Giving Old Garage Doors New Life

We all know what a personal makeover can do to update our look and keep our personal style current and fresh.

The same can be said for making over our home’s appearance, especially the garage door. If your existing garage door is in good working order but looking a little worn or outdated, think about giving it a new life with one of these attractive transformations.

Use Color

You’ll be amazed at what a new coat of paint will do for both your garage door and your home’s curb appeal. This is a relatively inexpensive job you can do yourself, with the most costly investment being your time. Like all paint jobs, what matters most is the prep work. For wood doors, look for and fill cracks and sand off any loose paint. For metal doors, sand away rust spots. All doors will need a good power wash before starting.

view of garage doors

Conventional wisdom recommends having the garage door blend in with the rest of your home, but many homeowners today are choosing to be adventurous in their choice of color.

One that stands out but complements your house color and surrounding landscape can be a stunning look. Bold new colors this year include deep blues, bronze and cranberry. Softer hues like navy, gray blue, mauve and thyme green offer a more muted look.

Faux Wood Appearance

Use a simple stain on your existing door to create a beautiful and convincing wood appearance. Again, the investment is mainly your time, but this job can be completed in an afternoon. Start with a power wash or the good old-fashioned use of rags, sponges and some vinegar and dish soap to thoroughly clean the door.

Use a brush to apply the glaze one section at a time. The glaze dries quickly, so if your door receives sun exposure, try to choose an overcast day for applying the stain. Top off with a clear glaze for a longer lasting effect.

Add Architectural Detail

Carriage style garage doors are extremely popular and add great curb appeal and style to your home. You can create the look yourself in a matter of hours with some paint and purchased hardware.

The faux windows are very convincing, even up close, but it’s the hardware that offers the crowning touch. If you have a raised panel door, the hardest part is already done for you, as the panels make it simple to tape off and paint the “windows.”

After prepping the door, tape off the top row of panels to create your windows. One, two or four panes, it’s your choice. Start with an exterior primer tinted gray and then use a satin finish black enamel to paint each panel. When dry, remove the tape to expose the finished look. Apply decorative garage hardware – a fleur-de-lis look is classic – and you’ve added some beautiful character to your home.

Go All New

Maybe your new look requires a completely new garage door. Browse through our variety of residential garage doors, or even design your own online with our handy tool. Then, get a free quote, and upgrade your garage!

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