You can paint your garage door black by applying the paint in two thin coats, with the second coat applied perpendicular to the first.
Like any exterior paint job, painting your garage door will take some time because of the inherent drying time needed between coats. However, it is a reasonably simple task if you are prepared to allow two or three days to paint the garage door.
It’s nothing to be scared of.
Changing the color of your garage door to black may seem a drastic move, but it shouldn’t be something to be worried about. At the end of the day, if you are careful and follow our helpful tips, then it should be a job to be proud of.
Painting Your Garage Door Black.
Preparation is the key to achieving a good finish to your garage door when you are changing the color to black. The paint should be a good quality exterior paint but choose one that is not “paint and primer” in one. To cover a garage door with black paint, requires it to be primed with a suitable exterior primer.
Give your garage door a wash
Making sure the garage door is clean is the first step to take. Wash the entire surface with a general household cleaner and a sponge. If your door is particularly dirty, then you may have to change the water and rinse the sponge before continuing. Once the dirt is gone, rinse the door with a hose and allow it to dry.
Check the weather forecast
Plan to start when the temperature isn’t going to be excessively high. Check your local weather forecast for the week, and choose three days when there is a chance of the temperature not exceeding 75 degrees, and the humidity is going to be low. A partly cloudy day will also help the process go smoothly.
Mask the parts you don’t want to paint
If you don’t want to paint everything in sight, you should mask off any areas you don’t want to be painted with heavy-duty painter’s tape. Cover up any handles, hinges, glass panels, locks, and possibly the garage door trim. If you are painting the trim, then mask off the garage edges.
Use a primer
Choose a primer that is suitable for the type of door. If the door has panels, then these should be primed first using a nylon-bristled two-inch quality paintbrush. Then prime the remainder of the door, including the returns between the panels that can be seen as the door is raised. Allow the primer to dry for at least 12 hours.
Paint any recessed panels
Once the primer has completely dried, you can now begin to apply the paint to the recessed panels in the same manner as you applied the primer. Any paint that manages to creep onto the adjoining areas (the stiles), should be wiped off with a damp cloth to ensure a smooth finish.
Paint the other areas
If you missed any of the paint that crept onto the stiles, then now would be a good time to try to remove it, to avoid those dreaded ridges so often seen on vertical surfaces. The stiles can be painted either with a two-inch brush or a 3/4-inch nap roller.
Clean up as you go
No matter how careful you are when painting the garage door, you’re probably going to see some paint coming in contact with places you don’t want it. If you notice any unwanted painted areas, then it is best to clean them straight away with either soapy water if you use latex paint, or paint thinners if using oil-based paint.
Is A Black Garage Door A Bad Idea?
Black garage doors need not be a bad idea, but the paint must be applied correctly. If the paint job is not done to a professional standard, then you are going to notice every blemish, run, and drip, with the end result possibly decreasing the value of your property.
Do Garage Doors Painted Black Look Good?
A black garage door can, in the right setting, make your home stand out. It can add a modern, classy appearance to the entire house, but to be sure it doesn’t turn into something you’ll regret, add some black trim to other parts of the property.
Black Garage Doors Advantages
Black garage doors have some advantages like:
They can give your home a modern look.
If the front of your home is all the same color, and you feel it is too boring to look at, then having a black garage door will not only add a bit of contrast, but it gives the appearance of being new and modern.
The value of your property may increase.
Painting your garage door black may well increase the value of your home, but you have to be careful with the overall exterior of the property. If the newly painted door is the only black thing and doesn’t blend in with the home’s color scheme, then the value will not increase.
Black Garage Doors Disadvantages
Having a black garage door has its advantages, but there are also some disadvantages. For instance:
Think about curb appeal.
If your garage door stands out from the rest of your home because it doesn’t match any of the other colors, then it could have a negative effect on your curb appeal and end up decreasing the value of your home.
Black doors get hot.
The color black absorbs heat. Depending on where you live, a black garage door could get extremely hot during the summer months, so hot in fact, there is a possibility of someone suffering from minor burns to their hands if they accidentally touch it.
The paint may peel.
You may not be aware of the fact that paint has an adhesive additive mixed in with it during production. When the door gets hot, the adhesive properties of the additive break down and will cause the paint to crack and start to peel.
More Tips on Painting a Garage Door
Tools and materials required.
Before you start painting your garage door, check you have all the necessary tools and materials. Here is a list of what you may need to help you.
MATERIALS:
Exterior primer, exterior paint, drop cloths, painter’s tape.
TOOLS:
Bucket and sponge, household cleaner, garden hose, scraper, wire brush, gloves, mask, paintbrush, paint roller, and safety glasses.
When to hire a professional to paint a garage door.
If you’re not confident that you can do a good job or feel that painting your garage door is beyond your comfort level, then hiring a professional may be the best way to go. They have the experience and equipment to do the job efficiently and quickly.
Tips on changing your interior doors from white to black.
Does the door trim and baseboards have to be painted as well?
When you have painted your interior doors black, and are satisfied with the results, give some thought to the baseboards and trim. It’s not a good idea to paint every baseboard or all the trim in your home black, but select one or two adjoining rooms and with the right black paint, you can make a bold statement and give the rooms new energy.
Do dark doors show dirt more?
Any dark color of paint on a door will show dirt more easily and, unfortunately, more often than light colors or white. If you are keen on painting your doors black, and you don’t mind giving them a frequent clean, then black is a good choice.
What type of paint should be used on interior doors?
If your doors have been painted before, the first thing to establish is what kind of paint was used. If the doors were painted using oil-based paint, then you must use oil-based paint again. Latex or water-based paint will not adhere successfully to oil paint. On the other hand, if latex paint was used, you can paint the doors with either latex or oil-based paint.
Will painting my doors a dark color decrease the value of my home?
If done correctly, painting your doors a dark color may have a positive effect on the resale value of your home. What you must keep in mind, however, is your internal layout of rooms, and the amount of natural light you have. For example, if you have a long hallway with no natural light then having dark-colored doors may make it appear even darker than it was, so be careful.
If I have one black door do the others have to be black?
The answer to that question is a matter of choice and what you want to do. You may have painted one door black to be a focal point in a room and having more may detract from that intention. Painting all the doors in your home could destroy the effect you were aiming for.
Do both sides of the door have to be painted?
Not necessarily. If the door you are painting is left open most of the time and you paint only one side, then you should paint the edge of the door that is seen the majority of the time. To explain, if the door opens out from the room, then the hinge edge should be painted. If it opens into the room, paint the latch edge.
Matching your garage door color to your front door.
The majority of home design experts will tell you that, generally, your garage door should match your front door. This is especially true if both doors are visible from the street. Painting both doors the same color will help to make your property stand out from your neighbors’ homes and give it some added curb appeal.
Questions
What kind of paint do you use on a garage door?
The answer to this question depends on the material your garage door is made with. If the door is metal, then choose an exterior acrylic latex paint. Vinyl doors can be painted using latex paint and primer with a bonding agent.
With wood and steel garage doors you can use either oil-based or latex exterior paint, and for an aluminum garage door select an exterior acrylic paint.
Can you paint the garage door black?
Of course, you can. You can paint a garage door any color you wish, but remember that a black garage door will absorb heat from the sun, so if your garage faces south, then it will get extremely hot, and the inside of the garage will heat up considerably.
Can you paint a steel garage door black?
Steel garage doors should be painted with either a latex or oil-based black paint. Depending on the original color, such as white, you will need to prime the door with a suitable primer, covering all the “nooks and crannies” where the panels meet. After the primer is completely dry paint each panel with black paint, but don’t try to cover the door with one thick coat. It’s better to apply a thin coat, allowing it to dry, and then a second coat if you want a smooth finish.
Can you just paint a garage door?
If your garage door is looking old or faded, then you can freshen it up with a coat of paint. This is especially the case if the door is made of wood and the existing finish has started to crack or chip. You can also paint your garage door if you want to add some contrast to the front of your home and don’t want to paint the whole house.
Best paint for garage door
In the majority of cases, using good-quality, exterior, latex-based paint will give you good results provided you prepare the door’s surface before you paint. Exterior latex paint is suitable for all types of garage doors, but metal garage doors will have a longer life span if you use oil-based paint.
Best paint finish for garage door
The best paint finish for a garage door is one that can withstand the harshest of weather. Heavy rain, snow, intense heat, cold, and anything else Mother Nature can throw at it. Semi-gloss or high gloss paint will dry to a hard finish, and they do not show scratches easily, which makes them the ideal paint finish for your garage door.
