There are so many reasons to repaint your garage door. Perhaps the paint is old and chipping. Maybe it’s just out of style — that 70s day glow totally dates your house. It could be your just tired of it. Either way, repainting your garage door could be just the makeover your home needs.
Cleaning the Door
First, you’ll want to thoroughly clean the door. Spray the surface of the door with an all-purpose cleaner. Take a cloth or brush and clean off any dirt and grime. Rinse the door with a hose.
Surface Protection
Once the door is dry, cover the windows, trim, and handles with painter’s tape. Lay drop cloths around the area you’ll be painting.
Remove Old Paint
Next, you’ll want to remove any old paint and loose rust. Don’t forget to wear goggles to protect your eyes from flying debris. Take a wire brush a chemical stripper and a sanding sponge to remove all the old paint or use a palm or circular sander. This is rough, tedious work, but necessary. It’s important to get every area. Otherwise, the new paint could flake off with the old paint and you’ll be back where you started.
Priming the Door
Next, you’ll want to prime your door. Determining which primer to use will depend on your door’s surface — whether it’s aluminum, steel or wood. Apply the primer just as if you are painting the door — brushes and rollers work great. Also, make sure the area is well ventilated and you wear a mask while priming.
If you use a sprayer to apply the primer, first practice spraying on a piece of cardboard.
Allow the primer to dry at least 12 hours. In fact, 24 may be a good idea just to be safe.
Painting the Door
Paint the door with a large brush, roller, or sprayer. Again, if you are using a sprayer, practice on a piece of cardboard first.
Be sure to paint both inside and outside the door. Once you’ve done one coat, allow the paint to dry and apply another coat. Repeat until you are satisfied with the shade.
Clean Up Time
Be sure to rinse all your paint brushes, roller covers and sprayer equipment down with water until the water runs clear. Hang brushes on hooks to dry. Pick up drop cloths. When removing painter’s tape, always remove at a 45-degree angle to avoid removing the new paint.
If you get paint on the trim or glass, you can remove the paint with a razor blade.