The Best Way to Paint Wood Garage Doors

When amateur painters attempt to paint wooden garage doors, they often end up with unforeseen problems. Know the appropriate way to prepare and paint the surface, or you could find yourself in over your head.

Primer

• Bare wood garage doors will not accept paint adhesion. You must pretreat the wood by applying a base coat of acrylic latex primer. Once the door is properly prepared, it will accept its new finish.

Paint

• An acrylic latex paint is appropriate for garage doors, because it is formulated to contract and expand as temperatures vary. Ordinary latex paint may crack and peel in extreme weather.

Application

• A roller is the appropriate tool for applying paint to wooden garage doors. If you need a paintbrush to apply paint to awkward areas inaccessible to the roller, be sure it is specifically engineered for use with water-based latex.

Considerations

• Once you apply primer or paint to the garage door, you must take measures to prevent the seams from sticking shut. Raise the garage door two feet while the primer or paint is still wet and place a brick underneath. This will break the seams and prevent them from sticking.