A freshly painted garage door is an essential element to complete the aesthetics of your home’s exterior. But painting garage doors can turn out to be expensive if you don’t know all the cost breakdowns. This is why you need to know how much to paint a garage door.
Painting a garage door can cost from $100 to $700 if you count the cost of materials too. If you are painting the door by yourself, you will only spend $60-$150 on the materials. However, if you require labor, you will spend an extra $100-$300 on labor costs.
The total cost will also vary based on other factors such as door size, type, etc. Let’s have a look at the complete breakdown of the cost of painting a garage door.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Garage Door Per Square Foot?
It will cost around $1-$4 dollars to paint each square foot of the door. The exact cost will depend on the condition of the door, your location, and material and labor costs.
So if you have layers of loose paint that are peeling off the door, you have to remove those paint layers before painting. This will increase the cost of labor and, thus, the cost of painting each square foot.
How Much Does It Cost to Paint a Garage Door by Type?
The initial cost to paint a garage door depends a lot on its type. As the size of the door keeps changing according to the type, the cost will eventually rise.
Also, different door materials, including aluminum garage doors, wood, or steel, will play a key factor in estimating the cost.
| Type of Garage door | Average Cost |
| One-car garage | $100-$230 |
| Two-car garage | $120-$500 |
| Three-car garage | $170-$680 |
Cost To Paint A Single-car Garage Door
A single-car garage door will cost around $100 to $230.
If you are applying paint to a fresh or new garage door, the cost will be minimal. But if you are considering applying paint over cracked or flaking paint, you will need more money to strip off the older paint.
Also, keep in mind the size of the door and the material as they play a role in determining the cost.
Cost To Paint A Two-Car Garage Door
How much does painting a two-car garage door cost?
Well, It will cost you around $120–$500 to paint a two-car garage door. Its total surface area is bigger than a single-car garage door. So, you need to pay more for paint, paint supplies, and labor costs.
Cost factors to paint a garage door
Let’s have a look at the additional costs of painting a car garage door:
| Labor Cost | $100-$300 |
| Stripping and sanding | $2-$8 per square foot |
| Cleaning the surfaces | $50-$150 per hour |
| Exterior Trim painting | $1-$4 per linear foot |
Labor Cost To Paint Garage Doors
You can easily DIY paint exterior garage doors. But if you use labor, the cost of labor to paint a garage door will be between $100 and $300, depending on your door’s condition and your location.
If scraping, power washing, etc., additional steps are required, the cost will go upward.
For example, only power washing will add an extra $15–$20 to the total cost. If the contractor is arranging the materials, the cost might go higher than this.
Cost To Buy Materials
To paint exterior garage doors, you will need primer, a paintbrush, paint, a scraper, masking tape, etc. Depending on the product quality and the number of doors you are painting, the cost will increase.
So you need to calculate the total material cost before you start. Also, the cost of garage door paint depends on the brand and its quality.
Cost To Prepare The Worksite
Worksite preparation might cost a few bucks if you need to remove things that require a handyperson. You might also want to cover the ground with something to avoid paint spilling. This also adds to your cost list.
Cost To Prepare The Garage Door Surface
Preparing the door is essential for smooth painting. If your door has a few holes here and there, you will need a wood filler or putty to fill those.
You might also need chemicals to get rid of the old paint on the doors. If your door needs power washing, it will also cost you an additional few bucks.
Additional repairs also need to be considered for the cost estimation. You might also need to repair the door trim.
Cost to Paint a Garage Door Yourself Vs Hiring a Pro
You can save yourself a small amount of money by doing the door painting yourself. Standard labor will cost you $20 to $50 per hour. So the overall labor cost will be around $100-$300.
But the task is time-consuming and challenging. You will need to spend hours and deal with many stains and hassles.
Things become more complicated when you try to strip off the remaining paint. But if you’ve done this before and know the techniques well, we’d recommend doing it by yourself.
If you’re applying spray paint, make sure you have previous experience with paint spraying. If you don’t want to invest your time and efforts into this, hire a local professional for a neat, polished paint job.
FAQs
How many gallons of paint do I need?
You can easily cover almost the entire single-car garage door with a gallon of paint. So, it depends on what type of garage you have. You need two gallons of paint for a standard two-car garage door for two coats.
But if you are using a light color on a darker old color, one coat of paint is insufficient, so you might need more paint. Apply a generous amount for a flawless paint job.
What kind of paint to use on a garage door
Acrylic latex exterior paint is the first choice for a painting garage door. You can also use oil-based paint for this purpose.
Does the estimate include cleanup?
We tried to include all the additional costs in our estimate. Cleanup cost is an essential part of garage door painting. The cleanup process and stripping will cost you around $110 for a standard one-car garage door.
How much paint do you need for a two-car garage door?
You need two gallons of paint for a two-car garage door. You can easily apply two coats of paint with it. Depending on the size, color, and surface of the door, you might need a little more or less.
What additional costs should I expect?
Apart from painting, you need to pay for stripping the older paint, washing the surface, and buying cleaning materials and other supplies like masking tape and plastic wrappers.
You also need additional money to repair a garage door. They will cost you around $20-$40. It also depends on whether you’re painting on a metal door or a wood door.
How much does labor cost to paint a garage door?
The labor cost to paint a garage door will be between $100 and $300.
Can you paint a garage door in the winter?
A temperature that is too cold is not an optimal condition for painting outside. However, if you are using oil-based paint, the temperature should be above 45° F or 7°. For acrylic and latex, it should be at least 50° F or 10° C. If the temperature is warm, it will help the paint dry quickly.
Conclusion
So now you know how much it costs to paint a garage door, and you can easily spend your money on the essentials of painting your garage door. If you are on a tight budget, you can easily paint the door by yourself for under $100.
Or you can hire a professional who will do it for you. Either way, you now have an idea of the budget you need to paint your garage door.
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