How to Paint Over Laminate Doorways

Remove the door from the doorway by unscrewing the hinges against the frame with a screwdriver and lifting the door away.

Cover the floor under the doorway with a drop cloth in case of paint drips.

Place a strip of masking tape on the adjoining wall and floor, edging the doorway.

Use 80-grit sandpaper to remove any gloss from the doorway's laminate, and to create a texture on which paint will adhere. Wipe the doorway with a tack cloth to remove the sanding residue.

Brush a layer of primer onto the laminate. Use long, smooth strokes with the brush, moving in a single direction and overlapping stroke edges to avoid missing spots. Allow the primer to dry for two hours after application.

Sand the primer smooth using a sanding block with 220-grit sandpaper attached. Sand lightly, removing all brush strokes from the primer, then wipe with the tack cloth.

Cover the primer with an interior latex paint. Use the same application process that you used with the primer to get complete coverage. Wait for the paint layer to dry. Waiting times vary by paint manufacturer so check the instructions for optimal drying times. Apply a second layer of paint over the first and allow that layer to dry completely as well.

Remove the masking tape and drop cloth, then screw the door back into place after the paint finishes drying.