DIY Painting Project: How To Give Your Garage Door A Makeover

Your street-facing garage door can easily take over the facade of your home. Therefore, a garage door with paint chipping or an awfully hideous color can really dampen the overall curb appeal of your home. So, if your garage door is shouting for a makeover, and you have your paint ready, here is how to give it one: 

Step 1: Disengage the Door Opener.

Your garage door should have an electric opener. While this is convenient in most situations, it isn't here. Disengage it by pulling on the red handle that is hanging down from the ceiling of your garage. This allows you to manually open and shut your garage door from the outside.

Step 2: Clean the Door and All the Little Cracks.

Like most things, garage doors get dirty. From cobwebs to dirt, you need to get all of it off before you can paint. You can use a sanding block to do this, which will help loosen up any stubborn dirt and debris. Clean in between each of the panels as you move the door up and down and don't forget the bottom gasket of the door. Now, you should use a rag or cloth to eliminate any dirt and dust that you stirred up so that there are no particles in your way when you begin painting.

Step 3: Set Up Your Workspace.

Raise your door slightly and place a dropcloth underneath it. This will catch any drips that may occur so that the paint doesn't get on the garage floor or the driveway. Open your paint and use a stir stick to stir it up. It is recommended that you pour some of the paint into a clean bucket or paint tray rather than using the gallon paint can. However, it's up to you.

Step 4: Start Painting from the Bottom and Work Your Way Up.

Now it is finally time to get busy. Start from the bottom of the garage door when you paint. Avoid painting the gasket, though, as it doesn't need to be painted (unless it needs to be repainted because it was painted before). As you finish the first panel, you can move the garage door down a bit so that you can reach the second panel without having to reach up too high.

Step 5: Don't Forget to Paint Between the Panels.

As you pull the garage door down, you need to make sure that you paint the tops and bottoms of the door panels. Otherwise, your garage door is going to look very strange when it is opening and closing. Just remember that you'll need a step stool or you'll need to reach really high (possibly enlisting the help of a taller individual) to paint these, as they need to be fully opened to be paint properly, which occurs at the top of the garage door.

Step 6: Painting the Top Panel and Trim.

When it comes to the top garage door panel and the trim around the door, you need a step stool. This ensures you ca reach the area without having to stretch, which could potentially cause mess-ups. Once the garage door is completely painted, check for any missed areas, drips and runs. When all is well, you can paint the trim around the door.

Painting a garage door can easily be a one-day project, as it only really takes an hour or two, depending on your speed and door size. If needed, a second coat can be applied the same day as long as the first coat has thoroughly and completely dried. If you noticed any issues with the functioning of your garage door as you were painting, you'll want to contact a repair specialist as quickly as possible. After all, you just painted your garage door and it looks brand new, so it might as well function like a new one.