Garage doors are focal elements of a home and require coatings compatible with metal and hardware when painting the exterior of a house.

Start by thoroughly cleaning and de-greasing the door using a trisodium phosphate substitute or a heavy-duty cleaner and a stiff brush, then rinse and allow to dry fully to ensure adhesion. Remove or mask weatherstripping, locks, and movable parts, and cover windows and surrounding trim with low tack tape and drop cloths to prevent overspray or brush marks. Lightly sand glossy factory finishes with fine grit sandpaper to create a key for primer, then wipe with a lint free cloth dampened with solvent recommended by the paint manufacturer to remove dust and oils. Apply an adhesion promoting primer formulated for metal, focusing on edges, seams, and any bare metal spots to prevent rust and ensure uniform topcoat bonding. Use an exterior semi gloss or gloss latex or acrylic paint designed for metal surfaces for durability and ease of cleaning, applying thin even coats with a high quality synthetic brush or short nap roller and maintaining a wet edge to avoid lap marks. Allow proper flash and cure times between coats, operate the door gently during cure to prevent scuffing, and consider two finish coats in high traffic or exposed locations for extended life.

Common mistakes are skipping proper cleaning which leads to poor adhesion and early peeling, so always degrease and rinse thoroughly before any sanding or priming. Another frequent issue is failing to sand glossy finishes which prevents primer and paint from bonding, so lightly abrade the surface until it loses its shine and then clean the residue away. Finally, using the wrong paint or skipping primer causes flaking and rust, so select an adhesion promoting primer made for metal and a high quality exterior semi gloss or gloss paint designed for metal and follow the manufacturer drying and recoat times.

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