How to Repaint Your Garage Doors

Long rainy seasons and icy winters can be both beautiful and unpleasant for Portland area homeowners. This weather can also leave garage doors stripped of their paint and looking a bit under the weather.

If you’re considering repainting your garage door in Portland, make sure the door receives the attention it deserves by following these helpful garage door painting tips.

The Best Time to Paint Your Garage Door

When planning the appropriate time to paint your garage door, it’s important to consider the weather. You don’t want to work on garage doors in the summer or winter when it might be too hot or too cold. Rather, the temperature needs to be just right — shoot for 50º-85º F with moderate humidity. Fall and spring usually provide the best temperatures for painting your garage door.

Why Temperature Matters

Whether you’re painting your exterior siding, windowsills, or garage doors, chances are you’ll be using latex paint. That being said, painting during hot weather can cause latex paint to dry too fast, resulting in brush marks. Painting when it’s too cold can prevent the paint from adhering properly to the surface, resulting in cracking and peeling.

NOTE: It’s also best to avoid direct sunlight when painting outdoors. If your garage door faces east, plan on painting later in the day. If you’re painting a garage door that faces west, getting an early start will help ensure the best results.

Now that you have a better idea of when to repaint your garage door, let’s look at the supplies you’ll need and best practices for getting the job done.

Garage Door Paint and Supplies

As with any DIY project, having the right tools and supplies is the first step to getting the best results with the least amount of effort.

Start by gathering the following materials:

After you gather all of the necessary supplies, there are a few things you want to do before you begin painting:

Sand and clean the surface

Your garage door will likely have dust, dirt, cobwebs, and oxidized paint on it. So, you’ll want to clean it before you begin painting. Start by taking a sanding block to the entire door. Then use a rag to wipe away any dust or dirt stirred up while sanding.

Prep your area

Place a large drop cloth under the door to protect your driveway and garage floor. Use your painter’s tape to tape off the trim around the garage door if you’re not planning on painting it.

Prepare your paint

Use your stir stick to ensure your paint is thoroughly mixed and then pour about a quart into a clean bucket or tray. Don’t forget to wipe the lip of the original can and put the lid back on tightly to prevent your paint from drying out.

Painting Your Garage Door

You have your supplies. The area around your garage door is prepped. Now it’s time to start painting!

Most garage doors have 4-5 individual sections that bend as the door raises and lowers. If the individual sections of your garage doors are flat all the way across, you can simply start at the top and work your way down using a roller to apply even coats of paint.

However, if you need to repaint recessed garage door panels, follow these steps:

Step 1: Starting with the top section of the garage door, use your brush to paint into the recessed area of the panel. Begin at a corner of the recess and continue around its perimeter. Paint the remainder of the panel (the flat portion) until the entire panel and its recess is complete.

Step 2: Repeat the process of painting the panels and their recesses until all the panels on each section are complete.

Step 3: Use your brush to paint around the perimeter of the garage door. Start at the top corner and continue down along the sides of your trim.

Step 4: Use your roller to paint the remaining flat surfaces around the perimeter of each panel. Continue until the garage door is complete.

Some homeowners note that their garage doors seem to get sealed shut and often make popping noises when they first open in the morning. This is due to wet paint getting between the sections of the door, causing them to stick together and “pop” upon opening. Be sure to avoid painting between the sections and just focus on the front surface of the garage door.

If your door requires a second coat, simply repeat the process. Be sure to wait until the first coat is thoroughly dry. If the paint feels sticky when touched, it’s not completely dry.

The garage door specialists at Larry Myers Garage Doors have provided Portland-Vancouver area homeowners with garage door installation, repair, and advice since 1973. For more helpful garage door painting tips, contact Larry Myers Garage Doors today. We love sharing our passion for garages and look forward to speaking with you.