Can you paint a garage door?

If you have a fiberglass garage door, it is important to note that you can definitely paint it. Painting your garage door is not only necessary to protect it from corrosion, but it also adds a nice aesthetic touch to your home. It is also a project that can be completed easily and quickly on your own.

However, the specific techniques and number of steps required may vary depending on the material of your garage door. For instance, painting a metal garage door is not the same as painting a fiberglass one.

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Can you paint a fiberglass garage door?

If you have a fiberglass garage door, the best way to paint it is by using spray paint. Since fiberglass is not porous like wood, it requires different preparation before painting, similar to painting a metal garage door. It is important to choose the right type of paint for your fiberglass garage door, as several types of paint can be used to achieve the desired result. You can use paint like:

• Polyurethane paint
• Epoxy resin paint
• Polyester paint
• Acrylic paint

Choosing the right paint for fiberglass will give you the best results and finish. Do not use oil-based paints because they damage the glass fibers.

Now, to paint with a roller, brush, or spray gun, the important thing is preparation. Fiberglass, unlike other materials, must have previous preparation to fix the paint to the base.

What kind of paint do you use on a garage door?

It will depend on the type of material.

Vinyl, composite, or fiberglass

The best paint is latex exterior house paint, polyurethane, epoxy, or polyester. Oil-based paint does not adhere well to the surface and can crack over time, damaging fiberglass.

Wood

In addition to pre-treatment for paintability, such as an anti-stain primer, you will need to use exterior latex paint. Oil-based paint will crack and peel over time. If you are painting stained wood, you will need TSP to prepare the door for priming and painting.

Metal: steel and aluminum

Your best choice, for steel garage doors and aluminum, is oil-based paint, it protects the metal better against rust.

Glass

It is not advisable to paint the glass, as the paint does not adhere easily to the glass. You can use garage window films. Glass garage doors usually have a metal frame, which can be painted as long as you are prepared for the job of taping the glass.

Don’t forget to check the trim. If you’re going to paint the door, you’ll probably want to paint the trim as well. Be sure to check what type of paint is used on the trim. It may be different than the one on the door.

Is it worth painting a garage door?

Absolutely yes! It not only changes the aesthetics of the house, but it also adds value to the property as a root asset, it gives more value to the house, not to mention the benefits it brings as protection against corrosion and rust. Personally, it is an excellent decision.

Is it better to spray or paint a garage door?

Both are valid, it all depends on the design and the model you have if you have many ornaments, nooks, ornate corners, etc. It is best to use spray, with this you will get better finishes, it is quick and easy to apply, and it is one of the best ways to get a professional, smooth, and uniform finish.

Painting with a roller will also leave a nice finish if the door does not have many decorations. As for time, both can take precisely the same amount of time. There is no estimate or difference between the two methods.

What you should always keep in mind is that when using spray equipment, take proper safety precautions, stay alert, and be aware of potential hazards.

• Wear protection such as gloves, safety glasses, spray socks (hood), hats, proper footwear, dust masks, and respirators. Ensure adequate ventilation.
• Use the spraying technique, remember to do it during the day without wind. Wind could affect your spray pattern. If there is little wind, spray in the direction the wind is blowing.
• Covering an uneven finish, possibly where you have scraped a lot, apply a coat of primer before painting. This will allow the topcoat to adhere better to the surface.

Spray painting

follow these recommendations:

1. Select the spray nozzle, these come for different surfaces and types of paint. Make sure that the nozzle orifice size does not exceed your sprayer’s maximum capacity.
2. Pour the paint through a strainer to remove the paint sediment.
3. Practice on cardboard until you get the technique down, and adjust the sprayer to fine-tune the accuracy.
4. Keep the nozzle 30 cm away from the surface.
5. Squeeze the trigger of the gun, and start, in a progressive way, horizontally and longitudinally. Release the trigger when finished.
6. Aim the next pass right in the middle so that it overlaps 50%.
7. Bend the wrist so that the front of the sprayer remains perpendicular to the surface.
8. Start with the lowest pressure and then progressively increase it until the desired results are achieved.
9. Do not forget the door. For the edges and frame, use a spray screen to help control overspray. Do this progressively from top to bottom.

Read more: How to remove old paint from walls

To clean up

1. Let the paint dry for the necessary time before removing moldings and adhesives, for at least 12 hours.
2. Remove the plastics from the moldings, doors, and windows.
3. Re-install light fixtures or pictures.
4. Clean the airless paint sprayer after each use.

Can you paint a metal garage door?

Absolutely yes. The only thing you need to keep in mind is what type of paint to use. In this case, to paint a metal garage door you will need to use oil or oil-based paint. This type of paint adheres easily to the surface and does not flake easily. Of course, this surface must already be treated and prepared to receive the paint.

Galvanized metals are not ideal for painting. Normal metal paint does not adhere well to galvanized metal and after a few days begins to flake off. Painting these doors is not recommended.

Painting the garage door is a necessary good, because it adds value to the house, makes it aesthetically more beautiful and the protection it provides is total. Don’t think too much about it, it’s a project you can do in a few days.

Read more: Can I use ceiling paint on walls?

Written by Vanessa Gallanti. April 21, 2023

Enthusiast about planning, project management, construction materials and technology, and construction. A civil engineer from Los Andes University and a content writer for Kukun.