If you want to give your home a fresh new look but don’t want to spend a lot of money, consider painting your home’s garage door. Painting is quick, relatively easy and it doesn’t cost much.
But wait…
Before you run out and buy some paint and slap it on your garage door, there is a right way and a wrong way to paint.
So, if you want to learn how to paint your garage door in five easy steps, keep reading.
CAUTIONARY TIP: Always wear gloves, safety goggles and a quality dust mask when painting. Doing so will protect your body from absorbing toxic chemicals and protect your eyes from project debris.
1. Pre-Paint Garage Door Prep
The proper garage door prep is important. If you don’t perform the proper pre-paint preparation, your project probably won’t turn out as planned.
- You should pre-clean your garage door before you do anything else. Simply take some all-purpose cleaner and thoroughly wipe down the door with a rag, mop, or anything else that will get the job done.
- Next, you should rinse your garage door with your garden hose making sure you get all the soap off before you proceed. Once the door is completely dry, you can move on to the next step.
- Tape off the trim, windows and handles.
- Put down a tarp or drop cloth to protect your garage floor and driveway from the paint.
2. Stripping Your Garage Door
The stripping is a step many people skip; however, stripping the door first will keep you from having to repeat the job sooner rather than later. The stripping process will remove any debris and/or rust. You can perform this step with a wire brush. Next, you will need a quality chemical stripper and some sandpaper or a sanding sponge. Or, to make it quicker and easier, you could use a sander.
3. Priming Your Garage Doo
The first step in priming is to determine the proper priming product for your type of door. There are different types of primers for metal and wood. Once you’ve determined and purchased the proper primer, you can apply it with a paint brush, roller, or sprayer. You will need to let the primer coat dry for about 24 hours.
4. Painting Your Garage Door
Once you’ve chosen your paint color and sheen (semi-gloss is most commonly used because it’s easy to clean), you can begin painting. However, just remember the conditions should be right before you paint. You don’t want to paint if the temperature is going to be below 50°, if it’s too hot (if the surface feels warm to the touch), or if it’s raining or will be raining soon. And, you should never paint your garage door in direct sunlight.
5. Quick and Easy Clean-Up Tips
No one really likes clean-up; however, there are a few tips you can use to make things a little easier. Always use a tarp before painting so you can easily pick up the tarp and store it until your next paint job. And if you got some paint on any surfaces, a razor blade is great for scraping off freshly dried paint. Also, another great painting tip is if you have more painting to do and you won’t be doing it all in one day, rather than rinsing your paint brushes/rollers, you can put them in a plastic baggie and put them in the freezer until you’re ready to continue painting.
Now—sit back and enjoy your handiwork!
