Find Garage Door Painters Near Me
Just like other parts of a home’s exterior, garage doors take a severe beating from the elements. Throughout the year, they’re exposed to bright sunlight, wind, rain, snow, and flying debris. Over time they begin to fade and look worn out, leading homeowners to think about replacement. But what most people might not know is that garage doors can be painted or stained, depending on the material, to look brand new.
Whether you’re looking to upgrade your home’s curb appeal, or just enjoy the experience of driving in and out of your garage each day, it’s important to hire a professional garage door painting company to do the job for you. Great Guys Painting can find contractors in your area who know how to treat your garage door whether it’s made of steel, wood, fiberglass, or aluminum. Visit now to get free quotes from licensed, insured painting contractors near you.
Professional Garage Door Painting
Garage doors are made of a variety of materials including wood, metal, and fiberglass. Each material requires a specific type of paint or stain that will stay looking fresh through all kinds of weather and pollution conditions.
Metal or Aluminum Garage Doors
When it comes to re-painting metal or aluminum, the best paint to use is an oil-based exterior paint, but exterior latex paint works as well. It’s important to do this job when the weather is temperate and won’t adversely affect the outcome. Painters will prepare the door by thoroughly cleaning it, removing all flaking paint and dirt from the surface and joints. Then, they will sand the door, making it easier for the paint to adhere, and prime with a primer that matches the paint type. Once that’s dried, they’ll paint with one or two coats, depending on the color.
Wood Garage Doors
Wood garage doors are very versatile as you can give them an instant refresh by either painting or staining. As with metal doors, the first step is to clean the door by spraying it with a garden hose, then clean it with a phosphate trisodium cleaning compound and a stiff-bristled brush. Once it’s dry, it will be sanded to remove old paint and smooth the surface. After the debris has been brushed away, it’s ready for painting or staining…whichever you prefer. A latex-based paint will look best (rather than an oil-based paint which will show flaws) or a penetrating oil-based wood stain.
Garage Door Painting
Garage door painting is a labor-intensive job best left to professionals. Once the hardware has been removed and the edges/windows masked off, garage door painters will prep and prime the door. They’ll pull the emergency release cord and paint in sections, starting at the top and working their way down. Raised areas will be painted with a roller or sprayer and then recessed areas will be finished with a brush. The painters will manually roll the door back after each section is finished until they get to the bottom. Then, they’ll pull the door down and allow it to dry.
Garage Door Staining
Both metal and wood garage doors can be stained. Gel stains are designed to be used with non-wood surfaces like metal, veneer, and fiberglass. Wood stains can bring out the beauty of the natural wood grain in your garage door while protecting it from fading, rot, and pest damage. The staining process for both types begins with thoroughly cleaning and sanding the door. One or two coats of stain are then applied to the door (depending on the desired color) and, once it has dried, the door is finished with a clear protective coating, extending the life of the stain.
How Professionals Paint a Garage Door
Painting a garage door can make a huge difference in your home’s appearance. Not only will a fresh coat of paint elevate the entire exterior, but it will protect the door, ensuring that it lasts longer and looks great for years to come. Following is an outline of how the pros paint garage doors, whether they’re made of wood, metal, or vinyl.
1. Check the weather
Painting a garage door is a project best undertaken when the weather is nice. You’ll want temperatures to be between 50-75°, no rain in the forecast, and no humidity. Inclement or hot weather can affect how well the paint adheres to the door.
2. Remove dirt & debris
The next step in the process is to remove as much visible dirt and debris as possible with a power washer or garden hose. This will reveal any problem areas, such as rust spots, that will need to be addressed in the prepping process.
3. Remove old paint
If your door is old, it may have peeling or blistering paint that needs to be removed to ensure a smooth finish. The contractors will scrape the old paint off the door and its edges with a flat scraper, vacuuming up the debris before painting.
4. Treating rust spots
If the cleaning has revealed any rust spots (on a metal door), these will need to be treated before painting. The painters will clean the area(s) with soap and water, wipe with white vinegar, and then clean with a steel wool pad until clean. Then, they’ll apply a corrosion inhibitor to prevent further rust damage.
5. Remove hardware & tape
Next, they’ll either tape off or remove hardware such as handles and locks. They’ll tape the bottom and edges of the door with heavy-duty painter’s tape, and mask windows or other openings with paper. They’ll tape paper around the door to prevent overspray from getting on your siding. And finally, drop cloths will be laid down on the driveway to protect both the inside and outside of the garage from paint splatters.
6. Pull the cord
To avoid bending down to paint the bottom, the painters will disengage the emergency release mechanism on the door so it can be opened and closed manually as they paint.
7. Sand the door for best adhesion
Prepping the door for painting includes thoroughly sanding all the surfaces with 180-grit sandpaper to ensure the paint adheres properly and won’t quickly peel off. The entire door will be sanded from top to bottom so the finish comes out smooth and even.
8. Clean the door
After scraping and sanding, the painters will thoroughly clean the door with a trisodium phosphate (TSP)-hot water solution and hard-bristled brush, removing any left-over debris that could mar the painted surface.
9. Prime the door
The team will start the painting process by priming the door with a coat of exterior primer. They’ll paint from top to bottom, covering the front and side/bottom edges and trim. Panels will be primed first, followed by the sides of the panels (or “stiles”) and in between door sections. The primer will be allowed to dry for a minimum of 12 hours.
10. Paint the door
Once the primer has completely dried, the contractors will paint the door with quality exterior acrylic paint. Painting can be done with a sprayer, or, if the door has lots of raised surfaces, with a roller and brush, painting the raised areas first with a roller, and recessed areas with a paintbrush. If they’re spraying, they will keep the door pulled down and spray back and forth from the top down. Or using the roller/brush method, they may opt to paint one section at a time, going from top to bottom, rolling the door back as they go. One or two coats may be required, depending on the condition of the door and the desired color. The door will be left closed to dry. All painting tape and paper will be removed and discarded while the paint is wet.
11. Replace hardware
Once the door has dried, the hardware will be replaced and all that’s left to do is enjoy your beautiful, brand new-looking garage door!
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Find pros you can trust to paint your garage door right, the first time. Request free quotes from licensed painting contractors in your area that specialize in painting garage doors of all kinds.
