Your home exterior is a great place to express your creativity, using exterior house paints to personalize the look. Since the garage door makes up a large portion of the visible surface on many home exteriors, it makes sense to consider painting it. Is it a good idea, though? It can be! Let's discuss some of the main factors to keep in mind when you decide whether or not to paint your garage door.

What Material Is It Made From?

Most garage doors are made from aluminum, steel, vinyl, or wood. All of these materials are paintable, as long as you follow the correct process. However, only wooden garage doors are typically painted. Why is this?

In the case of aluminum and steel garage doors, they come from the factory with a baked-on paint job called powder coating. This type of paint is extremely durable, and in many cases, it lasts the whole lifetime of the garage doors.

When it comes to vinyl garage doors, they come with the color infused right into the material. Just like with vinyl siding, the color cannot chip or peel off, and it resists fading very well.

With all of that said, metal and vinyl garage doors can be painted if you want to.

Why Would You Paint a Metal or Vinyl Garage Door?

One of the main reasons to paint any garage door is when you desire a change of color. Applying new paint to a metal or vinyl garage door is a great way to add freshness and style to your home exterior.

Another reason to paint metal garage doors is if there is something failing or damaged. For example, if the paint has faded or been scratched, or if there are rusty areas.

Here is the catch: once you paint your garage door, you can't go back to the maintenance-free surface you had before. Like all exterior paint, they will need to be recoated every 5 years or so, or the paint will deteriorate.

When to Paint a Wooden Garage Door

Here in the Washington, D.C. area, most exterior paint lasts 5-7 years. You can generally expect the same performance from the paint on a garage door. The key is to repaint your garage door before any clear signs of paint failure emerge. Watch for fading, chalking, and cracking. As long as the new paint is applied in time, it is not a complicated project.

The other time to paint a wooden garage door is when you are ready for a new color!

Color Ideas for Painting a Garage Door

The most common garage door color is white, and it is hard to argue with the classic, crisp, clean look it provides. However, there are many other options for a more attention-grabbing, unique garage door color:

• The same as your siding color
• A darker shade of the color on your siding
• A neutral color like black, gray, brown, or tan
• The same color as your trim
• A pop of color that is also used as an accent on the front entry door or shutters

If it feels like a lot of pressure when you choose the paint color for your garage door, just remember, you can always paint it again. Don't be afraid to try something new and bold!

Williams Professional Painting

While painting the garage door can be done by a homeowner, it may be a good idea to hire a local painting company. This ensures you get the right products, the job is done using the best practices, and you are ensured of the best results. And best of all, you get to enjoy the beautiful new look without any of the labor or mess on your own part!

For homeowners in northern Virginia and the Washington, D.C. area, Williams Professional Painting is a name you can trust for exceptional customer service and wonderful exterior painting. Besides painting garage doors, we also provide interior painting, carpentry, drywall services, and much more. Use our online contact form, or call our office to get started. We look forward to meeting you!