Is It Safe To Paint Your Garage Door?

If your garage door has seen better days and you would like to give it a makeover, a new coat of paint could be the easiest way to achieve your aim. But not all types of overhead doors are good candidates for such a makeover and even those that are may not be worth repainting if they are in poor condition. Also, as indicated in the title, it could even be unsafe to try and repaint some types of overhead doors. In addition to discussing potential safety concerns and what makes a door a good candidate for this type of project, our Loveland garage door repair team shares their top tips with you in this concise guide. Once you have finished reading, you will be in a much better position to decide whether it’s a good idea to repaint your garage door and how you can best go about the task.

First Things First: Safety

You’ll be pleased to know that unless your garage door is made of a hazardous material, such as asbestos, it should be safe for you to repaint it. And, assuming that you purchased it in the last 50 years from a reputable overhead door company in Loveland (or wherever you happen to live), this should not be an issue that you need to concern yourself with. However, we do recommend wearing appropriate PPE while sanding, such as a face mask or respirator. This will help to ensure that you do not inhale any toxic particles whilst preparing the surface of your door for a new coat of paint.

Garage Door Repair and Repainting: Is Your Door a Good Candidate for a Makeover?

To determine whether it is truly worth repainting your door or whether it’s time to consider paying for a brand new garage door installation, consider the following factors:

• Age – If your current garage door is more than 20 years old, we would recommend considering replacement rather than repainting in most cases.
• Condition – Doors that are in otherwise excellent condition (with the exception of the finish) are often good candidates for repainting. Doors that are bent, dented, or damaged in any other way are not usually worth repainting but this may depend on the level of damage and how easily/cheaply it can easily be fixed.
• Materials – The materials from which your door was made will also determine to a certain extent whether it is a good candidate for repainting. Wooden doors can most easily be refinished in this way, as well as some metal doors. However, metal doors with powder-coated finishes can be more problematic.

If you still think repainting is a good idea, the tips in the next section will help to ensure that you’re able to easily complete the job and get the best results possible.

Top Tips for Repainting Your Overhead Garage Door

To make sure that your garage door repainting project is a complete success, follow these suggestions from our Loveland garage door repair team:

Pay Attention to Weather Forecasts

You will want to pick a day that’s neither too hot nor too cold. Also try to avoid rainy, windy, or very humid conditions if possible.

Wash the Door Thoroughly

Use a garden hose, mild detergent, and scrubbing brush to remove all dirt from the surface of your door, then leave it to dry. We recommend washing the door one day and then painting it the next. However, if you only have one day to complete the job, you can dry it off with old beach towels.

Unplug Your Door Opener

If you have an automatic garage door opener, make sure you unplug it before the next step and pull the safety release chain so you can open and close the door easily by hand.

Prepare the Surface

For wooden or metal doors we recommend light sanding. For metal doors, scrub any rust spots with a wire brush first. Also, don’t forget to patch any holes before sanding, whether you’re dealing with wood or metal.

Apply Paint

We suggest using an exterior paint + primer in one. Start at the top, applying the paint with a brush. Having completed the top section, open the door and continue down to the bottom. In this way, the paint will dry with the door in the open position, avoiding unsightly drips. If you get any drips in between sections of a paneled door, you can remove them with a utility knife, then allow the paint to dry and cure overnight before opening the door and sanding the panel edges to a smooth finish.

If you're using a similar color paint to the original, one coat may suffice. Otherwise, you may need 2 or 3 coats. For more advice and help with garage door installation, repair, and refurbishment in Loveland, feel free to contact C & M Garage Doors.