You’ve probably seen this trend on TikTok: “Five things I would never do as an expert in my field.”
Here’s our take: One thing I would never do as a garage door expert is paint a white steel garage door black…without reading this first.
Clopay Canyon Ridge (4-Layer) garage door factory-painted black.
White house, black trim is such a popular exterior color scheme right now it even has its own trending hashtag and Pinterest following.
Painting your garage door black can turn your house into an instant scroll-stopper. But if you skip the instructions and use the wrong paint, you could end up ruining your garage door and voiding the warranty altogether.
![blackIllus_2 Clopay Black Doors](/images/default-source/Clopay-Blog-Images/blackillus_2.png?sfvrsn=11bd7f24_2)
Clopay was one of the first garage door companies to incorporate thermal-reflective paint into our factory-finishing process so that we could safely offer black as a standard paint color on most steel garage doors.
If you know you want a black garage (or another dark color), order it pre-painted so it’s done correctly and backed by a guarantee.
And if you are updating your exterior and have your heart set on painting your existing garage door black, do the following:
Read the manufacturer’s paint and refinishing instructions for your specific garage door model. Certain steel garage doors with overlays cannot be painted a dark color.
![Sherwin Williams Color Blast Sherwin Williams Color Blast](/images/default-source/doubletopsectionimages/rsdr-swcolorpick-21.png?sfvrsn=ddfd1c30_0)
Choose from 1,500 Sherwin-Williams paint colors to Color Blast your Clopay garage door.
Clopay has a list of approved paint colors based on the Light Reflective Value (LRV). Light reflectance is given a value between 0 and 100. The lower the number, the darker the color. Black is usually close to LRV 0.
Check your door’s LRV requirements before you buy the paint.
Use a high-quality, 100% acrylic latex exterior grade paint with a bonding primer. Most homeowners prefer the look of a flat or satin finish. Never use oil-based or alkyd-modified paint on a steel garage door.
![Gallery Door Black Gallery Door Black](/images/default-source/doubletopsectionimages/gallery-paint.jpg?sfvrsn=eca95d5c_0)
Clopay Gallery Steel garage door in standard black paint finish.
Ask your paint store expert for a solar reflective formula that will reflect the sun and keep the door surface cooler.
No sanding is required to prep the surface of a steel garage door. Simply wash the door with a biodegradeable cleaner to get rid of dirt, oil, wax and mildew. Rinse with clean water.
Hold your brush and roller! A final step before you paint is to do a quick pre-test to make sure it will adhere to the surface.
- Paint a tiny section of the door and check for blistering or peeling.
- Apply masking tape over the painted test section and peel it back. Does the paint adhere to the door? Or are you left with a piece of painted tape?
If everything looks good, it’s time to paint. Follow these instructions for the best results.