There are many benefits to having a garage door, from its natural appearance to the ability to paint it any color you like. If it is time to paint your garage door to freshen it up, these tips will come in handy.
Start With a Clean Door
Before you paint your garage door, make sure it is clean, front and back. The first thing you should do to clean the door is sweep it. Get a broom with a long handle so you can reach the top and sides of the door. Sweep excess dirt and dust from the front of the garage door, then work on the tops and bottoms, sides, and the opposite side of the door. Even if you don't see it, there is probably a lot of dirt built up on the door. Once you have swept it, you want to wash it with either your hose or a power sprayer. If you can get a power sprayer, it will wash it a lot better.
Remove the Fittings
Next, you need to remove any fittings that are on your garage door. This includes hinges, brackets, and handles. Some fittings can't be removed without putting the door in jeopardy, so you can cover those with plastic and tape. Make sure when you mask them, you don't cover any of the actual door as you don't want areas of the door that aren't painted evenly. Once the fittings are covered or removed, sand the door thoroughly with a fine-grade sandpaper. This gives it a smooth surface for the primer to bond to. If it has any dents or holes, fill them now before continuing.
Prime the Door
You are now ready to prime the garage door. This is usually recommended prior to painting since it has probably been painted before. Since you are covering a larger surface, use a roller or large paintbrush to prime it. Find the grain of wood on the garage door and add the primer in that same direction. You can also prime across grains if you find splits that are no larger than a hairline and don't need to be filled. Make sure you keep painting with the grain and not against it, going in even strokes.
Paint the Door
Painting the door is the final step to the process. Make sure the primer has dried completely before applying paint. Try to use a top-grade paint so that you only need to add one coat. It will have a thick coating and be of better quality. Use the same technique for the paint that you did with the primer. Go with the wood grain in even coats. After you have applied the first coat, let it dry completely to decide if you need to apply a second coat. The second coat should be applied in the same manner. Let your paint dry fully before using the garage door.
For more information about garage doors, check out companies such as General Door Services.
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