Imagine that you decide to start painting as a hobby, but you accidentally get paint on your metal door. Or maybe you want to change the door color. In either case, you may need to remove paint from the metal.
To remove paint from metal doors, it’s important to use the right tools and to prepare beforehand. Having a decent workspace and the right paint remover will make the job much easier and faster. Once the paint comes off, a nice cleaning and polishing can make it look like new.
If you have a metal door, you can do a lot with it, and that includes the color of it. But there may come a time when you’ll want to remove the paint. Keep reading to learn how to remove paint from metal doors and why you might want to do so.
Set Up Your Workspace
The first thing you need to do to properly remove paint from a metal door is to prepare your workspace. You should decide whether you’ll take the door off the hinge or leave it on. Metal doors can weigh a lot, so you may not want to remove it.
You’ll also want to declutter the area around the door. Make sure there aren’t any kids or pets around and move any furniture that may get in your way.
Once you have a clear floor, you’ll need to lay down some drop cloths. You can also use old newspapers or tarps. However, you want to make sure you cover the surrounding floor, especially if you’re working with the door on the hinge.
You should also grab your choice of paint remover or paint thinner. A paint thinner can work well on some doors, but other paint removers can be more efficient. Consider if the paint is just in one area of the door or the whole thing to decide which option is best for you.
Put On Protective Gear
Whether you’re removing paint from part or all of a metal door, you need to protect yourself. You should wear some protective gear and make sure your clothing covers your entire body. Here are some things to wear:
- Long sleeves
- Long pants
- Closed-toe shoes
- Gloves
- Goggles or safety glasses
Depending on the paint stripper you choose, you may also need to ventilate the room. Open the windows and any other doors to allow the air to circulate. You can find less harsh chemical paint removers, but you can never be too safe.
If you can’t open many windows or have a small room, you may want to wear a mask or a respirator. Then, you can reduce the chance of breathing in the fumes from the paint remover. You will also need to allow time for the chemicals to get out of the room after you finish working.
Apply Paint Remover
Now it’s time to use your paint remover of choice. Some people use paint thinners to make the paint easy to rub off the metal door. Other people prefer chemical paint strippers that make the paint bubble up or melt it.
However, you can also use a more natural chemical paint remover. The Mostenbocker’s Lift Off Paint Remover Spray is safe for the environment, and it won’t melt or dissolve the paint. It will break the chemical bond that makes the paint attach to your metal door.
The product comes in a spray bottle, so you can spray it directly on the surface. It works well with new or old paint, and it won’t damage your door in the process. You can use it in any room in your home, and you won’t have to be as careful about what you wear.
Still, you may want to wear gloves and long clothes to keep the paint from getting on your skin. No matter what type of remover you use, be sure to follow the directions on the package. Then, you can get the best results possible.
Follow Up With Mineral Spirits
While most great paint removers can get rid of the paint on your metal door, they may miss a spot or two. Before you finish working, consider applying mineral spirits to your door. The spirits can help attract leftover bits of paint and can remove residue from the paint remover.
You can use Klean Strip Odorless Mineral Spirits for a clean, allergy-free solution. It makes cleaning your metal door much easier, and it can catch what your paint remover doesn’t. The formula blends into oil-based paints, so it can be a nice companion to the water-based remover mentioned earlier.
Mix the spirits with water then apply them to the metal. Make sure you go over every spot where you used the paint remover. You can use a cloth to help reach the different spots and so that you don’t have to pour the mixture right on the metal.
But if you do not have mineral spirits at home, you could also use white vinegar for removing missed spots of paint.
Clean the Metal
After you use the paint remover and mineral spirits, you should clean the metal. While mineral spirits can help, you may want to use water to get rid of any leftover spots or residue. But before you clean your metal door, consider the type of metal that it is.
Some metals can withstand harsher cleaning materials, while others will corrode much more easily. If your door is stainless steel, you can use a stainless steel cleaner. For a chrome door, you can use any household cleaning spray that you have.
If your door happens to be aluminum, avoid using baking soak. Stick with water and soap, or you can use an aluminum cleaner.
If you don’t know what type of metal your door is, be safe. Start with soap and water and a cleaning rag. You can then rinse off the soap with plain water. Only use something more serious if you know it won’t damage your door.
Why Remove Paint From Metal Doors
Before you remove paint from a metal door, consider why you may or may not want to. In some cases, removing paint is the best option to make the door look sleek and shiny. On the other hand, you may want to keep the paint on to protect your door from the elements.
A metal door can be a great option for exterior doors because it’s heavy and durable. People won’t be able to break it as easily, so that can keep your home more secure. But if you don’t like the look of the door, you can remove any paint that’s on it.
Here are a couple of other reasons why you may decide to remove paint from a metal door.
Painting Accident
Sometimes, you may be painting another item, but paint will get on your door. If you’re repainting a room or the exterior of your home, this could easily happen. It’s not always practical to tape off your door when painting, especially if you need to go in and out through it.
On the other hand, maybe you’re painting something else, like furniture or a canvas. If you move your brush the wrong way, you might accidentally flick paint on your door.
Accidents happen all the time, so you don’t have to worry. You also don’t need to stress about removing the paint immediately. As long as you use a strong but natural paint remover, you can get the old paint off the metal.
Even just carrying a paint can through a room can be risky. If you trip or your balance changes, you might spill a bit of the paint. A variety of things could make paint get on your metal door.
Change of Scenery
If you purposefully painted your metal door, you may still want to remove the color. After a while, you may decide that you want to redo your home. Part of that could be changing the look of all your doors, including any metal doors you have.
You may decide that you want to expose the metal to go with your new aesthetic. To do that, you’ll have to use a good paint remover to get rid of the smallest specks of paint.
But you may also decide that you want to apply a different color of paint to the door. In that case, you could just paint over the current color. However, the more you do that, the thicker the door will get.
And if you don’t have much wiggle room in the doorway, you should minimize the size of the door. Getting rid of the paint and starting fresh is a good way to repaint your door without adding extra layers.
Protection
You may also want to remove paint from a metal door for a more practical reason. Some metal doors come with paint on them, but you don’t have control over that paint. And if your door is on the outside of your home, you need to make sure it’s strong and sturdy.
Some paints are more weather-resistant than others, and so are metals. If your door is a strong metal, like stainless steel, you may want to remove the paint. Then, you won’t have to worry about the paint wearing down when you have extreme temperatures.
As long as you’re careful when removing the paint, some doors may be more durable when you let the metal show. And that can be especially useful with exterior doors or doors you use frequently.
Final Thoughts
Removing paint from metal doors is a great way to revitalize the metal or to clean up a small mess. Make sure you protect yourself and space around your door. Use a safe paint remover to get rid of the paint, then finish the job by cleaning and polishing the metal. Now, you can enjoy your like-new door.
