Here's a pic
![]()
Repainting garage door, how much paint to remove?
Not sure when it was last painted, but at least 10 years. The rails and stiles are wood, and I thought the panes were, but one part where it's chipped looks like MDF. In some places the paint is peeling, so I started in those spots with a wire brush and sanding block. The panes are in much better shape than the rail and stiles.
How much should I remove? It seems like if I keep working at the edges of the peeling stuff, it will just keep peeling. Does that make sense? Like after the obvious peeling stops, I can scrap more and more paint will come off. Not sure if it was loose or I'm scraping off good paint.
Not sure when to stop. Is it better to just peel as much as possible? That will make a long day(s), but might make it last longer?
Thanks!
How much should I remove? It seems like if I keep working at the edges of the peeling stuff, it will just keep peeling. Does that make sense? Like after the obvious peeling stops, I can scrap more and more paint will come off. Not sure if it was loose or I'm scraping off good paint.
Not sure when to stop. Is it better to just peel as much as possible? That will make a long day(s), but might make it last longer?
Thanks!
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
You just need to remove what is loose. If you don't wait too long to paint the fresh paint will help lock down the rest. If you wait awhile - expect to do more scraping/sanding.
Im not a fan of using a wire brush to strip paint. Scrape what you can. If the boards are smooth wood, run an orbital sander over it to feather the paint in a little. Spot prime, paint.
If it was mine I'd be replacing the whole thing with a new metal door so you never have to deal with this again.
A random orbital sander with 60 grit paper will get it down to bare wood really fast, if it comes out to rough just make a quick pass over it with 100 grit, I'd be wearing a mask because it may be lead based paint.
If any of those MDF panels are rotten they can be removed from the back side and replaced with 1/4 under layment rated plywood.
I'd prime all the bare wood with oil based primer, then use latex over it.
A random orbital sander with 60 grit paper will get it down to bare wood really fast, if it comes out to rough just make a quick pass over it with 100 grit, I'd be wearing a mask because it may be lead based paint.
If any of those MDF panels are rotten they can be removed from the back side and replaced with 1/4 under layment rated plywood.
I'd prime all the bare wood with oil based primer, then use latex over it.
Yeah, ditch the wire brush. It takes longer and scratches the wood. A putty knife with a sharp edge and a carbide bladed scraper can make fast work of scraping a garage door like that. An hour (tops) is about all it should take unless you're really being meticulous.
1 - 6 of 6 Posts
- This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
DIY Home Improvement Forum
A forum community dedicated to Do it yourself-ers and home improvement enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about tools, projects, builds, styles, scales, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more! Helping You to Do It Yourself!
Full Forum Listing
Explore Our Forums
Top Contributors this Month
View All
Nealtw
1051 Replies
chandler48
961 Replies
DoomsDave
487 Replies
Recommended Communities
