If your garage has endured a bit of wear and tear over the years, it might look a little drab and in need of a little pick me up. Painting your garage door can give it a new lease of life and is really simple to do. In this week's blog we take you through the steps on how to successful paint your metal garage door.
Steps to follow
- It is important you wear a dust mask and eye goggles before you start as it can be a dusty job. Make sure you have purchased paint which is suitable for metal as well as a primer
- Put a dust sheet down along the door, this will collect any debris whilst you're sanding down the door
- Use a flat scraper to remove any blistered or flaking paint and rub the door down with a coarse sand paper or wire brush
- Use a small step ladder to reach the top of the garage is needed
- Pay particular attention to the sides and the bottom of the door as they get the dirtiest
- Top tip: wrap the sandpaper around a small block of wood; this will give you a better grip when sanding down the door
- Wash the door with household detergent and water; this will remove any dust, grease or dirt which may prevent the paint from sticking to the surface
- Top tip: while you're preparing the door, put masking tape over the door handle
- Remove the dust sheet and shake it out away from the garage door
- Let the door dry and re-lay the dust sheet in front of the door
- Apply a coat of primer – follow the instructions on the tin
- Primer is applied the same way paint is but remember to allow enough time for the primer to dry before applying the paint
- Open the door and start painting along the side of the door and the bottom, apply a thin coat to start with. Once the edges are dry, close the door and start painting the top of the door, working your way down in stages
- Use a brush or a roller to apply a thin coat until the whole door is covered
- Make sure you wash your brushes with a ready to use brush cleaner
- Let the paint dry thoroughly and inspect the coverage, if necessary apply another coat. Take off the masking tape from the door handle and you're done
With these simple steps, your garage door could look as good as new.
