Don’t Know How To Paint A Metal Garage Door? No Panic! Use Our Guide

After installing a metal gate, many of us wonder what to paint it with and whether it is worth painting. You can use alkyd or acrylic enamel and oily to paint your garage. For many car owners, the garage has become more than just a place for the car and storage of various junk. You still want to see doors in good condition inside and out. Even if the garages are not living quarters.

One of the most important elements of the garage is the gate. They are the first thing that catches your eye when you walk up to your garage for the first time. A good garage door is also important when selling your garage. A bad-looking garage can scare off a buyer and blow the deal.

A reasonable question arises: “How to paint a metal gate?” and “What paint to use on the metal garage door?” In this article, we will find out why you must paint the gate and what formulations best suit this purpose. Let’s start in order and divide the process of painting the gate into several stages.

How to Paint a Metal Garage Door?

To make the surface smooth, without streaks and visible defects, you need to understand how to paint the door. It is better to paint doors after removing it from the hinges. You can use ordinary oilcloth as a substrate. Step-by-step guide:

1. If the painting procedure is performed with a brush, its movement should be from top to bottom. Use a spray gun or roller. It depends on the size of the door and the type of paint.
2. The whole process starts from the top. First, covering the panel and horizontal elements. Only after that, you can paint vertical surfaces. Try not to drive the brush on the not-yet-dried paint. During painting metal garage doors, you should avoid breaks or gaps. 
3. Apply the composition in several layers. So there are no light spots on the surface.
4. If you see a smear, you need to wait until it dries. Then sand it with sandpaper. 
5. You can apply the second layer only after the first one is completely dry. It takes about 30 minutes. 

When painting metal doors with powder paint on site, the complete drying of the structure will occur in about 6 hours.

How to Prepare Metal Garage Doors for Painting?

Before you start painting your gate with any method or material, you need to prepare it well. You can’t put a neat, even coat of paint on rust and holes. After all, we know these things will inevitably show up on the sheet over the years. So, you need to follow this order:

1. Washing of dirt. Remove dirt and other substances stuck to the fabric. You can do the most thorough work with a hose. You need to pay special attention to corners and hard-to-reach places.
2. Cleaning the surface. At this stage, removing the peeling paint from the cloth is necessary. If the layer of the previous coating is large, it is necessary to remove all the thicknesses of the old paint. You can work with a metal brush and a construction hair dryer. It is possible to use a grinder or a drill with a special attachment – a “brush.”
3. Grinding. Regardless of your work type, do it with a fine-grained sandpaper structure. You can do this by hand or with a drill with a special nozzle. The mechanized method speeds up the work. However, use manual sanding to get to hard-to-reach places. So  you can paint metal garage doors easier.
4. Degreasing. It is performed with a solvent after cleaning and sanding. It is important to treat the entire surface without skipping. Also, do not forget about the hard-to-reach areas. The quality of adhesion of other coatings with the metal depends on this.

Of course, you can ignore all these operations and immediately start painting. But this can have an extremely negative effect on the final result. 

What Paint to Use on the Metal Garage Door?

The most commonly used types for painting metal garage doors are as follows:

• Nitro dye is quick-drying and easier to apply. However, it flakes off and then, within six months, wears off. It is not recommended for use over other types of paint products.
• Oily. It covers the object thickly but takes a long time to dry. Depending on the product brand, the drying process can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. 
• The alkyd enamel is a universal variant with which you can paint metal garage doors. Also, it has good abrasion resistance. There is a wide range of colors and a choice of structures – ordinary glossy or matte. The durability of the painted surface is from 3 to 7 years. Drying time is within 24 hours.
• Acrylic enamel withstands sharp temperature changes and the impact of moisture, as well as aggressive substances. It is elastic and widespread in use.
• Organosilicon enamel has good adhesion, strength, and elasticity. Particularly stands out for its heat resistance, anti-corrosive properties, and low consumption when painting.

After selecting the paint, you can choose an anti-corrosion primer. And it is better if both of these materials are from the same company. 

Why Should You Do Painting Metal Garage Doors?

It is difficult to find a material superior to metal in its performance characteristics. It is durable, resistant to temperature fluctuations, and virtually immune to external physical effects. The only disadvantage of metal doors is their susceptibility to corrosion. Indeed, due to its location in the open air, the gate leaves are constantly under the influence of:

• rain;
• snow;
• increased air humidity. 

Affected by rust, the gate does not look aesthetically pleasing. Corrosion can also damage the closing mechanisms. It will lead to the premature replacement of their parts. In turn, painting the gate is the best way out of this situation. The correctly chosen composition for painting metal garage doors will:

• protect the metal surface from the negative effects of moisture;
• allow you to create a complete picture of the exterior of your home.

Painting is also necessary for the gate, which was painted earlier.  Because of poor-quality paint, cracks, chips, and bubbles have begun to form on their surface.

After all, a violation of the integrity of the paint layer will soon lead to the appearance of rust.

Bottom Line

Choosing the correct coating version and following the sequence of work is quite inexpensive and beautiful. Take advantage of our tips, and then you are sure to succeed. Also, adhere to safety standards when working with paint and other substances. So, now you can paint metal garage doors!

FAQ