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How to Maintain A Powder Coated Garage Door

02 Aug 2018

Garage Door DIY Tips

4 min read

If you want to maximise the life of your powdered coated garage door, it’s important to implement a simple and regular maintenance program.

How To Protect Your Powder Coating From The Environment

Every state in Australia faces different weather environments, therefore depending on your environment, different frequency rates will apply.

The environment – if it is dry, has minor condensation, has high moisture or has significant contamination (interior); or a city, rural, industrial or coastal environment (exterior)
The conditions – if it is a general or moderate condition (interior) or a mild, severe or tropical condition (exterior);

Some of the influencing factors that can impact the life of the powder coating include:

Ultraviolet light
Levels of atmospheric pollution including salts, dirt, grime that can all accumulate over time.
Winds carrying airborne debris that can cause erosive wear of the coating e.g. sand causing abrasion
Change in environmental circumstances e.g. if rural became industrial
Microclimates eg. geothermal, alkaline or acidic

Your Care & Maintenance Schedule:

If you don’t live in a coastal area, a big city or urban area with lots of dust then maintenance would only be required every 12 months.

If your home is situated in the above-mentioned areas it’s recommended to carry out cleaning schedules every 6 months.

Additionally, if your garage door is sheltered, with rain unable to reach it, and therefore wash off the dust, salt or dirt more frequent cleaning will be required.

The following table will help you identify the recommended minimum cleaning schedule. The table references AS4312 and ISO12944 Atmospheric corrosivity zones in Australia to define the environmental conditions.

Environment	Conditions	Corrosivity Zone	Example Environments	Recommended Minimum Cleaning
Exterior Environment	Mild	C2 Low	Arid, urban, inland, city	Every 12 months
	Mild	C2 Medium	Light industrial & coastal	Every 6 months
	Severe	C4 High	Seashore (calm)	Every 6 months
		C5 Very high industrial	Heavy industrial	Every 3 months
		C5 Very high marine	Sea Shore (surf)	Every 3 months
	Tropical	Tropical (T)	High, humid and monsoonal	Every 3 months
Interior Environments	General interior	C1 Very low	Dry	Every 12 months
	General interior	C2 Low	Minor condensation	Every 12 months
	Moderate interior	C3 Medium	High moisture	Every 6 months
	Moderate interior	C4 High	Significant contamination	Every 3 months

Powder Coating Cleaning Instructions – A 3 Step Process:

The following 3 steps will provide you with all the information and instructions required to ensure your garage door withstands rain & shine long into the future.

using a wet sponge by gently rubbing the surface of the door carefully remove dirt & any other loose surface deposits.
Using a soft brush (make sure it’s non-abrasive) and a dilute solution of a mild detergent gently rub the surface until dirt, stains or particles are removed. For stains unable to remove only use recommended solvents on the affected area, don’t use extra strong solvents across the entire door. (examples of solvents that can be used in these areas are Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or methylated spirits) Always rinse these areas off with clean water afterward. IMPORTANT: refrain from using aggressive solvents.
After washing, rubbing and removing any stains and residues rinse the surfaces of your garage door with clean fresh water.

Important Information About Protecting Your Powder Coating – Do’s & Don’ts!

DO	DON’T
Protect all powder coated joinery	Use aggressive solvents*
When building, renovating, plastering or painting around powder-coated assets use approved tapes and films in accordance with the manufacturer’s instruction.	Do not use turpentine, white spirits, thinners, citrus-based cleaners or other aggressive solvents on powder coating.
Remove unwanted paint & sealants	Rub powder-coated surfaces excessively
Ensure all paint splatters or excess sealant are immediately removed before they dry.	Do not rub powder-coated surfaces excessively, especially metallic finishes.
Use recommended solvents for stubborn statins only	Allow sunscreen to come into contact with coated surfaces
Use only Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) or methylated spirits and rinse off with clean fresh water.	It is universally recognized some sunscreens adversely affect powder-coated finishes.
Regularly inspect	Neglect recommended care and maintenance schedules
Inspect your powder coating often and clean more regularly if required	To comply Steel-Line powder coating warranties the recommended care and maintenance schedules must be adhered to.
Clean in mild conditions
Clean powder-coated surfaces when the surface temperatures are below 25°C

* Non approved solvents can cause damage that may not be visible immediately and may take up to 12 months to appear.

NEED MORE HELP?

We have a team of dedicated consultants that can help you further simplify the above instructions. We will help you save time and money by providing the right coating advice for your project. You can get in touch with us on 1300 767 900 or contact us today.