Best Garage Door Paint Reviewed 2021

best garage door paint

If your car is your pride and joy, then it’s only fitting that you give it somewhere cosy and protected to live. And, let’s say you want to show off your car – what does everyone see first? The door, of course.

Well, obviously a garage is designed for more than just car storage. Some garages may not be quite big enough for a car, but are still immensely useful extra rooms in a house for a wide range of uses. You could re-purpose it as a utility room, it can be somewhere to store gardening and DIY equipment, it can be a workshop, and there are even those who turn garages into home gyms. However you look at it, a garage is an integral part to many modern homes, and the door is frequently as much a part of the outward-facing side of the home as everything else.

With that in mind, the sight of a garage door with paint that’s flaking, peeling, rusty or all of the above and more is a straight-up eyesore and can really detract from the rest of the house, especially if you’ve put time and effort into your exterior walls. That’s the use of a specialist garage door paint – they’re designed to address the specific needs of garage doors to make sure they stay looking sharp and complement the rest of the house accordingly. Here’s our selection of the best garage door paints available to buy now.

NameProtectionCoverageDry TimeCost
Hammerite Garage Door Paintn/a years8 m2 /l4 hours£££
Fascinating Finishes Gloss Garage Door5 years12 m2 /l2 hours££££
Dulux Weather Shield Exterior10 years18 m2 /l13 hours££
Johnstone’s Weatherguard Exterior Gloss6 years13 m2 /l8 hours£££
Rust-Oleum Universal All-Surface Paintn/a years9 m2 /l8 hours£££

Hammerite Garage Door Paint

Hammerite Garage Door Paint

Hammerite produces paints that are tough and specifically designed for just about any metalwork application you can think of. Their garage door paint continues with this fine tradition, as a superb quality and immensely durable choice. Addressing the specific requirements for a garage door paint, this is actively resistant to flaking and chipping. And while the majority of garage doors are metal, for which this is rust-proof, it is also suitable for use on wooden doors.

The carefully-designed formula is also specially made so as to resist running when applied to the vertical surface of something like a garage door. The durability also extends to a high resistance to yellowing, as this is available in a brilliant white gloss. It dries to the touch in roughly 4 hours, and should a second coat be needed you’ll need to leave it 16 hours before doing so.

Pros

  • Great protection
  • Long life
  • Easy to apply
  • Strong finish

Cons

  • Strong fumes

Fascinating Finishes Gloss Garage Door

Fascinating Finishes Gloss Garage Door

Fascinating Finishes might fly under the radar for well-known DIY paints, but they’re nonetheless a great quality choice. This paint, specifically formulated to be incredibly weather proof, dries to deep and rich high gloss finish in a vivid red (other colours may be available, check stock to be certain). The weather proofing certainly makes it a great choice for garage doors, but is also remarkably multi-purpose for a lot of exterior applications.

The formula of the paint works to lock out moisture, which is why it works so well in outdoor settings. It is also resistant to cracking, which is one of the main problems garage doors face, and will guarantee you this kind of protection from the elements for 5 years. A self-priming product, it takes a fair chunk of time out of the job, especially considering it’s touch-dry in around 2 hours. Should a second coat be needed, it’s recommended to leave it 8-10 hours (ideally overnight).

Pros

  • Good finish
  • Bold colour
  • Goes a fairly long way

Cons

  • Pricey

Dulux Weather Shield Exterior

Dulux Weather Shield Exterior

Dulux’s outdoor-specific wood and metal Weather Shield paint might just be the guardian your garage door needs. Resistance to the elements and other potential problems is what this paint has been designed for – first of all, it comes with a generous 10-year guarantee of protection. Secondly, the highly durable finish is rainproof, but the third feature is the most interesting. The paint dries with a mould-resistant film which resists staining, but is also flexible so that should the door shrink/expand with changing temperatures the paint won’t crack.

The paint, coming in a beautiful high sheen glossy finish, can be found in a few different shades (though seller availability may vary). Thanks to this, you can be sure of a quality paint that matches your look while keeping your garage door protected. It’s also relatively quick-drying, needing 6 hours between coats should more than one be necessary.

Pros

  • Long lasting protection
  • Mould and rain resistance
  • Great value

Cons

  • May provoke allergies

Johnstone’s Weatherguard Exterior Gloss

Johnstone's Weatherguard Exterior Gloss

The Weatherguard range from Johnstone’s is, as the name suggests, a line of paints with the express intentions of standing up to a battering from the elements. Coming with a high gloss finish, it will last for around 6 years (optimally when paired with a matching undercoat to prime it). This keeps it resistant to blistering from exposure to sunlight, as well as cracking and peeling.

You can buy Johnstone’s Weatheguard in around 9 different colours, ranging from more common household shades to something a bit more vivid. Suitable for application to both wood and metal, it makes a good choice for several outdoor uses beyond the garage door, regardless of material. As long as the outdoor conditions are right, it’ll dry in around 8 hours.

Pros

  • Lots of colours
  • Good elemental protection
  • Smooth finish

Cons

  • Middling value

Rust-Oleum Universal All-Surface Paint

Rust-Oleum Universal All-Surface Paint

Trusted household name Rust-Oleum designed their All-Surface paint to be good for, well, just that. Pairing a primer and gloss paint in one, they’ve created a highly adaptable paint that’s suitable for just about any household surface, including the metal (or occasionally wooden) surface presented by garage doors. A big part of the Rust-Oleum’s appeal is the large variety of gloss shades (matt/satin is available for black and white too) they have on offer, with 12 bold and vivid colour choices to jazz up your garage with.

Working best when applied with a brush, one coat of this paint should be enough for most applications, unless you’re aiming for an extra-bold finish. Should further coats be needed, leave them 16 hours apart. The consistency of the paint makes things easy as it won’t drip when used properly. An oil-based paint, it’s especially resistant to water and moisture, making it a great choice for use on garage doors – the water resistant properties ensure that it’ll capably be able to take on the outdoors without fading, cracking or peeling.

Pros

  • Lots of colours
  • Easy application
  • Versatile
  • Highly water resistant

Cons

  • Strong fumes

Which Garage Door Paint To Go For?

A clean and freshly painted garage door can make a world of difference to the whole structure. Whatever you use it for, whether it’s a workshop, somewhere for your washing machine or simply extra storage, it’s important that it looks nice to help contribute to the overall home aesthetic. Here are out picks for the best overall garage door paint as well as the best value choice.

Best Garage Door Paint – Choose Hammerite Garage Door Paint for outright quality. It’s a little more expensive than others you can choose from, but it’s money well-spent. Hammerite are recognised for producing exceptional metal-specific paint and the superb quality or their garage door paint meets that. It’s long life and tremendously durable; why settle for less?

Best ValueDulux Weather Shield Exterior has a great balance between the high quality you’d expect from a brand like Dulux and a price point that’s more than reasonable, especially relative to the other options available.

Garage Door Paint FAQ

How to paint a garage door

The first thing to be aware of is that you have a clear, dry day for this outdoor task. With the necessary PPE, scrape off any existing large flakes of paint and even out the rest with fine grit sandpaper. Make sure to do the front as well as the edges, cleaning everything after sanding. After that, and after you’ve put masking tape on any areas that don’t need paint, go ahead and start painting. Primer will be needed if you’re painting onto bare metal.

How to paint a garage door with a roller

If you’re using a roller, try to avoid synthetic fibre rollers. The key is to use long, even strokes with the roller, and try to avoid going over areas you’ve already painted for the most even coverage.

What colour should you paint your garage door?

This is really up to you! Try and pick something that reflects the overall aesthetic of your house. That can either be something that complements the rest of the home exterior for an overall smoother look, or choose something a bit brighter if you enjoy having bursts of colour around the place.

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