How To Faux Paint A Garage Door
Garage Makeovers

How to Faux Paint a Garage Door

Updated: 
January 4th, 2022 
 Jomar Teves

A plain metal garage door can become dull and too monotonous at times. Redesigning can be a great way to add a new look to your garage door.

You can redecorate and paint it for a makeover that can enhance the exterior beauty of your house. The most common are faux wood garage doors because they are timeless and fits with almost all color scheme of the houses.

Faux Paint a Garage Door
Image Credit: Pinterest

Preparation

Before you start with faux painting, you need to prepare your garage door first. Dirt and other debris can get in the way when you’re painting, so make sure you clean it thoroughly. You wouldn’t want your paint job to be patchy and messy, won’t you?

cleaning garage door

All you need to do is pick up a cleaner and some dish soap to power wash your garage door. You can also use a clean rag or wiping cloth to focus on removing stubborn grimes that are stuck.

Let it dry before you start painting to ensure that your paint will stick and not drip unto the pavement.

Materials You Will Need

Even though faux painting a garage door can be easy, you need to purchase the right kind of materials to be cost-effective and time-efficient. 

A Cheap paintbrush will do the work for your garage door. In fact, if you have old brushes lying around, you can just clean them up and reuse them.

You can also buy brushes that are hard-bristled and medium in width from your local store. Other supplies that you will also need are:

  • Base paint
  • Foam roller for reaching higher areas
  • Rags to keep your brushes clean
  • Exterior paint that has a UV blocking sealer
  • Smaller brush for precision

How to Faux Paint your Garage Door

There are many ways to faux paint your garage door. It all depends on what look you’re going for and what will suit best the original paint job of your house. You can go for a lot of designs, such as rustic or classic. 

1. Apply the base coat

When applying the base coat, you can use a foam roller or a cheap brush. Make sure to apply it in sections because paint can dry pretty quickly outside.

base coat using paint brush

Your garage door will most likely have squares on it that you can use as sectioning. Otherwise, you can create sections by forming squares using a tape.

2. Let it dry

After successfully applying the base coat, do not proceed to paint over it immediately. Let it dry for 24-48 hours before applying the exterior coat.

Your garage door probably looks terrible at this point but don’t worry; it’s normal for the base coating to look messy and uneven. You can just cover it up with the exterior paint after a day or two. 

Make sure to inspect that your base coat is applied evenly. If you notice that you left a spot, repeat the process until you cover all spaces of your garage door. You can now then proceed with the exterior coating.

3. Apply exterior coat

After your base coating has dried out completely and evenly, you can start painting the exterior paint job for your garage door. There are many designs and colors that you can choose from, so choose the best option that will fit your style. 

exterior pain using different colors

Make sure that the transition of the paint colors are smooth by matching it with the previous section that you have already painted. There should be no hard break from one area to another. 

For those who are going for the faux wood painting for their garage door, you can use a wood graining kit during this process to make it look more natural. The kit should give you an excellent wood grain that looks so much like real wood. 

4. Wait it out

Just like applying the base coat, you also need to let the exterior paint dry for another 24-48 hours. This gives you time to place some finishing touches on your door to make sure that the color is evenly applied in all sections. 

A small paintbrush might come in handy during this part to reach places that the larger brushes could not usually reach. Use the small paintbrush for a more focused stroke, especially in the edges of the garage door. 

Tips and Tricks

When doing a faux paint on your garage door, some tips and tricks will help you through the process and make it easier for you to get the job done. Here are some that you should definitely keep in mind while you are painting:

  • Gel stains can be hard to remove from your hands, so make sure you wear gloves to protect them from getting stained. If ever you accidentally stained your hands or your clothes, wash it immediately, cooking oil and water to remove the gel easily.
  • Applying a coat of UV blocking sealer is essential for an added layer of protection for your new paint job. The heat and direct sunlight are known to speed up the fading of the color of any paint, so a UV protective coat will guarantee that the paint stays on for a long time. 
  • Add some carriage door hardware for a more rustic look. You can purchase them from your local home improvement store and choose from a wide range of designs as well. These door hardware can also come in many shapes and sizes that will fit your convenience.
  • Be mindful of your light, and choose the best time of the day to continue painting. This is to ensure that it isn’t too hot outside that can cause sunburns. Also, avoid painting when it’s too dark out because you might not be able to spot the sections that you might have missed.
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