How Will This Save Me Money
By painting over the existing color of your garage door you will be getting a brand new, fresh, and modern look without having to purchase a brand new garage door and having to hire a professional to install it. If youre wondering how much doing it yourself will cost, check out our DIY Painting Project Calculator.
Does The Finish I Choose Matter
Choosing the right finish of paint for your garage door may be a bit confusing, but it does matter. Each type of finish has a different quality and will give a different result. One finish may blend better than the next. A particular finish may be better at hiding imperfections in your door than another or withstand bad weather better. Choosing the right finish for your garage door is one decision not to be glossed over.
Prepare The Garage Door For Painting
Once all of the paint is removed, its time to prep the surface. If there is any rust on the door, this is the time to take care of it. There are specially made discs for angle grinders that will quickly take care of surface rust, or you can buy metal paint that can be applied over rust. If the rust on your metal garage door is extremely bad, you may need to replace parts of the door or the entire door, though.
If you intend to prime and paint your metal garage door a few days after you have stripped the paint off, you should cover it to protect it from the elements. If you dont, it will rust. Once youre ready to paint, give the metal a wipe down and remove any dust, dirt and grime. You can use white spirit to ensure all of the dust has been removed. Now is the perfect time to mask off any areas you dont want paint on too. Use good quality masking tape and paper to protect the garage and any other surfaces.
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Choose The Right Season And Time Of Day
Paint tends not to dry well in cold temperatures below 45 degrees F. So when planning an outdoor painting project, its best to wait until it is above 45 degrees even during the coolest part of the night so that the paint has plenty of time to dry properly before being exposed to cold temperatures.
Rain can also damage your paint before it dries. Even though exterior paint is water-resistant, if it gets rained on while still wet, streaks and drips may form on your garage door. So check the forecast and wait for the best weather to paint your garage door.
If you have a light above your garage door, youve probably noticed a lot of insects hanging out around it at night, especially in the spring and summer. Make sure to turn that light off after you paint so that visiting insects dont land in the paint the night after the door has been painted.
How To Paint A Garage Door: Step
Garages arent just about utility they play a significant role in your homes overall appearance, too. Your garage door color and condition can be an attribute or deterrent when it comes to curb appeal.
If youre looking to elevate your homes appearance, painting is one of the easiest methods. In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide for painting your garage door, including helpful tips to make the process seamless. Happy Painting!
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How To Maintain A Painted Garage Door
The best thing you can do for a painted garage door is to simply keep it clean and free of dirt. For areas with a lot of sun exposure, occasionally deep cleaning and recoating with exterior paint will ensure the finish stays pristine and prevent the need for a full refinish job in the future.
Best Overall Finish For Garage Doors
As we have mentioned, gloss and semi-gloss finishes are typically the best choices for garage doors. These finishes both have a high sheen that reflects light and is highly moisture resistant.
While light reflection generally is a good thing, there is a downside to it as well. Shiny, reflective surfaces will reveal dents and imperfections more than finishes with a lower sheen. If your garage door has a significant amount of nicks and dings, a high gloss paint finish may not be for you.
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Exterior Or Interior Paint Whats The Difference
Both exterior and interior paint are made with the same fundamental ingredientspigments, additives, resins, and solventsbut the main difference between the two is located in the resins and the additives.
The resin in exterior paint is flexible so that it can stay in good condition as the painted surface is subjected to changing weather conditions. Plus, it has additives to combat mildew, fading, and staining. Interior paint isnt subjected to the same conditions so the resins are more rigid making it easier to keep clean and more resistant to scuffs.
How Much Paint Will You Need For A Garage Door
Usually around one gallon of paint is required to paint a garage in most cases. However, the amount depends on the size and the existing color of the door. If you are trying to do a paint job using a lighter shade on an existing darker shade, you will need to add more than the usual three coats of paint.
Further info? Take a look at a Comprehensive Guide on Garage Door Installation
So, what are you waiting for? Depending on the size and material of your garage door, choose a paint and give the exterior of yourhouse a renovated feeling today!
Explore among our financing options for your next door installation without affecting your credit score
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Can You Paint An Aluminum Garage Door
If the garage door is steel or aluminum youll want to use high-quality latex exterior house paint. This is because metal and alloy will shift and expand depending on the temperature, and so the paint will not dry at optimal levels. This can cause the paint to look cracked or faded once dry.
Is it easy to paint a metal garage door?
That is how to paint a metal garage door. The process of painting a garage door isnt too difficult. If you do all of the prep work, making sure you remove as much of the old paint as possible and wiping the door down to remove the dust, the painting process is nice and simple.
Purchase Too Much Garage Door Paint Rather Than Too Little
Its always best to err on the side of having leftover paint than running out and having to dash to the store for more in the middle of your project. That said, its still nice to have an idea of how much youre likely to need.
Primer is thinner than paint, so for a double garage door, youll need a quart of primer.
Because paint is thicker, and because youll need to do two coats, youll need more paint than primer. For a double garage door, youll need one gallon of topcoat paint. If you still havent decided what color to go with, check out our list of 9 Great Looking Garage Door Paint Ideas.
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Which Paint Finish Gives The Best Uv Protection
Since UV rays cause paint to deteriorate and fade, the more UV light is allowed to be absorbed by the paint, the quicker the surface will begin to decline. To combat this, the more light that is reflected off the paints surface, the longer it will last, so, a semi-gloss or high-gloss paint finish will perform the best.
Wrapping Up Garage Door Paint Colors
When choosing garage door paint colors you may need to look into different shades or hues of a color to match the exterior of your home unless you want to go more of the traditional route of white or a modern black. The best part is that there are so many exterior paint colors on the market that would be the perfect refresher for that outdated garage door!
Which of these colors strike inspiration for you? We would love to know in the comments below! Remember to follow this page and sign up for the email list to never miss out on fresh and new DIY painting tips!
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Best Garage Door Paint For Metal Or Wood
Rust-Oleum 1979502 Painters Touch Latex Paint comes with a wide selection of colors and dries in a quick 30 minutes. It has a glossy, chip-resistant finish and will leave your garage door looking brand new.
Lighter colors will last longer without needing to be repainted, while darker colors may need a new coat sooner rather than later. If you opt for one of the darker colors, grab an extra can or two for when youll need to touch up or repaint next year.
Color Coordinating As Opposed To Matching
Instead of matching the color of your garage door to the rest of the house, consider coordinating the color with a different shade. Many home improvement stores carry a line of color charts where you can view shades of colors that will give the door a classic look and raise the curb appeal. For example, if your house is painted a cream color, then a darker shade on the garage door with the trim painted white would make it stand out without being too bold.
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Should I Prime My Metal Garage Door
Adding a layer of primer depends on the current conditions of the metal garage door. For primed and new metal doors, you can directly apply the paint coatings. You can refer to the paint instructions for the suggested number of coats.
However, for new galvanized doors, you must add a primer before painting on them. The usual metal paint won’t stick on galvanized metal. As a result, the paint will peel off. It is best not to paint this kind of door.
Although there are consequences, you can reduce flaking with the right preparation before priming. It involves some scraping, sanding, and cleaning the door.
For unprimed garage doors, you should have at least one layer of metal primer. Coat the whole door and its frame as well. Follow the instructions you can see on the primer can. You need to wait at least 8 hours to dry the primer completely.
It is best to choose a metal primer that helps you achieve a durable, long-lasting, and protected finish.
What Is The Durability Of A Painted Garage Door Finish
If you want your garage door to look as good as it does when you finish painting it, then as long as you prepared the surface correctly, chose the correct type of paint, and applied the paint in multiple, thin coats, you should be able to cross repainting the door off your honey-do list for at least five to ten years.
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Products And Tools Youll Need To Paint A Garage Door
- Exterior primer: This keeps the paint sticking to the garage door instead of flaking away with old paint underneath.
- Garage door paint: Acrylic latex exterior house paint is a great choice for garage door paint.
- Painters tape: Applying painters tape aids in defining edges and keeping the paint job looking professional.
- Paintbrushes: A set of paintbrushes comes in handy youll want to have more than one size for certain areas of the door.
- Roller and a pan: Using a roller for the stiles makes the job go quickly and cleanly.
- Painting drop cloth: Lay this down below the area you are painting to keep the ground free of paint drips.
- Stir sticks: Make sure the paint hasnt separated before you begin by mixing it up with a stir stick.
- Step ladder: If youre not tall enough to comfortably reach the top of the garage door, you might need a boost.
Wood Look Paint Kit For Garage Doors
One of the things that most of the paint manufacturer fails to check is an easy application process. However, that is not the case for this offering that is from Giani.
This one has a hassle-free two-step process. And after application, the paint transforms flat, embossed, and raised panels in just three hours.
Due to it being water-based, it has a higher coverage rate too. The whole kit can cover up to 180 square feet. Also, it does not have a high amount of odor or VOCs.
Pros
- Has a two-step application process
- Dries quickly
- Covers up to 180 square feet
- Odor level is low
- Walnut color option has a deep purple off-tone
- Can not withstand extremely low temperature that well
Why Should You Purchase This Product?
It has an easy application process. Also, it has a low VOC and odor level. And it does not even take that long to dry up.
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How Cr Tests Exterior Paints
In our tough exterior paint tests, we evaluate how the paint will look after three, six, and nine years. Our tests have found that a brands flat, eggshell, and semigloss paints perform similarly overall, so we combine the scores to make it easier for you to compare brands.
Youll find 16 paints in our exterior paint ratings with Overall Scores ranging from 29 to 76, as well as several paints were still in the process of testing. Another resource: our paint buying guide.
What Is Light Reflective Value
LRV is an abbreviation for Light Reflective Value. This rating describes the amount of light absorbed or reflected off a painted surface. LRV scores range from 0 to 100 with a 0 score meaning 100% light absorption and a 100 score meaning 100% of the light is being reflected.
The outer surface of your garage door can get very hot if exposed to direct sunlight. This is even more of a factor if your garage door is a dark color like black, brown or green. Depending on the door manufacturer and door model, the paint used on your garage door must have a light reflective value of at least 50% to avoid voiding your warranty.
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How To Paint Garage Door Horizontal Panels
Think of each section of the garage door to be a separate piece of work. First, youll cut or brush the top and sides of the top moving section, but not the bottom where it touches the next section down. Well explain why in just a bit.
Cut 3 of the 4 edges of the top garage door panel with your paint/primer down just with the door still closed. A small step ladder is best for this step. The width of the cut could be a few inches. Brush or roll/brush the entire top section down to but not over the bottom edge .
You dont want two panels to touch when wetever.
When that is done, open the garage door and slide the top panel up so that it separates from the next panel down. When you see a gap, stop. Now you have access to the vertical and horizontal edges of the 2nd panel, as well as what you can reach of the top panel .
You dont need to paint all the side edges of the garage door that tucks under the weather stripping, but you could if you want: its not exposed to the elements. Also, you do not have to paint the horizontal edges too far inside: this is also not exposed to the elements. Just inch or so is fine. You only see the edge of the panel when the door is going up and down.
Paint the 2nd section of your garage door and then repeat the process on the 3rd panel, along with the edges you can see.
Now, just repeat for the next panels until your garage door is painted.
Windows and panels
How to go fast
We really never dip the brush at all. Talk about fast!
Fagan Door Offers Some More Suggestions To Help You Choose The Best Garage Door Color
Top color choices include White, Soft Gray, Black/Dark Gray, Beige/Taupe and Walnut Brown.
White – As Sarah mentioned, white is a crisp classic. By far the most popular color for garage doors, a vivid white is sure to add some curb appeal. Since there are so many more design choices available today, don’t be afraid of a white garage door.
Our high-quality garage doors offer a high level of architectural quality that allows you custom designs to showcase your unique style.
Soft Gray – The trendy new neutral on the design scene, gray is chic and classy. It has the same brightness that white does, but feels a bit softer. It allows your garage doors to blend with the overall look, instead of being a focal point.
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What Paint To Use For Wood
If your garage door is made of wood, you may want to go with oil or latex-based paints. This will help to boost the strength of the door. For wood, you need to remember to coat the garage door with a primer before you start painting.
Further tips on house painting? Take a look at our guide on How to Pick a Perfect Paint Color for a Dark Room