Garage doors are a part of your property, and quite often this means that they are something worth investing in, so that the look of your garage door will affect the look of your entire property.
However, because of where they are, they are subject to changing temperatures, unpredictable weather, etc., so in time they can start to show signs of wear and tear. When it comes to keeping your house looking good, you’ve got to keep your garage doors in tip-top shape. If you’ve been wondering exactly what you can do about this, then look no further than this useful step-by-step guide.
As well as painting your garage doors in some cases is an incredibly effective solution; some coats of paint can change the appeal and impact dramatically on your property.
The first thing you should do before you start painting is to know if you have the right equipment. This garage door painting checklist covers you totally and will be needed for a successful paint job.
You have to wait for the perfect weather conditions. That’s because if the temperature gets too hot, too cold, it’s raining or too humid, then the paint won’t dry properly and all your hard work will have gone to waste. When choosing to paint, you will want it to be a nice dry pleasant day no colder than 10 degrees because this is the best weather to paint in.
Lastly, before you do all of the above, it’s also worth checking to see if your garage door materials need specific supplies conducive to the material you have your garage doors made of. Painting wood or metal garage doors is usual and straightforward but uPVC garage doors can’t necessarily be painted but are painted.
If you have a bare wooden door you’ll need to prime it before you can apply the exterior wood paint. If you painted it before you don’t have to prime. However, a bare metal door must be ‘primed’ with metal primer before being coated with a specialist metal paint. Even uPVC doors will require you to prime them and then paint them with specially formulated paints.
When you have the materials and the weather is right, you can start!
To prepare your garage door, you should clean the surface thoroughly. Now, take some sheets and lay them out, then wear your mask, and goggles so that you protect yourself from the dust. Using a scraper tear off as much of the old paint as you can with it.
Then rub the door with some coarse sandpaper until it is as smooth as you can get it. It is an important step, any dust, grease or dirt will stop the paint from sticking to the surface correctly.
To ensure that no specks of debris, dust or cobwebs fall onto the wet paint, brush around your garage doors both on the frame and on the ground below it.
Then, use the sugar soap solution and your sponge and wash your door to get rid of any remaining grease stains or even the last traces of salt and other residues. Hose down the door, and give it time to dry completely before you start painting.
Now is the perfect step for you to lay down dust sheets and cover anything else with masking tape, like door handles, door runners and furniture.
If you’re there later on after you’ve finished painting then the protective coverings can simply be removed whilst it’s still wet and you won’t spend too long cleaning up afterwards.
If your garage door is bare wood, metal or uPVC the only method of implementing this step is oiling it. If that’s the case, then the primer that you put down first has to be formulated for what you’re painting on that material.
To cover every nook and cranny apply the primer in up and down motions with a brush or roller. In some cases, the primer may dry out in some time (depending on the condition and materials) but you might have to wait for several hours.
Typically, you should start by painting the frame, as well as the edges that don’t get seen when your garage door is closed. For this, you have to open your garage door and paint the paint carefully with a brush.
After the edges dry, you can close the door and paint the whole surface of the door. Remember that you don’t want to overfill the paintbrush/roller or paint all at once, it’ll start dripping down your door.
First paint the same way as the primer, with large broad strokes going from top to bottom. It means that you reduce any risk of unsightly brush strokes, drips, or uneven coverage.
Being a pretty big surface, you may prefer a foam roller to get on and off faster, giving you a better finish. You’ll also want to paint around areas where a panel or some glass are present, but that’s obvious.
In addition, you should start painting the top corner of the door, going all across and then downwards, so that you do not miss patches or blemishes on your paintwork.
This may not be a step in other cases. Paint manufacturers say a single coat should be enough, but always check the first coat when dry to make sure it has covered, saturated and finished to your satisfaction.
It’s usually recommended that you paint a second coat on your garage door to give it a bit more appearance and protect the garage door better from the elements. However, before you start spreading a second coat, always make sure the first coat dries for the amount of time specified on your paint tin.
With all the necessary equipment painting your garage door should take 2 days or so as long as the weather is pleasant for an outdoor project. You could expect to paint a single garage door yourself for around £70 and a double garage door for about £150.
Regardless of whether you consider it a worthwhile investment or not at all, it is just that — a more than worthwhile investment, considering just how much of an impact it will have on not only the longevity and appearance of your garage door but on the aesthetic value and curb appeal of your entire property.
Spray Painting your garage door is a quick and easy way of getting a perfect coat and finish with long-lasting results and guaranteed paintwork for 10 years.
The many colour and finish options you will have available to choose from will allow you to find out more.
To enquire further or for a free quote you can either call one of our expert team members below or just fill out your details and we will give you a call.
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