Step 1: prepping
Start by removing all dust, sand and other loose dirt from your garage door with a soft brush or broom. Then clean the gate with a mild cleaning agent or a good degreaser to remove grease and more stubborn dirt. Rinse well with clean water and let the door dry completely.
A few other things to consider:
- If your garage door is made of wood, sand it lightly and remove the dust with a soft brush or cloth.
- If you are going to paint over an existing layer of paint, check that the old paint still adheres well. Flaking or loose paint should be removed.
- Any damages to your door, such as cracks or holes, should also be repaired first. Use a suitable filler that matches the material of your garage door.
Finally, protect the wall and any other surfaces around the garage door by covering them with masking tape. In many cases, laying protective cardboard on the ground is also a clever idea.
Step 2: applying primer
Time to start painting! Obviously, you'll need paint for that but ehm... Which paint exactly do you need for your garage door? 🤔
Well, which primer to use next depends on the surface of your garage door:
- Wood: Use an exterior wood primer or a synthetic paint primer, such as Sikkens Rubbol Primer or Sigma Tigron Primer. Apply one coat for a good base. Or choose a one-pot system such as Sigma Amarol Triol or Sikkens Rubbol EPS, requiring three coats in total (including the intermediate and final coat)
- Aluminium, PVC, metal, powder coatings: A multiprimer or adhesion primer is recommended here, such as Sigma Multiprimer or Trimetal Permacryl Multiprimer. Again, one coat is usually sufficient.
Use a felt roller and a brush to apply the primer. Make sure you follow the direction of the profiling for an even result. Don't forget the sides too. You don't always see them, but they are still there.
Note the drying time before you continue painting. You can find it on the packaging or in the technical data sheet of the primer you use.
Step 3: painting the garage door
For the rest of your painting job, too, your choice of paint depends on the surface. This is because it is best to choose a paint that forms a strong system with the primer you chose for the previous step.
- Sikkens Rubbol Primer can be finished with Sikkens Rubbol Satura, for example;
- Sigma Tigron Primer or Sigma Multiprimer with Sigma Tigron Satin or Gloss;
- Trimetal Permacryl Multiprimer with Trimetal Permacryl Satin.
In most cases, two more coats of topcoat are recommended. If you had already started with a one-pot system, just continue with that to apply an intermediate and final coat after your first coat. Apply just the same as how you applied the primer.
There you go! By following these steps, you will not only give your garage door a fresh look, but also protect it from all kinds of weather conditions and it will be able to last for several years!
Checklist
- Clean and degrease well
- Depending on the surface, do some extra prepping
- Apply the right primer
- Finish within a steady paint system
- Enjoy your garage door for years to come!
Useful tools
Need help?
If some of the steps aren't entirely clear to you, or if you are in a specific situation that isn't covered in our how-to guide, then our experts will be happy to help.
