Your garage door is old, but it seems to be working fine. In most cases, it’s probably made out of metal, but it may be wood. However, it is beginning to show signs of its age. Is it worth your time and energy to repaint it, or should you invest in a new garage door system? It’s not necessarily a clear‑cut decision. Below, we’ll discuss some of the factors that should be considered during your decision‑making process.
The Age of Your Garage Door
One of the first things to consider will be the garage door’s age. More than its appearance, its ability to ensure the security of your home and family is important to determine. And, while you might immediately think of the steel or wood cladding that makes up the bulk of the door, the real secret to the door’s ability to protect you is behind it.
You need to inspect the hardware system that supports the door. If it is the same age as the door itself, there is probably rust and degradation here. If you notice anything that has rusted or corroded, particularly near the bottom of the door, or associated with the track, then it’s definitely time to replace that garage door system.
When it comes to wood doors, you’ll find that they get heavier over time. This is because wood naturally absorbs moisture in the environment. With sandwich‑style doors, two layers of plywood encapsulate an inner core of insulation – usually mineral wool – and it is a very good bet that this core is also absorbing moisture. Even polystyrene will absorb moisture to some degree or other.
While that added moisture will make your door heavier, it’s actually an important part of its maintenance. Solid wood garage doors and wood‑clad doors need moisture in order to maintain their integrity. If they were to dry out completely, the wood can split and deteriorate very quickly.
The Time Investment
Before you decide to repaint or replace your garage door, think about the amount of time you will need to invest in the project. No, repainting is not particularly complicated, but it does require time and effort. You also need to make sure that you either sand the door completely down, or you find a paint that perfectly matches the existing color, and that complements the exterior color of your home.
Just planning the repainting job can be time‑consuming. You cannot do it at just any time. You’ll need to wait until things are just right. If you’re going to repaint the door, then you’ll need to make sure that the weather will be right for application and drying. You’ll want the temperature to stay between 60- and 75‑degrees F (15 to 25 degrees C). You also want to make sure that there is a little bit of a breeze, and that you can do the painting without exposing the door to direct sunlight.
Note that if you’re going with a completely different color, you’ll need to do a good sanding job, and you will also need to prime the surface before you paint. That adds even more time to the project.
Don’t have time for all of this? We don’t blame you. Everyone is busy today. If you’ve got a metal door that doesn’t have much deterioration, you can hire an exterior home painter to do the job for you pretty quickly.
How Much Should It Cost for a Brand New Door?
Don’t want to spend the time and money repainting a door that might only have another season or two of use? You can replace it for around $1,000 if it’s a single garage door. If your garage door opener is in good shape, you can even carry it over to the new door.
What to Do Next
Ready to change out that garage door? Get in touch with us. We have years of experience with all types of garage doors and garage door installations, and we’d love the chance to help you with your project. Call us direct, stop by the showroom, or we can even send you an email quote if you like.
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