Can My Garage Door be Painted?
Although nearly all steel or aluminum garage doors are already painted with a baked-on finish, you might decide that you would like another color, or you may think that the paint quality is lacking. In these instances, you can paint your garage door to improve the color, texture or finish quality.
Garage doors are best painted in the closed position. However, before you begin applying any paint to the door, you need to make sure that the door is completely clean of any dirt, rust or other particles that could ruin your new paint job.
Start with a solution of detergent and warm water to really get your door clean. Paint best sticks to a clean door, and you do not want to trap any dirt or grime to the door and ruin your smooth finish. Thoroughly rinse the detergent residue from the door with additional water, but never use a pressure washer, which could cause damage to the door panels.
If you have uneven spots or other problem areas, use a powder cleanser that has been diluted with water to scrub away the issues. Make sure to choose a soft bristle brush that will remove the spots without further scratching or gouging your door. Do not try to use sandpaper or other abrasive products that will be too rough on the current finish.
After you have allowed the door to dry completely, use a latex exterior paint in the color that you would prefer. If you can avoid it, do not paint with direct sunlight on the door or when the door’s surface is overly warm to your touch. This heat and sunlight will cause you to be unable to follow your brush marks and could cause errors in painting. Use a roller where you can, but a brush may be more effective, depending on your door panel shapes and grooves.
If you are concerned about the quality of your paint, let us take a look and offer our expert opinion for you.
