A New Generation of Garage Doors

Maintenance and Painting Tips

Tom Wadsworth, of Raynor Garage Doors, suggests the following to keep a steel door and hardware in good condition:

• Two times a year, oil torsion springs with a lightweight motor oil. Apply a pencil-thin line of oil across the top of the springs, stopping 2 in. from each end. Extension springs don't need oiling.
• Lubricate the radius sections of the tracks (the curving segments) every six months. Don't use grease—it attracts dirt that will clog the tracks and rollers.
• Wash the exterior of the door with soapy water to prevent corrosive substances from seeping into tiny cracks.

Don't Like White or Beige? It is possible to paint a steel garage door. Tony East, product engineer for Amarr Garage Doors of Winston-Salem, North Carolina, gives some pointers on the process:

• Using a soft-bristle brush, sponge or low-pressure sprayer, clean the door by washing it with a solution that combines 1 cup of low-phosphate (less than 0.5 percent) detergent with 5 gal. of warm water. Thoroughly rinse with clean water and let dry completely.
• If there are any minor surface imperfections, like scratches that don't go through to the metal substrate, lightly sand them smooth. If there are gouges in the topcoat that do show bare metal, sand the area lightly and apply a primer specifically designed to protect exposed galvanized steel from corrosion.
• Once the door has been properly prepped, it must be painted within 24 hours. Apply a uniform coat of well-mixed, high-quality latex exterior house paint on a dry door. Paint early in the morning to minimize uneven drying by the sun.

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