provide great consistency. But brushes and rollers still get great results with care.

Let Doors Dry Thoroughly

It's tempting to rush through and re-hang doors before fully dry. But patience pays off. Allow sufficient drying time to prevent doors sticking together or developing tacky spots. Keep them laying flat so paint dries evenly across the surface.

Sufficient drying prevents ruining that perfect painted finish you worked so hard to achieve. Rushing the drying risks drips, sags, and tacky areas. A little waiting ensures your doors look amazing.

Painting cabinet doors doesn't have to be a drippy, messy disaster. With some smart preparation like sanding and hole-filling, you're ready to hang those doors to paint. DIY gallows, drying racks and eyelet screws all offer easy hanging solutions. Follow best practices for handling doors and apply paint smoothly.

Using these techniques, you can get beautiful, professional looking painted cabinet doors. No more drips or sags marring your perfect painted finish. Just smooth, flawless coverage every time. Your kitchen cabinets will look like they were painted by experts, even with a DIY job. Roll up your sleeves and try these hanging and painting methods for incredible results!