Painting a vinyl garage door is a fairly easy and inexpensive task. It should take no more than three or four hours, and it should cost about $60. Painting a vinyl garage door requires only very basic painting skills, and you’ll use latex house paint, which is a very safe product that’s easy to clean up with soap and water.
In this article, we provide step-by-step instructions and smart tips to help you paint your vinyl garage door successfully. Read on to learn more.
15 Steps To Paint Your Vinyl Garage Door
Follow these 15 steps to paint your vinyl garage door:
- Paint when the weather is right
Choose a day to paint when the temperature is warm and the humidity is low.
- Avoid mishaps and inadvertent damage
Move your vehicles out of the way to avoid paint damage.
- Start with a clean surface
Scrub the door completely with a mixture of detergent and water. Follow up with a thorough rinsing with your water hose. Naturally, adding a spray gun to your garden hose will give you better cleaning results.
- Make sure it’s dry
After cleaning the door, allow it to dry when the sun is shining directly on it. This will help it dry faster. Let the door dry for several hours to make sure there is no water left on it. If you are in a hurry, you can use a leaf blower to help dry the garage door after cleaning it.
- Protect the concrete
Cover the floor and driveway under the door with drop cloths to prevent paint damage.
- Don’t paint your weather seal
Mask off the door seal at the base of the door with painters’ tape.
- Cover anything else you don’t want to paint
Mask off the hardware and the woodwork around the door with painters’ tape, unless you plan to paint it to match the door.
- Get your materials ready
Use a good quality, water-based, latex house paint on vinyl. Have both a large roller and a small roller at hand. Be sure to use a fresh roller brush for the best results. Using disposable foam brushes makes it easy to pre-paint angles.
- Paint the door when the sun has moved on
This will be more comfortable for you, and the paint will dry better without the sun shining on it.
- Manage your paint wisely
A single gallon of high quality latex house paint should be plenty to paint a garage door. Read and follow the instructions on the paint can. Stir your paint thoroughly for best results. Pour out small amounts of paint into a tray or small bucket to carry with you as you work. Keep your can of paint covered to keep dust and debris out.
- Use smaller brushes to paint angles
If there are windows in your garage door, paint around them first using an angled brush.
- Use a roller to paint the rest of the garage door
Remember that it’s better to load your roller lightly and apply several light coats to avoid drips.
- Allow plenty of time to allow the first coat to dry
Follow the recommendations given on the paint can to be sure your paint dries between coats. Remember that the more drying time you can allow between coats, the better your results will be.
- Apply the second coat just as you did the first coat
Allow it to dry thoroughly.
- Remove drop cloths and masking tape
Your garage door is ready for use!
Store Or Dispose Of Your Paint Responsibly
If you have enough paint left over, you can seal the can carefully and store it in a cool, dry place for up to ten years. If you need to make touch-ups to your paint, you’ll be glad to have a perfect match on hand.
After a while, your paint will go bad. It may smell bad when you open it. Even if it doesn’t, it may not dry properly if you try to use it. If this happens, or if you just have a little paint left, you should dispose of it responsibly.
Never pour paint down a drain or into a ditch or storm drain. This can have serious environmental consequences. Instead, let non-oil based paints stand inside your garage with the lid off until they dry up and solidify. Put the lid back on the can and put it in the trash.
If you have a significant amount of paint left over, and you don’t want to store it or let it go to waste, you may be able to donate it. Check with your city or county recycling programs to see if they have a reuse program for paint.
If not, they may be able to direct you to charities, such as Habitat for Humanity ReStore, which can make good use of your leftover paint.
I think there are not so many differences in painting garage doors in different materials. The key is to choose the right type of paint products