Paint for metal doors

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Haynie

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Have any of you repainted metal overhead/garage doors? If so what paint did you use? I have 44 of them to paint and no idea what paint to use. So far around here I have been told to just use exterior house paint, special anti rust paint, and nothing because you can't repaint overhead doors. I know the last guy is full of poo. The last time they were painted had to have been over 5 years ago and no one remembers what my father-in-law used.

I know how to prep the doors just don't know what to paint them with. I am going to hold off on repainting the buildings themselves way too daunting a task right now.
 
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Do you need to prime first? any bare metal showing? How much rust is there?

Starting with Rust-it must be stopped! Something akin to Navel Jelly will convert that to solid metal. Then cover with a good rust resistant primer. Nasty stuff but worth the work.

Bare clean metal gets some good primer. I would use an oil base for water resistance.

Well adhered paint-any good exterior oil base paint should last several years, just be very careful to not paint the doors into a solid piece by allowing the paint to gather in the fold cracks and set up there. DAMHIKT. It is much like painting your window shut, you can still get it open after much work and new language usage lesions. BEst of luck with your project, sounds like you have your Summer all laid out.
Charles
 
Prepping is 85% of the deal, yes you can use house paint. But it is libel to chalk after a couple of years. You didn't say how you are planning on painting them spray, roller, airless etc.

I sprayed a 1940's Alco locomotive at the transit museum I belonged to with Sears best house paint but that was 20 years ago guaranteed no chalk and it didn't. I have no idea how good their paint is now! Last time I have seen it it looked pretty good since it hasn't been painted since.

Look for anti chalking/no chalking statements on the paint can I would do only oil based paint. Clean and prime what you can only do in a day. You don't want to clean a bunch prime some over a couple days. After you get them primed paint some and if the primed coat gets dirty clean them again.

If you don't want to have to deal with them again soon. Use only a good rust preventive primer and a good metal top coat. Sherman Willams have some good stuff if you have a paint store were the painters in your area go that's the place to go to get a good price on 5 gallons etc.
Air less paint sprayers either rentals or purchased will make it go a lot faster.
:clown:
 
Planning to use an airless sprayer. I have never used one so this should be an experience.

These doors have never been primed. Power washed, sanded, then power washed again is all. Never primed. No hint of primer anywhere. No rust. Very few things rust around here with the lack of humidity.

Thanks for the no chalking advice. I have a school vacation coming up in a few weeks so I will have a week to get it all done, if the weather cooperates. I will be prepping a little every day until then.
 
The airless sprayer will speed the whole process up considerably, but make sure to get a paper/tape machine for masking things off.

We used an oil base paint on the roll up door on my dads garage. It worked well. The door had an off white paint on it already though. Follow the paint manufacturers instructions.
 
I was a painting contractor for many years and have painted my fair share of metal overhead doors. Nothing tricky about it.

It sounds like you're completely prepped and ready for paint. Use a good quality exterior latex paint with a low sheen. The paint is more flexible and less likely to crack as the door flexes. Issues with chalking/oxidizing will be much less noticeable with low sheens vs. higher gloss finishes. Also, I'd recommend light colors as dark colors will get much hotter in direct sunlight which will prematurely age the appearance of the paint job and could cause cracking.
 
Metal siding

I have aluminum siding I was going to paint last summer. I did a lot of research and found out that you have to use an oil based paint on it because the latex will cause a chemical reaction and ruin the paint. The trouble then is finding a sprayer that will use oil based paint.

You might do a google search for painting aluminum siding and see if those constraints apply to your doors.
 
I miscounted. I have 42 to paint. We have a boat storage business and there are 6 business bay doors too. Careful what you wish for jd99, with those garages comes WORK. If that horrible word does not bother you the doors, buildings, and property are for sale.

Latex paint got it. not shiny got it. All doors will be painted white because it is really freaking hot here in the summer.
 
AultMan said:
I have aluminum siding I was going to paint last summer. I did a lot of research and found out that you have to use an oil based paint on it because the latex will cause a chemical reaction and ruin the paint. The trouble then is finding a sprayer that will use oil based paint.

You might do a google search for painting aluminum siding and see if those constraints apply to your doors.
Click to expand...

The doors are not aluminum. They are steel. Thanks for the heads up though. I will look into it.
 
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