Garage door colors and finishes that last outdoors

A garage door's finish faces sun, rain, snow and, in some places, salt. How long it lasts depends on the material, the finish and the care it gets. This guide covers what manufacturers say about cleaning, protecting and touching up a finish.

The finish is the paint or coating on the door's surface. On steel, it protects the metal underneath. Clopay says exposed metal can rust, so paint damage should be addressed quickly, and the risk is higher in coastal or other corrosive environments.

Color and material choice are separate from care. A door that is well cared for outlasts the same door that is ignored. Manufacturers also exclude normal fading from some finish coverage, so expect sun to change a color over time. Clopay notes that sun and weather change a door's color and finish, which can make a replacement panel hard to match.

• Steel. Clopay says metal surfaces should be cleaned and waxed at least twice a year. Its care manual for one steel door line says to use liquid car wax, not paste, and not to use scouring powders or solvents. It also says not to use a pressure washer on that door. Check your own door's manual before you use any equipment.
• Wood. Clopay's guidance for painted wood doors is to repaint every one to two years as needed and to check yearly for cracking or peeling. Stained wood is restained as the manufacturer recommends, and clearer stains need more frequent reapplication.
• Aluminum and glass. Aluminum does not rust or corrode, according to Clopay. Follow the care manual for the frame and the glass.
• Composite overlay. Wash regularly with soap and water. One care manual recommends a clear UV-resistant protective top coat as a protective step, and says normal fading from age or UV exposure is excluded from the paint warranty for that product.

These are one maker's instructions. Your door's manual comes first. See garage door materials compared.

Clopay recommends a very wet cloth, sponge or soft-bristle brush with a mild cleaner, such as a household liquid dish detergent in warm water, or a biodegradable non-toxic cleaner. Work from top to bottom, including behind the stop molding, then rinse with clean water and let it dry.

1. Choose a day that is cool and out of direct sun.
2. Wet the door with clean water from a hose set to a gentle spray, and keep the water off the opener, the wiring and any open seams.
3. Wash from the top down with a soft cloth, sponge or soft-bristle brush.
4. Rinse with clean water and let the door dry.
5. Wax steel surfaces with a liquid wax if your manual says to, following the maker's instructions, and keep wax off decorative hardware, which can discolor.

Do this with the door closed and at rest, from the floor or a step ladder set away from the door. Do not put hands between the sections or stand under a door that is not fully closed. For glass, Clopay says avoid abrasive or strongly alkaline cleaners, never use solvents, and not to clean polycarbonate in hot sun or at high temperatures.

Clopay says doors in harsh environments, such as coastal areas or places with heavy winter road salt, should be cleaned quarterly. Its care manual says visible salt or corrosive build-up must be cleaned, and that wax is especially important in coastal and harsh environments. It also says to wax any surface exposed to salt, including the interior of the bottom section.

This matters in New Jersey wherever road salt or sea air reaches the door. Treat that as a reason to rinse, not as a claim about any one town. See winter garage door care in New Jersey.

Clopay says regular cleaning helps keep warranty coverage in place for its products.

• Scratches on steel. Clopay says to repair paint damage quickly, and its materials article says prompt repainting of scratches can prevent rust. Follow the care manual for the right paint.
• Peeling or cracking paint on wood. Check yearly, and repaint on the schedule above.
• Fading. Expect it over time. A new panel may not match an old faded door, though Clopay says a panel can sometimes be painted to blend in.
• Rust at the bottom edge or seams. Surface rust can often be caught early. Heavy rust, or rust through a panel, may mean the section is weakened. See dented or cracked garage door panel.
• Chalking, bubbling or cracks in the finish. Photograph them and ask the maker or a technician.

Clopay recommends inspecting doors at least twice a year, and its care manual recommends a monthly inspection of the door and its parts. Also see annual garage door maintenance checklist.

1. Look at the door finish from the floor for chips, scratches, bubbling, peeling or rust, especially along the bottom edge.
2. Look at the weatherstripping and bottom seal for damage that lets water sit against the door. See weatherstripping and bottom seals.
3. Look for salt crust or road film on the lower sections after winter.
4. Check the manual or label for the finish type and care instructions.
5. Photograph any rust or flaking so a technician can see it.

Cleaning and touch-up are owner jobs when the door is sound. Stop and bring in a technician if you notice:

• Rust at the bottom corners, where the cable anchors to the bottom bracket.
• A section that is cracked, bent, or weakened by rust.
• A door that is crooked, off its track, stuck, or has a damaged spring or cable.
• Any hinge, roller or bracket that is heavily corroded or loose.

Do not touch springs, cables or bottom fixtures while cleaning, and do not scrub or spray near them. Bottom brackets are under extreme tension, according to DASMA. Our technicians handle panel replacement, garage door repair and maintenance and tune-ups.

• Garage Door Panel Replacement
• Garage Door Repair
• Garage Door Maintenance and Tune-Ups

• Clopay: How to clean your garage door and preserve its finish
• Clopay: Care and maintenance manual (Coachman and Canyon Ridge)
• Clopay: Repairing damaged door sections
• Clopay: The pros and cons of common garage door materials
• DASMA: Garage door safety