June is Garage Door Safety Month!

Do you have a pre-painted steel garage door? It’s important to take a little time now and then to clean your door and check to see if it needs repainting. A great time to do this is in the spring, right after the cold, harsh winter that may have taken a toll on your door’s surface.

Cleaning Your Steel Door

Cleaning your garage door regularly is very important. While steel garage doors from Wayne Dalton require very little maintenance, it’s still healthy for your door to wipe off any grime or dirt that has accumulated on its surface over time. Generally, if you thoroughly and regularly clean your steel door, it likely won't need to be repainted. Simply wash your garage door once a year to maintain its original finish.

To wash your garage door, use one cup of mild detergent, such as Tide™. If you use another detergent, make sure it contains less than 0.5% phosphate. Dissolve the cup of detergent into five gallons of warm water. CAUTION: Never mix cleansers or detergents with bleach. Use a soft sponge or cloth to wipe down your door, then rinse it off with a hose. You can clean both the outside and inside of your door this way.

It’s as simple as that. Do this at least once a year to keep your garage door shiny and clean! 

Preparing Your Garage Door for Painting

If you have a Wayne Dalton garage door with a factory-applied finish, your door should be very durable and last for years longer than a door with an ordinary paint finish. However, if your door has been exposed to the elements for a long period of time without being cleaned, you may notice slight chalking or discoloration. This usually comes off when you clean your door, but if you find that your door could use a fresh coat of paint, follow these instructions carefully. 

1. Remove the existing wax on the surface of your garage door. To do this, lightly scuff the surface with a gray (NOT green) 3M ScotchBrite pad saturated with soapy water. Afterwards, rinse the surface off with clean water to remove any remaining loose dust or soap film.

2. Lightly buff or sand any surface scratches (that have NOT exposed the metal substrate) with 0000 steel wool or No. 400 sand paper. Be careful not to expose the substrate underneath the paint or the likelihood for rusting will greatly increase.

3. If the underlying substrate is exposed, lightly sand the exposed area then paint it using a high quality metal primer. Be sure to follow the instructions on the primer can for application and drying.

4. You don’t want the surface you're intending to paint to be TOO smooth, or the paint won’t adhere correctly. You may want to test a small area to see how well the paint adheres to the surface before painting the entire door. If the surface is too smooth, lightly sand or buff using the above methods to add a little texture. 

Painting Your Steel Door

Before you begin painting your garage door, make sure it is completely dry after washing it. As soon as it is, apply a premium quality latex house paint to the surface, carefully following the instructions on the label. Do not use oil-based paint.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• Repainting of finish painted steel doors cannot be warranted, as this condition is totally beyond door manufacturer’s control.
• If the steel door surface has a finish-painted textured surface representing wood grain, stucco, etc., do not buff, or the danger of exposing substrate will be greatly increased.
• Consult a professional coatings contractor if in doubt about any of the above directions.
• Follow directions explicitly on the paint and solvent container labels for proper applications of coatings and disposal of containers. Pay particular attention to those directions involving acceptable conditions in which to paint. 

Steel Garage Doors in Des Moines

WD Door installs quality steel garage doors that are strong, durable, low maintenance, and very energy efficient. Our classic steel doors come in a variety of colors and designs, and our carriage house steel doors add an extra touch of charm and personality to the home.

If your garage door needs to be repaired or replaced, and you live in Des Moines, Ankeny, or another Central Iowa community, contact us! We will service your residential or commercial garage door so you can have peace of mind.