Louvered doors are dated and a complete pain to paint. Try this DIY louvered closet door makeover to squash both those problems! You won’t believe how much bang for your buck you’ll get with this project!
As most of you know, I spent a large part of July busting ass to get the guest bedroom and bathroom inhabitable for Brandon and Caitlin when they came to visit. I did succeed in having everything painted and cleaned and looking pretty good by the time they got here, but there are still a few things to check off the list in each of those spaces before I’m completely done.
This little makeover though that I did on the closet door in the guest room is by far one of the best “bangs for your buck” that I tackled in there and really probably one of the best bangs for your buck I’ve ever done.
Can you believe that difference??? Ignore the odd paint job in the before picture – long story. I probably spent about $25 on this louvered door makeover – see, I told you – huge bang for your buck. And if you have even just a little bit of woodworking/cutting knowledge, then the project itself is pretty easy!
DIY Louvered Door Makeover
I didn’t want to paint all those slats.
That’s exactly what sparked this closet door idea/makeover.
I went down to the guest room to take some measurements, plot out some ideas and I ended up in the floor staring at that damn door already tired from just thinking about how much of a pain it was going to be to paint. Yes, I could have used my paint sprayer on it, but that would have meant taking the door off the hinges, finding a place to set it up in the garage, taping and covering everything else in the garage so it wouldn’t get paint on it and then sweating my rear end off while painting it because it was July. In the south. And as I’ve told you before, August in the south is just a notch below hell- July isn’t too far behind, friends. That was a lot of work and sweating for just one door.
So then I started thinking about how I could get rid of those slats. Cutting them out crossed my mind, but then you’d have to find something to cover those empty spots. After closer inspection, I decided I could just cover the louvered part with luan and trim it out to look all purty.
And it worked.
How to Cover Louvered Doors
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Supplies and Tools Needed
- Luan Panel(s) – How many you need will depend on the size of the louvered areas on your door. Measure from edge to edge of where the louvered portions begin and end. Take that measurement to the store to determine what size and how many luan panels you need. We used two project size luan panels for our door.
- Decorative Moulding/Trim – Measure all sides of the louvered areas you’ll be covering. Add a foot or two to this measurement (in case you cut a piece too short – happens to the best of us ?) and buy that much trim.
- Circular Saw
- Miter Saw or Miter Box and Hand Saw
- Brad/Finish Nailer and/or Finish Nails and Hammer
- Caulk and Caulk Gun
- Spackling or Wood Filler
- Paint – The white on all the doors and trim throughout our house is Bit of Sugar by Behr.
Steps
Step 1
If you haven’t already done so, measure the louvered area(s) you wish to cover on your door. Cut the luan panels down to this size using a circular saw. If you want to make this even easier on yourself, then take your measurements to the hardware store with you and have them cut the panels for you!
After the panels are cut, use either a finish nailer or finish nails and a hammer to attach the panel to the doors.
Put a nail in every corner, about 3-4 nails along the long edges and 2-3 more along the short edges.
As you put the nails in, you can slightly angle them toward the door frame or you can go through the slats themselves. Just check the back of the door and nip off any nails that stick through the back.
Step 2
Measure from edge to edge the top portion of the area you covered with luan. Cut your decorative trim a few inches longer than this measurement using a miter saw or miter box and hand saw, making 45 degree angle cuts at each end. I prefer to make these pieces longer then go back and cut off a little at a time until I get it just right. If you aren’t comfortable making angled cuts like that, then go with a flat trim instead of a decorative one and do straight cuts. This will give you more of a craftsman look on your door.
Install that piece of trim with your finish nailer once you get it to the right length. Repeat with the opposite end, then do the sides measuring from the longest to longest end of the trim you installed.
Step 3
Once you get all the trim cut and installed, fill the nail holes with spackling or wood filler and caulk all the seams and edges.
If you have any small gaps where your trim joins, these can usually be caulked and you’ll never be able to tell.
Step 4
Paint it all! I gave our door two coats of paint.
It also got a shiny new doorknob.
Also, remember to leave the door open for a few days to fully cure. Yours truly forgot about that and that’s why there’s that little tiny piece of blue paint rearing its ugly head from where a bit of the white stuck to the door frame. #duhjenna
What do you think? Pretty great bang for your buck, right?
You might also want to see…
DIY Painted and Patterned Doors – a great way to add interest with only paint!
How to Paint Trim and Doors – the ultimate guide to a professional paint job, but you did it!
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Susanna says
That was genius!!
Jenna says
Thanks, Susanna! I love how it turned out!
Claire says
This is a fantastic idea! Can you come up with a plan to use bead board paneling and trim to add interest to a plain door? After spending the week end with my son and looking at his beautiful doors in his new house, I knew mine needed a lot of help. What do you think?
Jenna says
Thanks, Claire! Oh girl, you could totally do something with bead board. If you’ve got louvered doors like this, then just replace the luan panels with bead board. If you don’t and just have flat doors, then you could either do one long panel of bead board down the door, leaving space on the sides or two panels, leaving space on the sides and in the middle of the door as well. Then, just put the trim around the edges of the bead board.
Catherine says
Great idea. What did you do to the other side? Same thing? I love your blog. It’s one of my favorites. Our style couldn’t be more different but you are just a kick in the pants. Much love to you and your family.
Jenna says
Thanks, Catherine!!! It’s always great to get comments like that! So, the other side – I actually haven’t done anything to it yet. I was in such a rush to get that space finished before guests arrived that I had to cut a few corners at the time. I am planning to go back and do the other side the exact same way though.
Cindy says
It really isn’t necessary to do the other side. It would only show to the grandkids playing hide and seek in the closet.
Sharon H says
Very nice!
Jenna says
Thanks, Sharon!
Stephanie says
I dislike louvred doors also hated dusting them!! Love how you covered them up with the luan and trim The door looks fresh.
Jenna says
Oh, dusting them is the worst!!! This fixes that hassle too!! Glad you like it!
Jon Wood says
Simply amazing DIY. Actually me and my wife was thinking to renovate some part of our house and your blogs healp me a lot with this. Thanks for sharing.
Jenna says
Awesome! Glad it was helpful, Jon!
Katherine says
What a difference! I love it! You were totally right in telling Claire that she could simply use beadboard where you used plain wood. Her doors would look fantastic as well! Thanks for sharing with us as usual!
Jenna says
Thanks, Katherine!
Pat says
Great solution for that dreadful job of painting all those louvers!
Pat
Jenna says
Thanks, Pat! Painting those was the last thing in the world I wanted to do!
Susan the Farm Quilter says
What a great idea!! I also hate louvered doors and your solution is genius!! Makes me kinda wish I had a louvered door, either here or at the farm, just so I could have fun like you! Oh well, I’ll let you sweat and do the work whilst I live vicariously through you!! Another one for the win column, Jenna!!
Jenna says
hahaha, Susan! Glad you like it – it was definitely one of those “Damn-that-looks-good-way-to-go-me” projects. haha!
Julie says
Greetings Friend~ I just saw this picture somewhere else, and didn’t know how it was done. OMG love the transformation!! You amaze me with all of these creative ways in making a home have that something special! And when you speaking of weather in the south, I had to smile……..my dad/sister live in Arkansas and when my parents retired and moved there my mom would always be complaining how hot it was. Being from Chicago I would always tell her “mama, it’s summer in the South – it’s suppose to be this hot!” =) Anyway, love your blog and always look forward to its arrival!
Jenna says
Thanks, Julie!! Lord, it is hot down here in the summer! I am always looking for the shadiest spot when I’m outside!
Carol says
Brilliant! Totally want to do this on the closet doors in my laundry room. So tired of trying to vacuum those louvers.
Jenna says
Thanks, Carol! Cleaning those louvers is such a pain!
Jerry Sollien says
Hi Jenna, great idea and beautifully done! Very “habitable” indeed. It might be worth mentioning that some locations have louvered doors for ventilation purposes, such as a laundry room. Closing these of could affect the dryer for instance.
Debrashoppeno5 says
Oh, this is an amazing idea. Now I am sorry I replaced all of my doors. Thanks for sharing at the Snickerdoodle Create Bake Make Party.
Jenna says
Thanks, Debra!
Jann Olson says
Great j and now you won’t have all the dust those louvered doors collect! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
hugs,
Jann
Jenna says
Exactly, Jann! Dusting those are the worst!
Ann says
I luv this Jenna, such a great idea. I have to try this in my laundry room too. Pinned. I’d luv to invite you to share with us at Wall to Wall DIY Wednesday, which runs thru Mondays!! Best, Ann
Jenna says
Thanks, Ann!
Dean says
This came out so lovely! You’re a genius. Thank you for sharing with us at #MMBH, pinning to our board. 🙂
Jenna says
Thanks, Dean!
BTP says
This is great. I’m going to use this as a guide to re-do a louvered door. We thought about just replacing the door, but it’s too hard to find anyone to do it and if you do, it costs too much.
Jenna says
So true! This was a simple fix for us and we were just talking the other day about how much we both still love it!
Karen says
I have a small Louvered pantry door that is Accordion I have hated for 24 years ant ideas? It must be accordion to fit but i have not found any to fit that I like enough to pay the big bucks.
Jenna says
I would think you could keep the accordion doors and cover the louvered part, Karen.
Samantha Josephine Kuczenski says
what kind of trim did you use?
Jenna says
I just used a narrow decorative trim that was about 1″ – 1 1/2″ wide. The trims vary by store.
Kathryn says
Were your louvers recessed? I’m very excited to do this on my closet doors, but the louvers are flush with the surrounding wood so if I add a Luan panel , even just 5mm thick, over the louvered section it will stick out. Thoughts/ideas?
Jenna says
Sorry I’m so late in responding to this, Kathryn! Look in your local home improvement store’s molding section for a molding with a lip. They make ones and with it, you can slide it over that part that sticks out some.
Becky says
Thanks, Jenna – this has definitely inspired me! I’m thinking of modifying by adding mirrored panels instead of luan (we have bifold louvered closet doors, so two panels per door). Any recommendations for how to attach the mirrors? E.g. would you recommend doing mirror instead of luan, or mirror on top of luan? Thanks again!
Jenna says
Hi Becky! That will be gorgeous! I’d say you could probably use a strong construction adhesive for attaching the mirrors to the doors. Ask the gal or guy in your local paint department what kind of adhesive would be best for that. They are great at knowing which materials work best with what adhesives.
tina deeter says
I was going to get rid of my bi-fold doors but now that I’ve seen this I can’t wait to try it’ I think it’s the awesome idea
Mary says
Thank you! I used your idea as a guide and the back of my door looks just like yours. Mine was a laundry door, however, and I wanted something different. The front bottom matches yours as well, but on the top I found some thin counter top board and painted it white. Then I cut a piece of acrylic and laid it over the top of the painted board and framed it. Lastly, I found a beautiful Laundry stencil and stenciled the acrylic. It looks like glass and it so beautiful! (And if I get tired of the Laundry sign, can remove the paint.)
PS: I screwed up a number of times, including cutting the acrylic, so my makeover cost closer to $80. 😉
Margo Cone says
Jenna, I loved this post. Can you tell me what the thickness was of the luan? It looks like it fit perfectly up against the loungers. I can’t wait to try this on my doors.
Jenna says
It was your standard luan board, so I think it was maybe an 1/8″ thick. 🙂