8 Great Renovation Ideas for Your Garage Door to Boost Curb Appeal

You may not think much about your garage or your garage door, but it is a part of your home none the less. It boosts your curb appeal when people look at your house and see that the entry ways into the house are well maintained and look inviting. Unfortunately, the common homeowner neglects the garage door, as long as it is functional, most homeowners don’t bother with the aesthetics.

An Old Garage Door Shouldn’t Be Overlooked

An old, dirty and withered garage door will affect the beauty of the whole house, not to mention the curb appeal. Many homeowners seem to overlook this little known fact. Many garage doors are fitted into the house facing the street and that definitely impacts the look of the home. If the door is worn out, dirty and rusting at the edges, it is bound to stick out like a sore thumb from the rest of the house. Even if it isn’t, curb appeal of the house will still be ruined or, at the very least, sabotaged.

If you pay attention to the rest of your house, dousing it with a fresh coat of paint and making sure it looks good, that dirty and worn out garage door is sure to take the whole house down with it.

Now that we have your attention, it’s time to renovate that garage door and make it look fabulous, just like the rest of your home. Let’s talk about your options.

1 A Decorative Garage Skin

You might not even realize this but there are skins, yes garage skins that are on the market today for the home-conscious buyer. These skins are not too heavy on the pockets but will help your old garage door look good as new, even better. It will take that old, drab and repulsive look away from your garage door and make it match the overall theme of your home.

If your garage door doesn’t have any permanent damage that needs taking care of, you can just attach these skins to the garage door surface and make them look amazing. Coming back to the overall theme of the home, if your house has that fresh coat of paint and wooden doors, you can give your garage door the appearance of real wood to match the main door. The skins match the appearance of real wooden panels.

Once you install such a skin, it will look like you have installed real wood panels on the doors. The best part is, these skins are easily installed on the garage doors in just an hour or less.

2 Get Creative with The Garage Door

Just take a stroll down the street and see whether all garage doors of your neighbours look the same. If they do, they you have a chance to make your home stand out. Now that can be a good or a bad thing. If you’re in a bad neighbourhood, you might want to remain cautious and keep the garage doors the same for fear of drawing unnecessary attention. But if you don’t live in a bad neighborhood and can afford to get creative with your garage door, go ahead with it. Get a carriage style garage door to replace the existing one.

Your next natural response would be, “But wait, don’t those cost too much?” Fortunately, no. You don’t have to settle for a plain old garage door. You can get individual supplies and accessories to transform your door into a carriage style door through specialized suppliers and manufacturers that make these accessories available for interested consumers. You’d be surprised at the difference between your expectations of the carriage style garage door costs and how much it actually costs after it has been installed.

3 Faux Wood

What has the look of wood but is inexpensive in comparison? Faux wood. This is a great option when you want to renovate your garage door because it is way cheaper than having real wood but still having the look and finish of wood. But you have to be weary when buying it though. Not all faux wood is the same. Be sure that the material you buy is similar to wood the way it looks and feels. Wood grains and the color of natural wood are the two most important aspects of faux wood to watch out for.

Another reason to get faux wood instead of real wood is that faux wood will last longer. That is because it will resist rotting and the onslaught of termites.

4 Garage Door Arbor

Garage Door ArborHaving a new garage door arbor installed for your garage is a great idea. The arbor is like a frame or your garage door that emphasizes, making it a more prominent feature of your home’s exterior. A well-constructed arbor will increase the curb appeal of the home. Installing a garage door arbor will take only a few hours, providing you have the tools and the time for it.

You can find the right tools and the hardware to install the arbor and the materials needed for it, conveniently at your local hardware store and garage door supplier, respectively.There are ready made arbors also available if you don’t want to put in the extra efforts. Just go to your local garage door arbor supplier and get a recommendation. Of course, it would cost more but you’d get the best arbor, according to the specifications of your garage door, such as its size and the condition that it is in.

5 Get an Arch

Similar to arbors, arches can help emphasize your garage door well. It can also boost the curb appeal for your home in the process. The sharp edged windows and doors on the rest of your house will be beautifully juxtaposed by the arch on your garage door.It will make a nice little feature for the outside of your house.

This juxtaposition of shapes your house will be even greater if your garage has space for two cars. Due to the number of garage arches corresponding to the length of the garage, the contrast will be more pronounced, and will definitely beautify your whole house.

Staying on the subject of contrast and juxtaposition, you can add curved window panes and paint them a lighter color if your house is of a darker shade and viceversa. That will make the garage door and the house look even better.

6 Curved Frames

If you have a traditionally styled home, having a curved frame for your garage door can be a good idea. Curved frames go best with a classic design as they add a modern element to the overall outlook of your house.So when you feel like renovating the garage door, you can have it installed in a clipped or curved frame.

It will give a similar effect to the arches and increase curb appeal for house guests and passersby.If you still have some money left and are not going over your stipulated budget, you can choose to add different grilles, transoms on the top with fanlights to boot.

That will illuminate the garage door in the night to make it look even more appealing than it was in the daytime. The traditional elements of your home will gladly combine with these modern elements to give your home an undeniable curb appeal.

7 Faux Garage Door Windows as a Decoration

If you feel your budget is tight, don’t despair. You can still renovate the garage door to up the curb appeal of your home. This is where another great option is laid out before you: faux garage door windows. These are not actually windows, although they’ll look like they are once you’re done “installing” them.

There are kits for faux garage door windows in the market that you can use to add windows on your garage doors. The great thing about these kits is that they are quite affordable. Again, what you want from the garage door is great curb appeal for your whole house and these faux garage door windows will help you do that.

Faux garage door windows give a suave and sophisticated touch to your garage doors and inevitably your whole house without being too heavy on your pocket. The kits include incredibly realistic stickers that will give the appearance of mirrors. If you are thinking of following out advice for carriage style doors, you can make them look premium by having these stickers delicately placed near the top to give the illusion of windows being there. These faux windows are very easily installed.

8 Glass Panel Doors for the Streamlined Look

If you’re willing to go the extra mile ad budget is not a constraint, you can get more modern garage designs to give them that premium feel and not just look.You can go for the streamlined door with horizontal glass panels. This is the best option, budget aside, if you’re going for something to compliment your contemporary styled home. This type of garage door is the most representative of a contemporary style house. You can add frosted glass panels in your garage doors to give them a truly premium feel. The frosted panels will allow greater privacy inside the garage to protect the luxury car parked inside. The frosted glass will not take away from the modern character of your home with these

Some Tips for Keeping your Garage Running All Year Round

Now that we’ve given you some ideas about renovating your garage door., you thought we’d call it quits. Not a chance. It is because we care that we are providing you some additional tips that you can use to keep your garage running in great condition all year round. The garage is supposed to keep your car safe from the harsh conditions outside and from thieves after all. Sometimes garages have problems that prevent you from getting them renovated. Sometimes the garage doors lock up, and won’t budge, other times they won’t open. Repairs can cost you a great deal but there are some things that can help you ensure that your garage door doesn’t give you problems all year.

When it begins Sagging

The more a garage door begins to sag, the harder it gets to open. Wooden garages are especially prone to this as the effects of the weather and the gravity begin to take hold. If this starts happening to your garage door, pull it back up with the tension rods that are at the back of the door. These rods are positioned diagonally from the top to the bottom at the corner of your garage door. There’s a turnbuckle where they can be tightened to straighten the door. Of course this varies with the model of the door. If you don’t see these rods on your door, luckily, they are available at home centers where you can purchase them easily.

In case of a Power Outage

No one likes a power outage, especially when you have to go out. If the door doesn’t open, you may well have to take the bus. If your garage door is automatic, there’s a cord with a red handle that hangs from the guide track that the opener uses for the door to open and close the door. This is actually the manual override of the garage door. When you pull it, you can manually open and close the door, especially if there’s no power.

When the Garage Door Freezes up

Cold weather badly affects the opening and closing mechanisms of most doors. This may eventually result in the loss of power. Most of the garage doors manufactured in the past 15 years come with pressure adjustments to both raise and lower the pressure. Remember, increasing the pressure causes the temperature to increase and lowering the pressure reduces it. If your garage door was made in this time period, adjust these settings every seasons to avoid any difficulties with your garage door.

Garageworks can help!!!

At Garageworks our professional experienced technicians can consult with you and help you to find create ways to improve your curb appeal, fix your broken garage door and improve the value of your home. Call now to find out more