What type of paint are you using?

Are you painting on primed bare wood?

start with smooth trim, great quality brush and consistent brush strokes. As the other poster - not for sure what type of wood are you painting and the paint ? Don't rework your area, paint it, lay it off and keep moving.

I am posting a picture of my doors. I had pros do this because I can't get this quality.

This is a new door, factory primed. They reprimed it, sanded it, filled some minute inperfections with bondo or putty, sanded and reprimed it.

They were then painted with Fine Paints of Europe Hollandlac in Satin finish. You have to work very fast, and wet the edges with paint thinner to avoid lap marks. The paint was thinned with Flowetrol (sp) They were sanded between coats and there were two to three coats per door.

Its a lot of work to get a finish like this. This is Satin Finish. The Brilliant finish would be mirrorlike.

I like a *slightly brushy look: if you don't there is more sanding involved.

Thanks for your responses and Im afraid that I might have screwed up... I am painting oak that was unfinished, but I didn't use primer on it first. I did sand it lightly before I painted however. Should I sand it again and then repaint? I am using a semi-gloss Benjamin Moore paint.

palimpsest, your finish is beautiful and exactly what I'm after. Also thanks for the tip about wetting the edges with paint thinner - I would never have thought to do that. When you sand between coats doesn't it take the paint off...or does it just even it out and decrease imperfections?

Thanks for your insights with this. wig

My painter said the key thing with oil-base paint is the additive that evens out the brush strokes...the Flowetrol (however it is spelled).

Benjamin Moore has a longer working time than the FPE. A clean rag to wipe your edge may be enough.

I would prime the doors once or twice and sand between coats.

When you sand finish coats you are not applying pressure, you are just knocking off high spots. The final coat isnt sanded. I have had trouble with darker coats sanding between coats because it lightens the color up and then you need to have full coverage again on the top coat.

Good luck:)

Pal has said it perfect, but I will add to it as I painted a housefull of trim and doors a couple of years ago. Had work horses spread all over my drive way for weeks! You said you lightly sanded the bare wood, that is good. Make sure you tac cloth after sanding. Also, after priming, sand well, as the primer actually raises the nap in the woods (you will be able to feel it with your hands). Make sure you tac cloth between each coat of paint also.

If your wood is nappy, you will start feeling and seeing the different after each sanding/coating.

Tuesday

Hollandlac is an oil based finish. The OP is using an acrylic paint. Does the paint thinner advice still apply?

Wigardenerwannabe - cross post this on the Paint forum to get additional tips.

I wasn't clear that the original poster was using acrylic...Benjamin Moore comes in semi gloss as both an acrylic and an oil base. I am using the BM oilbase on another part of the project.

There are paint additives for acrylic paint to improve flow and leveling as well (Acri-flow, etc.)

In my limted experience with the acrylics on trim is that you don't get the same level of finish, and they are not sandable the way oil base is.

I painted all the bath cabinets, base, door and window trim in the house we built with latex paints, which still looks great after 20 years. Preparation first with a good primer is imperative on any unfinished wood. Sand after priming.

If any wood is visible after sanding, re-prime. You should begin to paint within 24 hours after primer is applied, for best adherence.

Then you can apply your latex paint, using a semi-gloss or high gloss latex, depending on the final effect you want to achieve. Floetrol can be mixed into the latex to help reduce brush strokes. I have a light hand, and did not use it on the house trim, but do use it now on cabinets and furniture. Brush strokes are not visible.

Sand after first coat of latex, and tack before applying your second coat. Allow adequate curing time before use.

my understanding is that you can use flotrol with water based paints too??? maybe they make some for both types of paint...

You assumed oil-based and I assumed acrylic latex. I guess we should ask the OP what she is using. :)

Flotrol is for water based paints. I always use it when doing doors. It keeps the paint from drying to fast.

Flotrol is for water based paints. Penetrol is for oil based paints. Both work great for thinning out the paint. Penetrol must be used sparingly in white paint because it is gold and can cause your finish coat to yellow.