Metal Garage Door repair? Can a rusty door be repainted?

Eileen Crosby
by Eileen Crosby
Have a metal single car garage door on an approximately 60 year old home that needs either replacement or repai. I'd like to save cost of replacement, if possible since it's an estate sale home. Can anyone help?

  5 answers
  • Roxaneg Roxaneg on Sep 21, 2017

    If the door is in otherwise good shape, you might sand the rust, treat it with something like Rustoleum Rust Restorer Primer and then paint.

  • Just wash it and spray paint it and call it a day.

  • Ellis Ellis on Sep 21, 2017

    Agree about Rustoleum products. But if the door is in very bad shape, consider replacement with a moderately priced door, because nothing spoils the looks of a home as much as an awful door, if it's part of the house. Curb appeal is important for buyers; unfortunately, many make snap judgements in the first few moments.

  • Kristina Freeman Kristina Freeman on Sep 21, 2017

    yes... just make sure you sand it good first.. I have the best luck with a sand blaster for large metal items

  • 17335038 17335038 on Sep 21, 2017

    If it is an estate sale, then I am assuming the object is to get the house sold asap, so that the estate can be closed.


    Going the route to get someone either replace the garage door, or to repair it, will be time consuming, involve many phone calls, and much down time waiting, waiting, waitng, and it will cost.

    Going the route of trying to repair it yourself will also cost, not only in buying materials, but with your time and frustration spent on doing something that perhaps you have little experience with and even less desire or energy to do.


    My experience with an part of a 60 yr old home is that nothing is ever an quick fix. Once you start manipulating parts, moving parts, etc., age kicks in, and there is always more work and repairs needed to entirely fix the problem up to present building code standards.


    My experience with buying and selling houses says: Don't just spray paint it. If buyers have an inspection, then this will show through loud and clear, that someone has tried to do a fast job at covering something up. Your credibility as a seller will fall, as it will raise questions about what else with the house have your tried to hide.


    My solution here: be upfront with potential buyers that the house needs some repairs, reduce the list price to reflect the deficiencies, and get it sold.