Despite the age of your garage door, it is still working just fine. In most cases, it is probably made from metal, but it might be an older, wood‑style garage door. However, it’s starting to show its age, and you need to repaint it every year. Is it really worth that? Or, should you invest in a new garage door entirely? Actually, there’s no perfect path forward. Below, we will discuss a few things to help guide you.
The Actual Age
One of the first considerations here is the actual age of the garage door. Actually, the door itself is only part of the equation. Whether you have a steel door or a wood garage door, you need to consider the door itself, but also the hardware behind it. Is all the hardware system used the same age as the garage door? If so, chances are good that you’ll find lots of rust, as well as worn components that are pretty close to the end of their use life. If that’s the case, replacing the door is probably the best option.
You may also notice that your wood garage door becomes heavier over time. This is normal – the door is actually absorbing moisture from the environment. This is particularly common with sandwich‑style wood garage doors, which use an inner and outer layer of thin plywood over a core of mineral wool, all of which will absorb moisture.
If your door is made from solid wood or a core with solid wood planking, remember that it must breathe in order to stay in good condition.
Your Time Commitment
Another consideration here is the amount of time you will need to spend each time you repaint it. No, painting the inside and outside of a single garage door is not particularly difficult. However, it is time consuming. This is particularly true when it comes to sanding down the old paint, and then repainting it properly.
There are quite a few factors that go into properly painting a garage door. You’ll need to make sure you have all the supplies, of course – primer, paint, paint brushes, rollers, drop cloths, sandpaper, and the like. You’ll also need to make sure that the weather will be conducive. You want the humidity level to be relatively low, with a temperature around 60 F or 75 F (15 C or 25 C).
The door should not be painted in full sun, and you likewise should not paint if rain is in the forecast. You also need to build in time for the primer coat to dry before you apply the top coat. As a tip, if you have a metal door in decent condition, an exterior painter can do the job for you quickly, saving you time and hassle.
Consider Investing in a New Garage Door
If you think that your garage door just isn’t in good enough shape to last any longer, or you’re tired of repainting it year after year, you might decide to replace it. How much should a new one cost? Actually, it can depend – a single garage door may only be about $1,000. You may even be able to transfer your garage door opener over.
The Help You Need
Interested in learning more about having your old garage door replaced? Get in touch with us any time. We have years of experience working with garage doors and garage door openers, and we’d be happy to give you the advice and guidance that you need. Call us on the phone, or we would be happy to send you an email quote if you like. You can also drop by the showroom in person if you prefer.
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