Sometimes when you see something every single day, you stop really noticing what it looks like. This can be especially true for garage doors. We see them first thing in the morning on our way to work, when we’re tired and distracted– and when we come home at night, also tired and distracted.

Have you taken a moment to really look at your garage door lately? Chances are good that if you haven’t paid attention to it in awhile, it could really use some TLC.

Why does it matter what my garage door looks like?

For homeowners, there’s always something that needs to be fixed or updated. If your garage door is in good working order, it probably isn’t on the top of your list of priorities.

However, you should never underestimate the importance of curb appeal!

Even if you’re not planning on selling your house anytime soon, a great-looking exterior to your home– which includes your garage door!– makes your property look good… which, in turn, makes your neighbors’ properties look good, bringing up everyone’s home values.

If you keep your house looking great, that curb appeal could get you a pretty big return on investment when you do decide to sell your home. And painting your garage door is a relatively simple task for that kind of financial return!

First things first

Before you get started, you’ll need to choose a color.

While of course it’s your home and you can choose any color you want, keeping curb appeal in mind when making your choice will ultimately benefit you and your neighbors.

That means you might want to hold off on the highlighter green.

The best choice you can make for a garage door is a neutral shade, or one that’s currently popular. However, picking a super-trendy color might mean that you need to repaint if that color goes out of style.

Generally, it’s suggested that you either match the exterior color of your home or make a high-contrast choice.

Because black and dark charcoal grays are popular right now, but basic enough to be timeless, choosing a dark shade to contrast from your light home exterior color will make the door pop and give your home some visual interest.

Prepare the surface

As with most painting projects, you unfortunately can’t just start painting right away– there’s prep work that needs to be taken care of first.

Since your garage door is an exterior surface, you’ll certainly need to wash it thoroughly before you begin the process of painting. Make sure it’s clear of all dirt, debris, spiderwebs, and anything else that’s found a home on the surface of the door.

Next, you’ll need to prime the door. You definitely shouldn’t skip this step, since primer helps paint stick to the surface better and acts as a sealant to protect the paint job once it’s completed.

Get to painting!

When your surface is clean and primed, and the primer is dried, you can go ahead and paint the door!

Your garage door most likely has some recessed spots and raised spots; paint the recessed spots first and the flat and raised spots after. Maintain a consistent amount of paint on your brush as you carefully cover the surface to avoid streaks or patchiness.

Need a new door or a repair?

Of course, even the best coat of paint can’t disguise a damaged or outdated garage door. If your door isn’t in great shape, it might be time to invest in a new one. Give Direct Service Garage Doors a call today, or schedule an appointment online, to get started!