For now, though, I wanted a quick fix to make the door/window combo leading to the deck a little more modern. The left side is a proper door, but the right is a door-sized window that cranks open:
After scrubbing like mad with a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser I realized the door is actually a crisp white, not a beige or off-white hue (bonus!). In the process of cleaning I also realized the wood "panes" are actually just cheapy faux french door add-ons that clip in with thumb tacks. Lovely. Once I jettisoned those, I also removed the screen from the window, which is easily popped back in to place if I so desire. Already it looked better, because the asymmetry of the door + screen was driving me bonkers.
Lastly, I gave the oak door casing and trim, plus the trim around the window, a coat of Zinsser primer and then four coats of paint. After de-oaking so much trim in the house, I've picked up some tricks.
The primer is great because the manufacturer's instructions suggest skipping sanding (yes!) and it dries quickly. For the primer and paint, I use an angled brush to wiggle the paint into grooves. Very thin coats - even if they look awful at first - work best.
The only tricky part is removing the tape. Scoring is a must because it takes the primer and paint about a week to fully cure and without scoring, the paint peeled in a couple of places and needed touch up.
After a week, though, it seems pretty durable (I'll be sure to update you once I've seen all the trim go through some wear and tear). For now, it looks fresh and bright - like a brand new door.
This took seconds but it's already such a change!
