Garage doors come factory finished in lots of colors! Anything from classic white, to modern black is available these days! For the most part, there is a factory finished color option for what you are going for color wise. Sometimes though, you might want a very specific shade, or color that the manufacturer doesn’t offer on their factory finish. But is it as good idea to paint your door to match what you want? Or is it better to just choose a factory shade.
We at Hung Right Doors don’t really have many qualms when it comes to painting a door actually! If it’s done with the correct method the results are often beautiful and can last many years. Painting your door a color different from a factory offered color can really set your home apart from the others in your neighborhood. When most doors are a shade of white or cream, or even just brown and black, a color painted door can be just the eye-catching detail your home needs to stand out. Even painting unique trim on the door can be enough to set your door apart. It can also make your home have a more cohesive and thoughtful look. It’s no secret that carefully planned out detailed styling is imperative to creating a home that looks put together and carefully considered. Making sure that the paint matches small details like the trim, or the main homes exterior color can make your whole house look like a home straight off the cover of a magazine!
Painting your garage door is also relatively easy to do, and doesn’t take a lot of experience, but is also inexpensive for a painter to do. Making sure your door is clean and dry before starting is imperative, and so is using good quality paint from a paint store, or a high-quality exterior paint from a home improvement store. Make sure that it’s a long-lasting exterior paint that will hold up to the elements common in your area.
Painting your garage door is also a great option for when you are ready to get a refresh for your homes exterior, but you aren’t ready for the cost commitment of purchasing a whole new door.
Of course there are a few reasons where we’d caution you when it comes to painting a garage door- If you don’t do it correctly it can look sloppy and bring down the look of your home instead of elevating it. Make sure to paint it properly (more posts coming on that soon) by doing things like painting it with light coats if you cant paint in panels, tape off edges, and using good quality paint.
you also need to be cautious when it comes to the shade of paint you are using. I’ve seen so many doors painted with a dark colored, lower quality paint that fades in bright direct sun. This leaves the door looking bleached, and sloppy. If you’re going to take the time to paint your door, make sure to chose a color and paint variety that will stand up to the suns rays over a long time.
Some of our doors with overlays on them also have restrictions when it comes to the shade of paint you use. You can look it up on Clopay.com, or call us in the office to see if your door has any such restrictions. The overlays on these doors are applied with a very strong adhesive, but if your door has too much sunlight shining on it, and is also painted a dark color, the pigments absorb too much head from the sun leading to the adhesive weaking over time. We’ve seen some people lose their overlays from their door because of this issue and its heartbreaking! Make sure that the color you paint your door isn’t too dark!
Perhaps the biggest issue with painting a garage door is that it does void the Clopay lifetime warranty on the enamel paint system. This is a bummer because if something happens to your door, and it rusts or the paint chips off, the replacement and repairs are the owner’s financial responsibility. Painting your door doesn’t damage the enamel on your door though, so If you have any chips in the paint system its best to get them taken care of before you paint your door so that your door has the best shot of longevity as possible, and you will be unlikely to have to worry about the Clopay paint system at all.
All in all, painting your garage door is a perfectly achievable and acceptable option to take. Just take some necessary precautions before you proceed, and you’ll soon have a beautiful door that looks brand new!