Metal Overhead Door Painting Tips?

[TimberMan]

I am going to pre-paint my metal overhead door panels before they get installed and am looking for tips so that I can get the best finish possible. The color will be Heritage Red and I have checked with the mfg that the LRV is compatible with the door.

I would like to spray the paint which is Ben Moore Aura Low Lustre which will be a direct match to the barn but I am not sure if I can get that paint through my HVLP gun with a 320 tip. I do have an airless sprayer but the smallest tip recommended is 015 which seems a bit large for this job.

The door has a faux wood texture but is ultimately smooth, moulded metal so there is no porosity to the surface and I hope to lay down the paint thin enough to prevent puddling in the recessed areas of the texture.

If all else fails and I can't get good laydown with my sprayers, would a roller or brush be the next best thing? Any other tips to share for this project?

Thanks!

 

[gizardlizard]

Just like with every painting project. It’s all in the prep. I’ve done at least 6 doors this way: clean doors really good with TSP, wait until completely dry, rough up with a scotch brite pad. That really helps with adhesion. Wipe down again so they’re completely dust free. Then you can paint. If you decide to paint the tongue and groove edges of the door where the panels lock together, be 100% certain your paint is dry before hanging the door. Otherwise, the paint will peel off these edges once the panels sit together for a long time and then you open the door. Good luck.

 

[BobnCO]

All I can say is I painted mine with my Titan 440 airless and sprayed prior doors and really prefer spraying doors.

 

[Stelzer]

Most paint manufacturers data sheets recommend using way too large of tip and very few have been revised since the advent of fine finish low pressure tips, (FFLP). Use an airless coupled with a 310 or 410 FFLP with pressure only high enough to produce a good spray pattern. I've painted tens of thousands of garage doors over the last 36 years. Airless will be the easiest

 

[TimberMan]

Thx.

Most paint manufacturers data sheets recommend using way too large of tip and very few have been revised since the advent of fine finish low pressure tips, (FFLP). Use an airless coupled with a 310 or 410 FFLP with pressure only high enough to produce a good spray pattern. I've painted tens of thousands of garage doors over the last 36 years. Airless will be the easiest

Thx! The TDS for Aura says .015 - .017, 0.10 is a good bit smaller but if you think it will work I’ll pick up a 310 (maybe a 314 as a backup too)

 

[Codyboy]

All I can say is I painted mine with my Titan 440 airless and sprayed prior doors and really prefer spraying doors.

I don't do paint but be cautious of what you use to clean / degrease with.
Years ago when we built our house the new doors came with white paint.
Our painter cleaned them with mineral spirits if I remember correctly.
It left an oily residue and when the paint was sprayed iy looked great!
Then a couple days later the pai t started sliding down.
It took a few weeks for it to cure.

 

[TimberMan]

Most paint manufacturers data sheets recommend using way too large of tip and very few have been revised since the advent of fine finish low pressure tips, (FFLP). Use an airless coupled with a 310 or 410 FFLP with pressure only high enough to produce a good spray pattern. I've painted tens of thousands of garage doors over the last 36 years. Airless will be the easiest

Stelzer, do you recommend using a bonding primer when painting a brand new, well cleaned steel Clopay door with 100% acrylic latex? I have re-read all the painting instructions and am now having second thoughts on whether or not I can create a durable outcome without spending a ton of time cleaning, abrading, priming (maybe), painting, etc. Once I abrade the surface on a brand new door, there is no way back (especially with my wife!) and although the door is compatible with the low LRV of the red paint, there still is a chance that thermal expansion causes issues now that I have decided to climate control the garage and insulate the door. Thx

 

[Stelzer]

Stelzer, do you recommend using a bonding primer when painting a brand new, well cleaned steel Clopay door with 100% acrylic latex? I have re-read all the painting instructions and am now having second thoughts on whether or not I can create a durable outcome without spending a ton of time cleaning, abrading, priming (maybe), painting, etc. Once I abrade the surface on a brand new door, there is no way back (especially with my wife!) and although the door is compatible with the low LRV of the red paint, there still is a chance that thermal expansion causes issues now that I have decided to climate control the garage and insulate the door. Thx

Absolutely not. As long as the surface is clean, acrylic will have tenacious adhesion.