Have you ever given your garage door’s orientation much thought? possibly not But it’s crucial knowledge to have regarding the durability of the finish on your garage door. The amount of daily direct sunshine your home receives can be used to determine whether the finish on your garage door has faded.
The Impact of Sunlight on the Finish of Your Garage Door
Your garage door may start to lose its color, the top coat may deteriorate and thin over time, and the materials may expand and contract, resulting in cracks, splits, and bows, depending on how much and how strongly the sun hits it each day. If your garage faces south or west, it will receive the most direct sunshine, which will hasten any deterioration that results from exposure to the sun. Regular inspections can assist in finding common deterioration problems before they drastically alter the appearance of your door.
When deciding on the color of a new garage door, sun exposure must also be taken into account. When the sun is strong, it heats your door for longer each day, occasionally pushing the temperature to beyond 140° F. The heat from the sun will be absorbed when you choose dark paint or dark stain hues, raising temperatures even higher. As a result, there may be a higher chance of faded finishes or split and cracked wooden doors.
Other Effects of the Weather on Your Garage Door
Your garage doors are impacted by weather factors other than just the sun. The protective layers on your door may get compromised by wind driving dirt, debris, and rain onto the finished surface. Any dings, dents, or scratches without a covering can allow water and debris to penetrate the surface finish and seriously deteriorate it.
The finish of a garage door will also degrade faster under other environmental circumstances. For instance, salt can be quite corrosive to the paint or stain of a garage door in coastal areas.
Examining the Surface of Your Garage Door
There are no garage doors that require no upkeep whatsoever. The finish of your garage door will deteriorate with time, whether as a result of intense sunshine or other environmental factors. While the clear protective top layer on stained and faux paint-stained doors will deteriorate and thin, painted doors will see the color loss.
All that’s required to spot a faded or damaged garage door finish and determine when it’s time to refinish your garage door is a yearly maintenance examination. Take these actions:
Keep an eye out for blistering, peeling, cracking, or fading.
Investigate the door for any dings, dents, scratches, or gouges that cut through the surface and might permit moisture to enter.
Test the door’s dryness and look for any spots where the finish is gone by touching it.
Putting New Finish on a Fading Garage Door
Several simple actions can be taken to repair damage to your garage door if you do discover significant fading or deterioration upon inspection.
Painted garage doors:
Before they become larger, use touch-up paint to cover small scratches and dents.
To give your door a protective coating and a gloss, apply a coat of Turtle Wax.
It could be time to sand the door down and repaint it with high-grade, exterior-grade latex paint if there is extensive peeling.
Garage doors with stains:
Small dings, dents, or scratches can be fixed by simply sanding the affected area and applying a touch-up stain.
Overcoat the entire door with our Maintenance Coat.
It could be necessary to totally sand the door and apply a fresh stain finish and top coat if you have disregarded a maintenance schedule or have found significant areas of weather damage.
By following these tips you can do it by yourself, but if you want a pro for this job we (ZAAAP Garage Door Repair) are ready to provide the service for you. We are providing the service of restoring faded doors along with other garage door services in Menifee, CA
Are you seeking additional guidance on maintaining the perfect condition of your carriage-style garage doors? For more on how to prolong the life of your garage door, see ZAAAP Garage Door Tips page.
Disclaimer: This articles is for information only. Please do not try to repair or replace your garage door without the help of a licensed professional.