Do you currently own a plain, industrial-looking steel garage door? Do you wish your garage door was more interesting to look at? Learning how to paint a steel garage door can increase your home’s curb appeal and make your garage a sight to see. You can hire a contractor to paint your steel garage door or make it a DIY project. Whether you outsource the job or are passionate about executing your home improvement project, you can keep reading to learn how to paint a steel garage door.
How To Paint A Steel Garage Door In 6 Steps
In this breakdown of how to paint a steel garage door, you’ll learn how to pick a color, what materials you’ll need, and how to complete each step successfully. If you follow these steps, you’re garage door will be something to behold.
1. Choose The Best Paint Color
The first step in how to paint a steel garage door is to choose the paint color that will best complement the rest of your home. When it comes to steel garage doors, cool, earth-toned, and neutral colors tend to work best. If you’re interested in a faux-wood appearance for your steel garage door, then you can also order a faux-wood finish that’ll make anyone in the neighborhood believe it’s the real thing.
Aside from color, you also need to be careful about what kind of paint you use. Acrylic exterior grade latex paint is the best kind of paint suitable for steel garage doors. Oil-based paints, on the other hand, should never be used for this kind of project. Finally, you should purchase paint or finish that has a high LRV (light reflective value) so your garage door will easily absorb light and not overheat.
2. Gather The Right Supplies
Once you’ve ordered the right paint, you’ll need to obtain the right supplies to complete a successful paint job. Aside from the paint and primer, you’ll also need warm water, regular soap, a towel or rag, a ladder, synthetic steel wool or sandpaper, a dull putty knife, and either a brush or roller to apply the primer and paint. After obtaining all these supplies, you’ll be ready to inspect the current physical condition of your steel garage door.
3. Check The Garage Door For Flaws
Before you can even clean the garage door, take time to check for any flaws and imperfections. Rust, exposed metal, and other debris can easily be taken care of with a dull putty knife. Some flaws and imperfections can even be buffed or sanded. A garage door technician should attend to any major flaws and imperfections that can’t easily be repaired.
4. Clean The Garage Door
You can begin cleaning the garage door as soon as any flaws and imperfections are addressed. You can use a garden hose to water down the garage or a large sponge with warm water. Use regular soap to clean off any remaining dirt or debris.
5. Apply Primer
After drying, the next step in how to paint a steel garage door will be to apply the primer. The primer should always be applied to protect the properties of the garage door’s galvanized steel. You can apply the primer using a brush or roller. Before completing the last step, you’ll wait for the primer to be nice and dry.
6. Paint The Garage Door
Within twenty-four hours of applying the primer is dry, add two coats of paint to your steel garage door using either a roller or a brush. Wait for the first coat to dry before applying the second one. To ensure the best outcome for this garage door paint job, avoid completing this step early in the morning and plan to complete this job on days with a weather forecast of over fifty degrees Fahrenheit.
Our Technicians Will Keep Your Garage Door In Shape!
We hope that learning how to paint a steel garage door has reinvigorated your motivation to maintain your garage door. If you need additional support to care for your garage door, our Garage Door Repair Houston technicians will be happy to help you keep it in shape. Contact us today for the best garage door maintenance service in Texas!
