Do you look at your garage door and wish that it were a different color? Maybe the paint has started to crack with age, or perhaps the color has started to wear away. Even if it was only painted recently, you might still feel that it is time to change up the color and to improve the style. No matter the reason, you can change the look of your door and give your garage and home a new look. It’s easier than you might think.
Over the course of this post, we will be covering metal doors, including insulated and non‑insulated options. If you have a wooden door, whether it has stain or paint on it, you will want to talk with a company that sells paint in your area to learn what you need and how to do a great job with it.
First Things First
It is important to note that you are not going to be able to find oil‑based paints in the stores. These have lead in them, and there are laws against using these types of paints unless you are a professional. However, you will find that you can use water‑based latex paints and have some great results. Some of the popular brands include: SICO, Benjamin Moore, Sherwin Williams, DULUX, Behr, etc.
Get the Right Tools
It is important to make sure you have all your tools ready before you get started. You will want to have the following:
- Paintbrush, synthetic 4” (10 cm) – polyester or nylon
- Woven fabric roller, short pile (3⁄16” or 5⁄6 cm), which is about 5” (15 cm) wide
- Paint tray
- Cloths for cleaning the door or wiping up messes
- Masking tape for windows (if applicable)
- 220‑grit sandpaper to get into impressions on embossed designs (if applicable)
How Much Paint?
The amount of paint you will need is going to depend on the size of your door. A double garage door will typically need about a gallon of paint. If you have an older door, you may also want to have a coat of primer to ensure the paint will stick and cover properly. When you are choosing the paint, you will want to use a semi‑gloss or matte finish.
If the door has southern exposure and is in the sun through most of the day, you will want to stay away from dark colors, as they will attract UV rays and could warm the metal on the door because of the temperature changes.
Preparing the Door
You need to wash the sections of the door with trisodium phosphate and remove the oil, grease, and chalking that may have built up. Then, you will rinse the door with water and let it dry fully. You may need to sand the surface of the sections a bit with some fine grit sandpaper to make sure the paint will stick properly. remove any additional dust, and then you will be ready to start painting.
Basing the Door
If the enamel is gone and the steel is visible, you will need to have a primer coat, if not, then you can skip this step. If you do apply a base coat, you will then want to wait for about 16 hours to let it dry before continuing.
Top Coat
Apply one to two top coats in the color of your choice. Always let the first coat dry fully before you apply the second coat.
Working With Professionals
Of course, if you do not want to go through the hassle of painting the door on your own, you do not have to. You can always hire a professional to take care of it for you. Companies that are specialized in painting can help to ensure you have a great looking door.
Learning More
You can contact us at 1-800-545-3667. We can help you to determine what types of products are going to work best for your budget and the style of your home. We can also provide you with a quote by email.
Consider visiting us in the showroom, too. You can also make use of the Design Centre to choose a garage door style and you can check out our image gallery.
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