Best Fiberglass Garage Door Primer
Kilz Adhesion High-Bonding Interior/Exterior Latex Primer is an oil-based paint that will allow you to use virtually any type of exterior paint as the topcoat. It will bond to slick, hard-to-paint surfaces like metal and fiberglass so that you can paint whatever color youd like on top of it.
This paint dries within thirty minutes so you can get back to your project quickly. Make sure to mix well before using. And this will only bond to slippery surfaces as advertised if the surface is properly cleaned beforehand. More on preparatory cleaning at the bottom of this article.
Paint The Second Coat
Now its time to make that faux wood garage door of your dreams come to life. When setting up for my second coat, I had my roller pan with a small amount of paint, a cookie sheet lined with foil , and a bucket of water . I will say, I didnt use too much water but that can vary from climate to climate and time of day you chose to do this step.
The mitt that the kit comes with is one size fits all but I have tiny hands so I did find it to be somewhat complicated to maneuver. I also suggest getting a chip brush for this step. They sell them at dollar tree. I think this really helped me obtain the faux wood grain in the spots the mitt couldnt reach.
I decided to start at my bottom panels and work upwards and honestly, this worked great. I simple opened my garage door all the way up and used a garbage can to hold it in a spot that was easily reachable and then worked on that section. This dries fast so working is sections is key. Once I was done with a row/section, Id close the garage door to make the next section easily in reach. Then once the door was all the way shut, I used a ladder.
Now that weve got the logistics out of the way, lets talk about painting / wood grain technique.
Steps for the perfect wood grain look using the giani paint kit:
Only put a small amount of paint in your tray at a time
Get the mitt damp and then ring it out VERY well – the moisture helps in the overall finished look but also keeps the paint damp while you are applying
Supplies mentioned:
A Deep Taupe Garage Door Paint Color
Something about this deep taupe garage door paint color just makes you feel extra classy. Perfect if your homes exterior is light brick or if you have a light-colored siding.
Even dark-colored brick and siding would benefit from this adding another shade to contrast. Ethier way, dark taupe is a stunning look. Try the paint Virtual Taupe at Sherwin Williams.
Read Also: Garage Door Repair Missouri City Tx
Wood Look Paint Kit For Garage Doors Black
- Add instant curb appeal to your home in just 3 hours with Giani Wood Look Paint Kits!
- Each kit contains: Two 16 oz. Giani Black Walnut Wood Tone Base Coat, Two 16 oz. Giani Black Walnut Wood Grain Finish Coat, Giani Paint Mitt, 2″ Brush, 2 Plastic Tarps, 6″ Roller Arm & Cover, and 2 Stir Sticks
- From cold, plain white or simple solid, paint your garage door to look like wood in a single morning or afternoon with Giani Wood Look Paint for Garage Doors!
- Giani Wood Look Paint is a Water-Based Acrylic, Safe, Low on Odor and VOCs, but designed for outdoor durability and weather resistance while covering up to 180 sq. ft.
- The Giani Wood Look Paint Kit is a simple, two-step application that will transform smooth, embossed, flat or raised panel doors into high-end carriage style doors in just three hours.
A Rust Orange Garage Door Paint Color

If your homes exterior is more of warm color shades of browns or taupes, I would highly suggest you look into a light rust garage door paint color. It pops so well with your homes exterior while still brightening everything and making it look more interesting overall.
This color also looks great against any type of pine or light-colored stain. Try the color Pennywise at Sherwin Williams.
Read Also: Black Garage Doors With Windows
An Emerald Green Garage Door Paint Color
This stunning dark emerald garage door paint color may be a little bold but it looks gorgeous against a light brick exterior. Matching paint colors to brick is very tricky so why not just go with a color that already compliments reds so well.
Plus with this emerald, all your landscaping will pop even more! Try the shade Shamrock at Sherwin Williams.
Sand And Clean The Door
To ensure your fresh Dulux garage door paint adheres properly to the surface, give the door a full sand down with your coarse sandpaper. Be rigorous with your sanding, and open the door and sand the edges down too. Then take your sugar soap and a sponge and give the door a good and thorough clean to remove any grit and dirt, so that you arent left with a bumpy and uneven finish.
Recommended Reading: Garage Door Window Plastic Inserts
Best Wood Garage Door Primer
There arent a whole lot of garage-door-specific paints, so youll be looking for exterior paint or primer that bonds to the correct surface. The best proper for wooden garage doors is Kilz Exterior Siding, Fence, and Barn Primer.
This Kilz primer is ideal for bonding to wood surfaces. It dries to the touch in 2-3 hours, but it should be given 6-8 hours to dry before another coat is applied.
How Will This Save Me Money
By painting over the existing color of your garage door you will be getting a brand new, fresh, and modern look without having to purchase a brand new garage door and having to hire a professional to install it. If youre wondering how much doing it yourself will cost, check out our DIY Painting Project Calculator.
You May Like: Precision Garage Door Of Delaware
A Cool Beige Garage Door Paint Color
Going with a darker off-white like a cool beige will surely pop against any cool color or tone of your home exterior whether it is brick or siding. It will match with almost anything.
If you are looking to stay closer to your comfort zone, this calming garage door paint color may be the one for you. I would suggest you try Accsessiable Beige at Sherwin Williams.
Kilz Exterior Barn Paint White1 Gallon
Want something that has high coverage and can offer higher protection from elements at the same time? Check out this offering from KILZ!
The most highlighting thing about this paint is the coverage. One gallon can cover approximately 200 square feet. And it dries up within two to three hours. Once it dries up, it will offer an attractive finish that will make the door look appealing.
This paint can also protect the door from cracking, blistering, and peeling. As it is a water-based formula, the adhesion rate is high as well.
Pros
- Protects from cracks and peeling
- Has a high adhesion rate
Cons
- Might turn a bit too matte when dried up
- Red color option is more like orange than red
Why Should You Purchase This Product?
The paint has high coverage. It can also offer protection from cracking and blistering.
Also Check: Long Island City Parking Garage
How To Tell What Material Your Garage Door Is Made From
What if you arent sure what type of material your garage door is made from? Steel is the most common material used for garage doors, so theres a good chance your garage door is made from steel. If you rap your knuckles against the material and it sounds sharp or tinny, then you probably have a steel or aluminum garage door and will need exterior paint for metal surfaces.
If you rap your knuckles against the material and it sounds hard and blunt, then its probably wood. If it sounds thin and dull, then fiberglass is the most likely material.
Buyer’s Guide: Everything You Need To Know

It’s easy to be overwhelmed by the variety of products and services available. You can get lost in all the options and not know what you want. That is why it’s essential to ask yourself these questions before making a purchase:
- Does the product have a warranty or guarantee?
- What is the return policy for this product?
- Is there customer service support available for this product?
- Where to buy the product?
- How much does it cost?
If you answer yes to all questions, then congratulations! You have found paint for garage door for you! But if not, keep reading because we will provide more helpful information.
Also Check: Replacing Garage Door Torsion Spring
What Type Of Paint Do You Use For A Garage Door
You will need to make sure to purchase exterior paint that is suitable for the type of surface you are painting because you will need a durable finish. For example, an aluminum garage door will need a different type of paint versus an all-wood garage door, so it will depend on your specific situation.
Do I Need To Hire A Professional Painter
Short answer, no, unless you would feel more comfortable or are unable to do it yourself. Painting your garage door is a painting job not needed for a professional as long as you follow simple instructions for the type of paint you decide to purchase. But if youre still not sure, read this article to help you decide.
You May Like: House With 2 Car Garage
Best Garage Door Paint For Metal Or Wood
Rust-Oleum 1979502 Painters Touch Latex Paint comes with a wide selection of colors and dries in a quick 30 minutes. It has a glossy, chip-resistant finish and will leave your garage door looking brand new.
Lighter colors will last longer without needing to be repainted, while darker colors may need a new coat sooner rather than later. If you opt for one of the darker colors, grab an extra can or two for when youll need to touch up or repaint next year.
Choosing A Matching Or Complementary Garage Door Paint Color
When choosing a color that will look well with the rest of your house, you can choose a matching color or a complementary color. To choose a matching color, take a scraping of some exterior paint and ask a paint mixer to match it for you. To choose a complementary color, consider what colors from your landscaping or your homes interior you might like to include as an accent color. If you arent sure what color would be best, try this method to decide.
Perspective Garage Door Paint Color Test
Get some paint samples from the home improvement store and then stand several feet away from your garage. Hold one sample up over the garage door so that it completely covers the door. You may need to move it a little closer or farther from your face to get it just right. Then consider how that color looks there.
Try this with each of the samples youre interested in, and start removing the ones you like the least. If you still need help deciding between the last two or three, it might be best to go with the lightest color as that is likely to last longer than the darker ones. You can also ask a friend or neighbor for their opinion on which is the best garage door paint color for your home.
Also Check: 2 Car Garage Door Size
Choose The Right Stain Color
Weve been adding small wooden accents to our house, little by little. As weve been painting our home a creamy white color , were also adding in some black details, like on our front door makeover, and wood accent pieces. More wood accents to come, btw! I wanted our garage door to match the wood weve already been adding, so that was the color of gel stain that we chose.
Since our garage door was already a creamy yellow color, it worked well for a base coat. Most neutral colors would work great for this, but if youve got a bright or bold garage door color, you may consider painting it neutral BEFORE adding the gel stain. Part of the process of staining a garage door to LOOK like wood is using brush strokes to allow the base color to come through, just a little, to give it that woodgrain look.
Choose The Right Season And Time Of Day
Paint tends not to dry well in cold temperatures below 45 degrees F. So when planning an outdoor painting project, its best to wait until it is above 45 degrees even during the coolest part of the night so that the paint has plenty of time to dry properly before being exposed to cold temperatures.
Rain can also damage your paint before it dries. Even though exterior paint is water-resistant, if it gets rained on while still wet, streaks and drips may form on your garage door. So check the forecast and wait for the best weather to paint your garage door.
If you have a light above your garage door, youve probably noticed a lot of insects hanging out around it at night, especially in the spring and summer. Make sure to turn that light off after you paint so that visiting insects dont land in the paint the night after the door has been painted.
You May Like: How To Program Ford Garage Door Opener
A Dark Navy Blue Garage Door Paint Color
Something about this dark navy blue garage door paint color against the light blue exterior siding has us swooning. These colors naturally contrast beautifully and make the garage doors pop.
Plus if you have extensive staining or hard-to-remove scratches a dark navy blue could be perfect for some cover-up. Try the color In The Navy at Sherwin Williams.
Best Garage Door Paint For Fiberglass

If your garage door is made of fiberglass, then youll want to go with a marine-level paint type like Duralux M731-1 Marine Paint. This kind of paint is resistant to rust and erosion and can bond to that slippery fiberglass and hold its own against the elements.
Duralux marine paint is a good choice for painting directly onto your fiberglass garage doors. You wont have to use a primer with this one, which can save you some time.
Don’t Miss: Myq Chamberlain Garage Door Opener
Wrapping Up Garage Door Paint Colors
When choosing garage door paint colors you may need to look into different shades or hues of a color to match the exterior of your home unless you want to go more of the traditional route of white or a modern black. The best part is that there are so many exterior paint colors on the market that would be the perfect refresher for that outdated garage door!
Check out our Exterior Painting page for even more information on exterior painting, paints, and products.
Prep For Less Clean Up
No matter how careful you are, drips and splatters are an inevitable part of the painting process. Lay a tarp or blanket you dont mind ruining under the door to catch any splatters or spills and save you some cleanup time later.
If you still end up with a little paint where it shouldnt be, you can use a paint stripping gel to get the paint off. This gel works on wood and metal surfaces as well as masonry surfaces such as brick, stone, and concrete. You may need to scrape the paint off once the gel has had time to loosen it. For more comprehensive clean-up tips, check out How to Remove Paint from Concrete.
Recommended Reading: Wood Storage Shelves For Garage
A Medium Grey Garage Door Paint Color
Grey is a neutral garage door paint color that will never go out of style. You will love the contrast if you have white or light-colored exterior brick or siding on your home.
This cool grey will look stunning on your garage door as well as blend everything together seamlessly. If you are looking to step away from white but nothing too out of the ordinary I would highly suggest a grey tone. Try the color Repose Grey at Sherwin Williams.
Transform Your Garage Door To A Gorgeous Faux Wood Door With This Easy Gel Stain Diy Garage Door Makeover
Weve been dreaming up garage door makeover ideas since we first purchased our home, and though weve been making over just about every square inch of our house, our garage door was working and in great condition. It just wasnt a style we liked, in fact, I wanted a wood garage door.
You guys, wood garage doors are expensive! So with a wee bit of time on our hands, and a little bit of research, we decided to DIY our own garage door makeover with gel stain to make it look like wood.
No new garage door, no expensive installations, no crazy overhaul. Just a few dollars and a couple of hours, and we had ourselves the look we wanted at a FRACTION of the cost.
Recommended Reading: Roll Up Garage Door Prices
Natural Wood Look On Garage Doors Through Graining: Lower Your Maintance
Problem:
Your beautiful Exterior Natural wood doors are deteriorating due to sun damage. Bleaching the wood and destroying your clear protective finish within months. Varnishes can have an extremely short life in direct sunlight. Worst case, your doors begin to show warping and rot. What can be done when you get tired of the maintenance of this centerpiece to your exterior?
Garage Doors Before
Solution:
You can paint, which will mean less maintenance and more protection. BUT, what if you loved that natural wood look? With Shiloh Painting you have the ability to both keep that natural look AND minimize your maintenance. This works really well for garage doos. We will prime, paint, apply glaze with a technique called graining. In this way we are able to KEEP your natural look and PROTECT your expensive doors.
Garage Doors After Wood Graining and Glaze
Other applications for Wood Graining: