How to Paint Your Garage Door a Faux-Wood Finish

Steel garage doors are durable, but they also look industrial, or at least identical! Applying a faux wood-grain finish can give your garage door some character and enhance your home’s exterior.

Materials Needed

• Sanding block or sander
• Giani Wood Look Paint for Garage Doors

1. Prep the Surface

Clean the surface thoroughly. Also, sand any rough areas and remove any sanding dust with a damp rag.

2. Apply the Base Coat

Apply the base coat of the woodgrain kit. A sash brush works well for the edges, grooves and corners of panels.
A small roller covers the wider areas more quickly. Let dry for an hour.

3. Add the Top Coat

Apply the top coat with the wool glove supplied in the kit. This coat is a darker glaze that does not fully cover the surface, so it leaves a somewhat streaked appearance that simulates woodgrain.

Alternate the direction of strokes depending on where you are on the door. Long horizontal pieces get horizontal strokes; short vertical pieces that separate the panels get vertical strokes.

Keeping the intersection of these lines clean can be difficult with the wool glove, so you may want to switch to a sash brush for the second coat of glaze.

Cost

After two coats of glaze, the door looks like a stained wood door at a fraction of the cost of the real thing.

And the kit to transform this garage door costs just $70!