When it comes to keeping up with your home’s exterior, we tend to forget about our garages. In reality, this external feature contributes heavily to the overall visual appearance of your home.
A well-kept and regularly-maintained garage door can greatly increase the curb appeal of your property, making your house stand out for all the right reasons. A good paint job can make a world of a difference when it comes to improving the quality and visual appearance of your garage door.
With the right knowledge and tips, you can go from painting novice to pro. Get started on your garage door paint job today!
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How to Paint a Garage Door
There is a series of steps you can follow to successfully paint your garage door with a great outcome and minimal hassle. Following these simple procedures will help you achieve the perfect paint job:
- Mix your paint in a bucket. The ingredients in your paint will separate when the paint can sits around for too long. Be sure to mix your paint well and often to ensure the best color and consistency.
- Paint each square individually. Going square by square from top to bottom can help you keep track of which squares still need a second coat of paint. You can use paint rollers, brushes or a paint sprayer to apply paint to your garage door. Paint sprayers are the fastest of the three, but they require more skill and caution to operate.
- Apply two coats of paint if needed. This is more of a personal preference, but adding a second coat of paint can give your garage door the best coverage and better protect it from damage.
- Paint the garage door frame: The garage door frame is just as important as the door itself. Carefully cover the inside frame of the door until it’s complete.
- Paint the trim: Start by painting the edges, then move on to the face of the trim for the most efficient painting.
10 Tips for Painting a Garage Door
Painting is a practical skill that can prove useful for embellishing your home. With these helpful tips, you’ll be able to paint your garage door like a pro:
- Plan around the weather: Painting on particularly hot or humid days can cause you to sweat. Try painting on a cool day with low humidity and indirect sunlight for the most comfortable painting enviornment.
- Sand down peeling paint: For a smoother painting surface, try sanding down any loose flecks of paint.
- Powerwash the garage door before painting: This removes any dirt and grime from the surface so your garage door is all prepped for painting. Your paint is more likely to stick and last when your door is free of contaminants.
- Adjust your garage door for manual movement: It can be tough to paint at the fixed height of your garage door. Separate your door from the drive mechanism so that you can manually raise and lower the door to paint at a more comfortable height.
- Put down a tarp: Protect your garage floor from paint splatters and spills by laying a tarp underneath the door.
- Prime the door with exterior paint primer: Start at the bottom and lower the garage door as you go, priming the trim last. For a smooth finish, be sure to wipe away excess primer on the outsides of the panels.
- Use painter’s tape: Painter’s tape is great for covering up areas you don’t want to get paint on for a more precise paint job. Painter’s tape equals fewer mistakes.
- Use protective paints: Purchase paint with protective features like rust protection and UV resistance for a longer-lasting paint job.
- Use a satin finish: If you don’t want your garage door to look too glossy, consider using a satin finish. This paint is also good for easy garage door maintenance and cleaning.
- Leave the door open to dry: After you finish painting, leave your garage door open for a quicker drying time.
Schedule Garage Door Services at Easy Open Door
Painting your garage door is a great way to enhance the curb appeal of your home, but there’s even more you can do to keep up with garage door maintenance and beautification.
Our local, family-owned San Diego County business is ready to help you install, repair or maintain your garage door. With both residential and commercial services at your disposal, Easy Open Door covers all of your needs. Request your estimate or service today!
