Painted Door Peeling Badly
#1
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Painted Door Peeling Badly
Last year I had a new steel entrance door installed which was painted with gray primer from the manufacturer. I went ahead and painted it with exterior door paint. Over the winter the paint peeled very badly and now a good percentage of the paint is peeled off.
What's the best way to remove the rest of the paint? Any surface preparation recommendations? Thanks!
What's the best way to remove the rest of the paint? Any surface preparation recommendations? Thanks!
#2
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What type of paint did you use? oil or latex?
Some metal door manufactures specify latex only because the metal is so thin that it moves with tempature changes - especially true with dark colors.
Latex paint is more flexable than oil base. Usually with this type of failure, the oil base paint peels taking the primer with it, leaving bare steel.
It would probably be best to use a paint stripper and remove all the paint. While a direct to metal paint would be best, if there is any rust, sand it off and use an oil base primer. You do need to use a latex paint for the top coats. DTM paints as with most quality coatings can be found at your local paint store [not big box paint dept]
About the only other thing that would cause peeling would be if the door had an oily coating from shipping and it wasn't cleaned off before painting. In this case, the primer will have been left intact.
Some metal door manufactures specify latex only because the metal is so thin that it moves with tempature changes - especially true with dark colors.
Latex paint is more flexable than oil base. Usually with this type of failure, the oil base paint peels taking the primer with it, leaving bare steel.
It would probably be best to use a paint stripper and remove all the paint. While a direct to metal paint would be best, if there is any rust, sand it off and use an oil base primer. You do need to use a latex paint for the top coats. DTM paints as with most quality coatings can be found at your local paint store [not big box paint dept]
About the only other thing that would cause peeling would be if the door had an oily coating from shipping and it wasn't cleaned off before painting. In this case, the primer will have been left intact.
#3
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Thanks for the input. I used a latex paint and only that paint is peeling.... not the primer. You still recommend a stripper? I rather not remove the primer but just the latex paint I applied
#4
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hmmm.... my reply disappeared, let me try again 
You should be able to scrape and sand off the majority of the paint you applied. Once you get it looking good, wipe the door clean with a damp rag - most of the contaminates should have come off with the paint. it should then be ready to repaint with a quality exterior latex paint.

You should be able to scrape and sand off the majority of the paint you applied. Once you get it looking good, wipe the door clean with a damp rag - most of the contaminates should have come off with the paint. it should then be ready to repaint with a quality exterior latex paint.
#5
Just wondering George,
What kind of prep did you do on the door before your original paint job? Sounds like it still maybe had a film of some sort on it.
Most steel doors need just a wipedown with a rag and mineral spirits or paint thinner prior to initial topcoating.
Mark won't steer you wrong on the re-paint.
What kind of prep did you do on the door before your original paint job? Sounds like it still maybe had a film of some sort on it.
Most steel doors need just a wipedown with a rag and mineral spirits or paint thinner prior to initial topcoating.
Mark won't steer you wrong on the re-paint.