What is the best paint for a garage door?

Surprisingly, this is a very complex question!

The choice of paint should never be left in the hands of the clerk at the paint store! Garage doors are not like painting a wall in your home. Paint choice is critical to a long lasting, beautiful finish. Also, each supplier has their pitfalls. There are several considerations that you need to iron out before heading to the paint store.

To make things easier, let's list out the questions that you need to answer before taking a deeper dive into the factors that will drive the decision.

1. What material is your garage door made from?

2. What direction does the garage door face?

3. Is the garage door insulated?

4. How does the weather and wind effect the garage door?

5. Best cleanable paint for a garage door?

6. What color are you painting the garage door?

7. What garage door finish type do you want?

8. Are there any HOA requirements for garage doors?

What material is your garage door made from?

Garage doors are made from a wide range of materials and often a combination of different materials. Here in Las Vegas, the most common is powder-coated steel panels, PVC window frames, vinyl trim and a wood frame.

For the haters, yes, vinyl is PVC. For this explanation, when I say PVC, I am talking about the hard plastic, and vinyl is the flexible weather seal trim.

(Vinyl, also known as polyvinyl chloride (PVC), is a synthetic polymer made from chlorine and ethylene)

Now, if you went to the store and asked the clerk for paint for a metal garage door, the results would be disastrous. The clerk will likely provide; DTM, or direct to metal paint, which would not bond well to a powder-coated surface, or the PVC and vinyl trim, and would not last long on the wood frame. The same goes for Alkyd Urethane paints. While these create an amazing durable finish in some situations, they should not be used for garage doors. These paints create a hard shell that will crack and chip when the door expands or contracts with the temperature or everyday use. These paints wouldn't last through the week on the vinyl trim since it flexes with the door movement.

What direction does the garage door face?

The question really is; how hot will your door get? The door direction is a critical detail. If your door faces north or south or does not get direct sunlight, heat may not be a big consideration. If your door faces west and gets that direct, afternoon sunlight, there are several considerations for finish and color.

Is the garage door insulated?

A steel back insulated door helps keep the heat or cold out, but can cause issues with extreme temperature differences. This potential issue is called thermal bowing. Thermal bowing is a temporary condition that can occur on the exterior metal doors when the temperature is vastly different on one side, compared to the other. Thermal bowing will normally occur when one side of a door is too hot, but it can occur in reverse, under extremely cold conditions. When there is a large temperature difference, the exposed surface of the door can swell or expand on the heated side, causing the door to bow. When the temperature has reduced and is no longer at an extreme difference, the bowed door will usually return to its normal form but not before damaging the paint.

If this is a concern, here are a few steps you can take to help alleviate the chances of bowing:

Paint your door a light color. Install an awning or canopy over the door, so the sun does not directly hit the door. Add landscaping to provide shade to the door.

How does the weather and wind effect the garage door?

We already went over the extreme temperature factors with insulated doors. The same factors play a role in non-insulated doors as well as additional factors. "Pan Doors" or non-insulated steel doors tend to flex and move with heavy winds and use.

Best cleanable paint for a garage door?

A cleanable surface is directly related to the type of finish that you want. Essentially, the

shinier the door, the easier it is to clean. That shine does come with potential consequences. This is reviewed in more detail under the finish type.

What color are you painting the garage door?

Color plays a large role in heat retention or deflection.

Light colors—such as whites, creams, pastels, and light grays - tend to reflect sunlight rather than absorb it. This can help mitigate the heat buildup on surfaces and prevent the color from fading faster, when compared to darker colors.

Dark colors—such as deep grays, browns and obviously black - tend to absorb heat. This can cause your door and garage to heat up. When the door heats, it can expand and cause the paint to crack or peal if the wrong paint is used.

What garage door finish type do you want?

There are several finish options you can choose. Here is a quick review of those options in order of matte to gloss, or shiny to not shiny.

Flat - Flat paints absorb more light and UV rays than other sheens, causing it to oxidize over time in the sun. The sun's UV rays, also known as photo degradation, break down the chemical bonds in the paint's pigment and binder, causing it to fade, chalk. However, some say that flat paint is more durable than matte paint in direct sunlight and can keep its color longer. But once the paint is oxidized it will stain quickly. Flat paint is not easy to clean, you cannot wipe it with a towel. The best cleaning method is with water.

Satin - Satin paint reflects around three to five times as much light as flat paint does. Without question, satin has a glossier finish versus flat/matte. On the plus side, this makes satin paint easier to clean and more durable than a matte finish.

Semi-gloss - Yes, gloss paint can reflect heat. Gloss paint has a sheen that bounces back light,

which can help reflect sunlight and heat away from the garage. This can reduce the temperature of the door. However, darker gloss paint can also absorb heat, which can lead to higher temperatures. For example, high gloss paint on a car can absorb heat and make the interior hotter.

Gloss - Gloss paint forms a harder surface and can crack in certain circumstances. Gloss can be a good choice for garage doors because it's easy to clean, moisture-resistant, and can withstand UV rays. Gloss finishes are also hard and scratch-resistant, and they dry to form a protective coating that can perform well on heavily used objects. However, gloss paint is more reflective than other finishes, so it can highlight surface imperfections like dents and scratches. It will also double the heat in the driveway as it reflects UV rays back onto your cars.

Are there any HOA requirements for garage doors?

HOAs keep our neighborhoods looking clean and respectable, but also take away our color and finish choices. If you have an HOA, always confer with them before making your paint decision.

To sum things up, considering all the variables, there is not a one-size-fits-all when it comes to paint.

If we had to narrow it down to something that would fit most applications, we would go with a water based, self-priming, 100% acrylic, in either satin or semi-gloss. We do not recommend lower grade latex, urethane alkyd, oil based or most DTM paints for garage door applications.