Painting steel exterior doors....

[Lugnut]

We replaced our old wooden doors with insulated steel doors last summer. I want to paint them when the weather gets warmer but I'm not sure what will work best. They are supposedly pre-primered but I'm not convinced that it's adequate. I'd hate like heck to waste my time and paint to get a lousy result. Has anybody had experience with this process and what has worked if you have? Thanks!

[Warpy]

1. They are pre primed

but since they've been hanging, you'll have to do meticulous cleaning before you paint.

[Lugnut]

2. They do need cleaning but...

They are both protected by storm doors and are under a porch roof. I'm hoping that will result ina little less elbow grease on my part.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

3. Spray Paint

I spray paint those steel doors all the time. What you end up with is a factory finish look. You most likely would want to use a acrylic enamel exterior paint.I have refinished appliances with spray can appliance paint and got very good results.You can that. I use a professional spray paint compressor when I do doors.

With some of the new self leveling paint ,you can get a smooth finish with a brush. But a sprayer is best I think.
you can by a wagner sprayer for about $60.00 .Holds about one quart of paint,thats enough to do a door.Of course you refill the container when it's empty.

You can paint a room with those too,or even your house. I painted a house once with a wagner sprayer. I would call that a handy home owner tool for people that don't paint much. It beats the hell out of a roller

Anyway you asked, so I would say spray it.

[Lugnut]

4. I'd have to take the doors off to spray them, right?

I can't imagine trying to contain the spray otherwise.

[Wash. state Desk Jet]

7. Well, I don't want to confuse you but,

sometimes I leave the doors hanging! You are talking about over spray. Shouldn't travel to far. you want to cover any areas around the doors you don't want over spray to hit. And buy masking painters paper ,comes in different widths and is fairly cheep. Or you can use plastic or even newspaper. Tape off or mask off about three feet all sides of doors. Or take the doors off by the hinges and lay those doors flat on saw horses .Of course that way you can only do one side at a time.

If you paint the doors hanging, you want to watch closely for runs, OK so you need to practice spraying on a board or something until you get a feel for it.

Self leveling paint is good should you use a brush. I would rule out a roller because of the nat in it.
The roller Will make the doors look pitted.

Yer getting good advice from people here. Weigh yer options/

[Rosie1223]

5. Rustoleum Metal high gloss paint

I used a brush and didn't have and trouble with brush strokes. I did it with the door on the hinges.

:hi:

[Warpy]

6. That's how I've always done it, self leveling exterior enamel

Just don't do it on a hot day in full sun.

I've had to use spray paint on my steel crime door because of the grill work. I've put newspaper behind it and masked the side of the door with a sheet of paper as I've sprayed the adjacent area. A more precise person would have taped the newspaper down, but it's hard to get it to stick on stucco.

[Lugnut]

8. I think I'll try this before I resort to spraying.

I really don't want to take the doors off unless I have no other choice. :)