Colors may be bold, complementary, off, monochromatic – the sky is the limit! But what is the best choice when it comes to garage doors? Painting garage doors is daunting enough. Who likes to put the brush down and burst into tears due to the wrong choice of color?
To start on the right foot, consider the garage door material to get the right paint. To choose the right color, consider the environment, the home, its features, its style. Also, decide if you like colors from the same hue or contrasting.
- Contrasting colors make a bold impression, even if they are not intense. That’s due to the contrast. But the intensity is also subject to the number of different colors used around the façade of the home. It also depends on the size of the garage door. Painting double garage doors is different than painting a small garage door.
- If you like one specific color but don’t want to risk the monochromatic boredom, you may choose this particular color for the door and shades of the same hue family for the trim. If you like it a tad more intense, you can slightly open the umbrella of hues.
What’s the dominant garage door color?
White. Plain and simple. Most garage doors are white. Okay, many, many, many people have wood garage doors, in the natural color of timber. But the dominant color is white. This is not accidental. White is all colors in one. It’s elegant, pure, sleek and can be matched with all other colors, architectural styles – just name it. It’s the easy solution for great results.
Which are the best color choices when it comes to garage doors?
The most elegant color is black. Believe it or not, black – along with white, is the boldest color. It’s also sophisticated. It can stand alone and make a statement; it can be matched with any wall type, any style.
It’s best to avoid “off” colors. They have no taste, no color – if you will. They make no statement. They come and go, without leaving their footprint. If you want something mild, something that will be nice but not too bold but rather relaxing, go natural with greens and wood.
Should the garage door color match your home or not?
When we talk about the relation of the garage door color and the home, we are referring to the home’s style and color. And then it has to do with the style of the garage door as well.
For example, Craftsman garage doors look better in brown, green, gray and so do Craftsman architectural styles.
The more contemporary the home style and the garage door design, the sleekest the color should be. It’s not accidental that super modern homes have aluminum glass garage doors. If we are talking about solid materials and thus, colors, we are talking about glossy whites, blacks, grays. So, what’s the material of your external walls?
- Brick? Perhaps, stone? Choose neutrals, like ‘honey’ brown, mustard, light gray, cream – something tasty that won’t overwhelm along with the wall material’s intensity.
- Is your home white? Yes, you can still get a white garage door, if you like monochromatic tones. It’s sleek. You will make a similar elegant statement with a black overhead door. You can go for brown/wood if you like to add a traditional touch.
- Is your home gray? Gray is mute. White will set a tone. Black will give it wings. Here’s where bold colors, anything from red to blue, will also work well.
What’s the relation between colors and garage door materials?
Not all paints adhere equally well on all garage door materials. Due to that not all colors look good on all garage doors, depending on their material. Wood is easy to paint. But when it comes to wood, there’s also the choice of staining. Not all staining finishes are transparent and there are quite a few shades of wood you may like. Vinyl is similar to aluminum garage doors – hard to paint. You may need several coatings, whereas with steel garage doors, the secret to the best result is to paint on a nice day to avoid moisture that may penetrate the material.
Some final thoughts
Before you choose the color of your garage door, ask yourself if you want to make it stand out or let it blend with the environment of your home’s façade. See if there’s some signs of wear that would be good to hide under an intense color. If you like consistency and there are plenty of windows, it’s best to choose the same color for all trims and doors of the façade. It’ll be impressive & relaxing, at the same time.
