Garage door
Adding Years of Life to Your Garage Doors Through Proper Maintenance
Keeping your garage doors in good working condition with regular maintenance will go far in retaining the quality, convenience and security they provide to your home. Even for many homeowners who take good care of their home, the garage door is often overlooked until a problem develops. This is primarily due to the location and the ease at which it is quickly passed by when coming to and going from our home. Most of us do not dedicate the time or attention to detail especially when riding inside our vehicle. It is one location that often suffers neglect until a problem arises.
Regularly priming and painting the exterior surface is an important factor in preserving the quality and extending the life of the material. Most of us do not think of painting as a priority for garage door maintenance. For many, it seems to be more of a cosmetic issue. However, keeping the wood or steel material properly primed and painted is something that should be a top priority for all homeowners.
Items You will Need
When considering care for any wood or steel garage door, you will want to regularly prime and paint the surface material which will keep it in good structural condition. If not kept well protected with a quality exterior paint it will be subject to damage from rain, moisture, rust, corrosion and even insects.
Begin by gathering your tools for the job:
- exterior wood/metal primer
- exterior wood/metal paint
- a small container of wood putty or filler
- a 4 inch paint brush
- a small easy to carry paint tray
- a medium wood/steel sanding block
- an ordinary 4 inch metal blade paint scraper or putty knife
Prepping Wood Doors
For a wood garage door, start by inspecting the surface for any holes in the wood, peeling paint or damage from insects. Using your metal blade scraper, remove any and all loose or peeling paint along the entire surface of the door. There may be some areas where the sanding block will be needed to remove old buckled or detached paint. Next, you will want to fill any holes or blemishes in the wood with your wood putty or filler using your putty knife. Allow the repair enough time to dry sufficiently. After the putty is dry, quickly sand any repaired areas for a smooth surface. Next wipe the areas you sanded clean with a damp cloth.
Priming
Now you are ready to begin priming. If you had only minute areas of scraping and sanding, priming the surface before painting is not usually necessary. If however you have conducted a significant amount of scraping or spot repair to the wood, you will want to apply primer to the areas where the outer layer of old paint is diminished, especially where the wood itself is showing.
Painting
After allowing the applied primer to dry sufficiently for an hour or more, you are ready to begin painting. When painting wood garage doors, remember to use enough paint without over doing it. Allow your brush strokes to run with the grain of the wood whenever possible. This will give a more even and professional look when the job is complete. For most, it is advisable to apply a 2nd coat of exterior paint after the first coat has finished drying. For best results, wait 24 hours before applying the 2nd coat of exterior paint.
Prepping Steel Doors
For metal or steel doors, preparation is easier. You will want to inspect the entire surface area for spot rust. If you find you do have some areas of rust, you will want to firmly scour the area using your sanding block until no more rust is present. Next wipe the areas you sanded clean with a damp cloth.
Priming
You can now begin priming your metal garage door. If you find you had only minor rust to remove by sanding, it is possible to simply spot prime the areas where you removed the rust. If you did have significant or large areas of surface rust to contend with, you will want to apply at least one coat of primer before painting. Be sure to allow each coat to dry sufficiently before applying the next one.
Painting
Once you have allowed any primer applied to dry, you can begin painting. A paint brush is recommended for properly brushing the paint onto the metal surface to deliver optimum adhesion. Keep brush strokes straight and even for a uniform appearance on your completed project. Remember to use enough paint to adequately cover the entire surface of your garage door without overdoing it. If you do apply 2 coats, allow the first to dry for 24 hours before applying the 2nd coat of exterior paint.
Taking good care of every part of your home is important for preserving it’s quality. Periodically priming and painting will prevent the exterior elements from causing any deterioration to the structure material of your garage doors.So save on garage door repair, Atlanta GA! It is definitely worth the time and effort.
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