Painting a garage door isn’t as simple as painting a regular wall. You have a few things that you should keep in mind when you are both painting and doing the prep work before painting. There are specific tools, paints, and processes that you have to use when you are painting a garage door.
This is because of the way that garage doors are shaped. If you paint them when they are closed flat, you will not get to all of the edges of the door properly, and the paint will dry in the cracks of the garage door. This will make it not look aesthetically pleasing, and it will also be hard to open if the paint makes the door and hinges stick together.
With this in mind, there are some things that you should prepare for when you are starting a garage door painting project.
Tools and Paint to Use
In general, you will only need a paintbrush and some paint. Sandpaper is good for correcting and smoothing over mistakes the next day.
For a garage door, you’ll need to buy special paint that has been designed to be used outside. This paint will hold up against weather conditions better, and the paint will look fresh for a lot longer than regular paint would.
Weather
When you’re painting outside, you will need to pay attention to the weather. Of course, you probably know not to paint your garage door outside when it is raining. However, there are a few other things that you should keep in mind.
If it is humid, it could cause some problems with the paint. You should also try not to paint when there is direct sunlight on the garage door. To best paint a garage door, pick a time of day where it’s not too hot, and the sunlight isn’t shining directly on the area that you are painting.
How to Paint a Garage Door
When you are ready to start painting, make sure that you clean the door before you put any paint on it. Even if the door looks clean enough, there is built up dust and dirt that will make it harder for the paint to stick if you do not remove it. You can wash it with a regular house cleaner, and scrub it with a gentle sponge. Make sure it is fully dry before you apply any paint.
Then, you’ll want to adjust the door so that you can manually push it up and pull it down as you work. Start painting the top panel, and then push that up and paint the next panel.
When you’ve finished painting the panels individually like this, you can pull the door down to dry. Check to see if you need to do a second coat of paint, and look for any drips in between panels that you can clean up.
After the whole door is dry, you can take sandpaper to make sure the edges between the panels are smooth.
Marc Poulos began his real estate and financial services career, but he soon realized that his true passion was beautifying homes. He started working with various small craftsman shops before serving an apprenticeship with the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Chicago. His commitment to excellence won him Top Apprentice from Washburne trade school in Chicago – the country’s premier school of its kind.
