How to paint a garage door (Video inside)

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

The exterior of your house is painted not just for aesthetic purposes, but to keep it safe from dust, sunlight, and inclement weather. If your garage door is looking faint or the current paint coat is damaged, consider refinishing it and extending its lifespan. As an added benefit, a newly painted garage can make the whole house look better.

Tools and Supplies needed:

1. Exterior-rated paint (We are using Sherwin Williams – A100), for all doors we recommend  semi-gloss or gloss
2. Paint Sprayer (Which is what a boss would use) or Paint rollers, brushes, and trays
3. Sandpaper
4. Sponge
5. Drop cloths
6. “Frog” painters tape
7. Masking paper
8. Tsp (Trisodium phosphate)

Pro Tips:

• When spraying always maintain a 50% overlap. This gives the surface proper coverage and a great finish.
• Protect hardware, remove handles, etc.
• Make sure that you paint the garage door a color that will look good with the rest of your house.
• Check with your HOA first
• Pick a week where the weather is mild, ensuring plenty of time for the garage to dry thoroughly.

Follow these steps for  a quality finish:

1.    Check the weather – Painting anything on the exterior of your house is difficult because the weather has an effect on the whole process. Avoid painting when it’s either too hot or too cold, don’t paint in direct sunlight if possible, and definitely make sure it isn’t going to rain soon after you’re finished.

2.    Clean the door thoroughly – Add 1/2 cup TSP (TRISODIUM PHOSPHATE) to 2 gal. warm waterThis is your mixture for cleaning the garage door.

• A grimy door will make painting much harder and may even cause an uneven surface
• Sand off any paint that is peeling

3.    Tape off or cover areas that you don’t want painted – Put down drop cloths under the door and use painter’s tape to mark the boundaries of the area you intend to paint

4.   Using a roller, prime the entire area –  For detailed areas, you may need to switch to a brush. Primer is predominantly useful if you plan to change the color of your garage door. Using primer ensures that your new garage color looks flat and even.

• If you don’t prime and you change the door’s color, the old hue may show through underneath. This looks ugly and amateurish, and is generally to be avoided.
• Alternatively, pick a paint that has primer built in to it.

5.   Paint the door – Make sure the paint is meant for outdoor use. Apply evenly with a roller, and try to finish a coat within one day. Light colors may need a second coat after the first dries.

6.    Remove tape and paper – Do this carefully before the paint dries you do not want the tape and paint to dry together. This is a recipe for disaster!

Happy Painting!

If you truly think this project is out of your hands…..

#DontStressCallGLS