7 Simple Steps for Painting Your Garage Door

One of the ways to maintain your garage door is to paint it. Not only will it improve the façade of your home, but it will also lengthen the life span of your garage door. If you decide to paint it, you don’t need to hire a professional to do the job. You can do the project yourself in two to three days, assuming the weather is good.

While painting your garage door is fairly quick and easy to do, you are going to need more time for this project due to the drying requirements. Here is a summary of the steps for painting a garage door shared by Bob Vila:

1. Gather your materials and check the weather before starting the project, making sure it will be clear for three consecutive days.
2. Prepare the surface of your garage door by removing rust, sanding the surface, rinsing the door, wiping with clean rags, and air-drying the surface.
3. Cover up locks, handles, and windows with heavy-duty painters tape.
4. Disengage the electric mechanism of your garage door to allow the door to move manually.
5. Start priming the insert panels, if there are any, followed by the stiles. Let dry for at least 12 hours.
6. You can now begin painting your garage door, starting from the inner panels out to the stiles.  You may need to apply a second coat after 12 hours of air-drying if you see uneven patches or odd colors after the first coat.
7. Remove the painters tape and let dry overnight before opening your garage door.

You can read the full instructions here, including a list of the tools and materials you’ll need for this painting project.