It’s your garage door that remains a widely visible part of your home. So, you want to give the best shot with aesthetics and colors. Maybe you are ready to paint it bright and right. But then, knowing how to paint garage doors effectively is important. No worries! We will share everything you need to know for a satisfactory experience.
What are the Garage Door Materials You Can Paint?
You may be wondering if you can paint metal, wood, or vinyl garage doors. Material won’t be a problem if the door components function the right way. Homeowners find two reasons to paint their garage doors:
- Recoating to overcome faded or scratched coating.
- Adding fresh colors to the garage door.
Factory-applied coatings demand the least maintenance and stay intact for decades. However, as you apply the first layer of the paint, repainting after every 4-5 years becomes crucial.
Getting to Know How to Paint Garage Door
You must consider the following factors before the painting process.
Begin with a Favorable Weather Condition
Always prefer a dry day with colder weather. This favorable condition must continue for at least two days.
Pick a Paint Suitable for Your Garage Door
Choose paint blends depending on the garage door material. Oil-based paints are great for metal doors whereas wood doors have a different paint and primer specific to them.
Keeping All the Essential Tools Handy
While exploring how to paint garage doors, we often overlook one crucial aspect: preparing a tool checklist. You must have the following tools handy:
- Sandpapers, wire brushes, and multi-purpose cleaners.
- An exterior paint, primer, and a reliable step tool.
- Brushes, drop cloths, and rollers.
- Shop rags, a garden hose, and sponges.
- Protective gloves, goggles, and a painter’s tape.
Focusing on the Preparation of the Area
Upon wearing protective gear, dust away chipped spots and rust via a wire brush. Make the surface smooth by using sandpaper. Furthermore, use wood or metal fillers to repair unwanted dents and cracks. Then, go ahead with the cleaning process using a multi-purpose cleaner and a sponge. Also, ensure proper rinsing. Finally, let the door dry (giving more time to wood doors).
Simplify the Garage Door Painting Process with These Steps
Achieve the best results for painting garage doors using the following steps.
Using Drop Cloths and Tape: Mask off the regions where you won’t allow paint using painter’s tape (like locks, windows, and trim). Also, use drop cloths to keep your driveway and garage floor safe.
Start with the Priming Process: Allowing paint to stick well requires you to use a primer. A thin, even primer coating with a roller and a small brush (for insets and panels) is what you need.
Go for the First Coating: Start with the inlays and inner panels and slowly move outward with your first coating.
Seeing If You Need Extra Coatings: You can go for a second coating at least after 12-13 hours. That gives your first coating enough time to dry. Extra coatings are helpful when uneven patches are still visible.
Going Beyond the Garage Door Painting Needs
So, you have explored how to paint garage doors the right way. Now, there’s more to garage doors than just painting, like repair or installation. And that’s where ERIC Garage Door Repair stands with its promise of same-day, quality service. Our professional maintenance, repair, and installation services will take care of your satisfaction levels.