I've thought about those weatherproof keypad boxes too, but haven't pulled the trigger yet. My neighbor installed one on his garage side door about two years ago, and it seems to be holding up pretty well—at least from what I can see. He mentioned once that the buttons feel a bit stiff in colder weather, though nothing major.
Personally, I tried automotive clear coat on a different outdoor project (plastic mailbox numbers), and honestly, it didn't last as long as I'd hoped. Started peeling and cracking after about a year, especially with direct sun exposure. Not sure how it'd handle constant pressing and friction from fingers.
Right now, I've got a silicone keypad cover that's definitely seen better days—it's practically crumbling off at this point. Considering how quickly these degrade, I'm leaning toward giving the keypad box a shot myself. But I'm also curious if anyone's tried something like marine-grade vinyl protectant or UV-resistant sprays instead? Seems like those might hold up better against the elements and constant use.
Has anyone experimented with those types of protective sprays or coatings specifically on keypads? I'd love to hear how that went before I dive in and test it myself...
I’ve wondered about the marine-grade protectants too, especially since my last attempt at “weatherproofing” involved a ziplock bag and some duct tape (which, shockingly, did not look as cool as I’d hoped). I’m with you on the silicone covers—they seem to just dissolve into sticky confetti after a year or two.
Has anyone actually tried those UV sprays on a keypad that gets a lot of use? I worry they’d just make the buttons slippery, or worse, gum up the works. And what about winter—do those sprays get weird in freezing temps? My luck, I’d end up with a frozen keypad that smells like a boat.
Also, does anyone else’s keypad get gross from sunscreen or bug spray? I swear mine’s permanently sticky every summer, no matter what I do. Maybe the real solution is just to wear gloves year-round...
- Tried the UV spray on my garage keypad last summer. Didn’t notice any slipperiness, but after a few months, the numbers started to fade anyway—maybe I didn’t use enough?
- Winter was weird. The spray didn’t freeze, but the keypad felt kind of tacky when it got really cold, almost like it never fully dried.
- Sunscreen and bug spray are the worst. My keypad always ends up with this weird film that collects dust and pollen. I’ve just started wiping it down every couple weeks, but honestly, it’s a losing battle.
- Gloves year-round would solve it, but I can barely keep track of my keys, let alone gloves...
- Never thought about UV spray for the keypad... I just assumed those things were built to take a beating. Mine’s got numbers that are half gone, but I always hit the right code out of muscle memory anyway.
- That tacky feeling in winter is weird—maybe the spray just reacts with cold plastic?
- The sunscreen and bug spray film is real. I’ve wiped mine down with rubbing alcohol a few times, but then it gets all streaky.
- Tried gloves for a week—lost them by Thursday. Not worth the hassle.
Numbers rubbing off is such a thing—mine’s basically a blank pad now but muscle memory does all the work. I hear you on the winter tackiness, too. Sometimes I just use a microfiber cloth with a bit of dish soap and water... seems less streaky than alcohol. Gloves never last a week in my house, either. At this point, I just accept the keypad’s gonna look “well-loved.”
