How to Paint your Door to look like Wood

If you’ve been following along on our Mudroom Makeover adventure, you know that we built these beautiful arched mudroom lockers, and are getting ready to wallpaper and add brick flooring! But as I stand back looking at the situation, I can’t help but hate the black metal doors. I desperately wish they were wood! This room needs more warm wood elements, but we can’t afford to replace these two exterior doors with wood doors.

I don’t love the idea of faux painting anymore, but I’ve seen some really successful faux wood painted doors that inspired me, so I set out to try it for myself! I took tips from several different tutorials I saw, and created my own method.

Note that I’m going for a faux dark walnut look for my door, but you can adjust the colors of the paint and stain to give it any wood look you want!

Supplies for painting your door to look like wood

• 1 quart light brown/tan paint (I used Dutch Boy ‘Reindeer Antler’ in a satin finish)
• Small paint roller & paintbrush
• 1/2 pint Dark wood gel stain (I used Varathane Gel Stain in the color ‘Kona’)
• foam brush or chip brush
• lint-free cotton cloth
• latex gloves
• sealer (oil-based satin finish)

Start out by taping off the door handle or removing it altogether. Then use a paintbrush to apply your tan paint to the non-flat parts of the door.

Use your small paint roller to apply the paint onto the rest of the door. The paint I used has REALLY good coverage even after just one coat. But even if your paint doesn’t have perfect coverage like mine does, it’s ok to just do one coat. We’re going to cover it with stain!

Once the tan paint has fully dried, we can apply the gel stain! Stir it well with a paint stick and put on some gloves. This stain is oil-based, so it won’t wash off your hands with soap and water. Additionally, it’s very fumey, so be sure to open a door or window nearby.

Using a foam brush or chip brush, apply the gel stain to a portion of the door. You want to work in small sections, because the gel stain dries quickly. I chose to do one of the inset panels. Be sure to get the stain into the cracks and crevices if your door has any. Then wipe away the stain with a cloth, using long strokes to look like wood grain. You can wipe off as much or as little as you want. But work quickly!

While you’re applying stain and wiping it off, think about the direction the wood grain would naturally be going if it was truly a wood door, and make your wipes in that direction.

Keep in mind that wood is from nature and has flaws and imperfections, and no wood looks the same! Your door may not look exactly like my door, and that’s ok!

At this point you can stand back and decide what your door needs next. Adding layers will give it dimension and make your wood grain look more real. I decided to do a second layer of the same color of gel stain to darken my faux wood door and give it more depth and interest. If you want your door to be a little redder, or a little lighter, do your second coat with a different shade of gel stain. You can do as many layers as you want!

And be sure to apply a sealer at the end. Oil-based will be the most durable!

I see you eyeing all the non-wood doors in your house. 😉

Please send me pics if you decide to try this faux wood door painting technique! Or tag me on social media! We’re @RealityDaydream on Instagram. And while you’re there, follow us for all the behind-the-scenes shenanigans!

Stay tuned for the wallpaper going up on this room soon. And I can’t tell you how excited I am for the brick floors. Who would have thought the mudroom would be my favorite room in the house! 😉

~Bethany

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