Can I Paint My Garage Door?
- Clean: Scrub the door with soapy water to remove dirt and stains.
- Degrease: Use a degreaser like sugar soap to remove oil.
- Sand: Sand the door to remove flaking paint and create a smooth surface.
- Prepare: Protect the ground and ensure the temperature is suitable.
- Paint: Start by painting the sides, then the top, working your way down. Apply one coat and assess if a second is needed.
If your garage door is looking a little worse for wear, buying a new one might not necessarily be the answer. No, sometimes all you need to make your garage door sing again is a lick of paint! That’s why, this month, the Associated Garage Doors team is going to be providing a step-by-step guide on how to paint your garage door so you can give the exterior of your home the facelift it deserves.
Step 1 – clean the garage door
Before you start painting your door, the first thing you want to do is give it a thorough scrub with some soapy water and a good cloth.
Trying to get rid of mud or any other type of stains early on is a good idea because, if left, they could end up altering the colour of the finished paint.
Once you’ve finished cleaning, wipe the entire surface of the door with a separate cloth, then you should be ready for step 2.
Step 2 – degreasing the garage door
Once you have wiped away the soapy water with a clean cloth, you will want to give it a quick degrease before you move on to any sanding.
You can do this sugar soap or whichever degreaser you prefer. Once finished, make sure that you wait for the door to dry thoroughly before heading onto step 3.
Step 3 – sanding the garage door
If you’re painting a door that already has a coat of paint applied, then you’re going to want to sand the door before you actually start work on it properly.
This is primarily to ensure that any flaking paint is removed and the surface you’re going to paint on is as smooth as possible. The quickest and most effective option would be to either use coarse sandpaper or a wire brush.
Step 4 – preparations
Firstly, before you paint the door, we would recommend making sure that the outdoor temperature falls somewhere in between 8 and 25°C. Once you’re ready to start, make sure that the surrounding ground is protected by a dust sheet, or you could use some old newspaper, and then you’re ready to go!
Step 5 – painting the garage door
Once you are all set up and ready to go, we would recommend starting by opening the door and painting the sides of the door that you can’t see when it’s closed.
Then, once the edges are dry, you can close the door and begin painting from the top (you will probably need a step ladder for this).
Keep working your way down the door from the top until you’re finished. You should only need to apply one thin coat to begin with, then you can assess afterwards whether a second coat is necessary.
Once you’ve cleared away the newspaper and all of your equipment, all you have left to do is leave the door to dry and stand back and admire your work!
Associated Garage Doors are the leading supplier and installer of garage doors throughout Sevenoaks, Crowborough, East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells and the wider Kent area.
No matter what sort of door you are looking for, you can be sure that we’ll have it in stock and our expert fitters will be able to install it with complete precision. We also offer a stunning range of front doors and composite doors.
For more information about our services or to enquire about one of our doors, all you have to do is get in touch.