8 Ideas Under $20 to Update Your Garage Door

You Don't Have to Spend a Fortune to Boost Your Curb Appeal!
house with garage

For most homeowners, their homes' curb appeal is a pretty big deal. Having a house that looks just as nice on the outside as it does on the inside is important, as it's the part of your home everyone can see.

But there's one part of your home's exterior that often gets overlooked when sprucing up your property, and that's your garage door.

Most garage doors are either plain, or just plain ugly. Although replacing an entire garage door can be expensive, it doesn't have to cost a lot to take your garage door from blah to beautiful. In fact, all of these garage door updates can be done for less than $20.

1. Pergola Project
pergola over garage

Adding a pergola or trellis to your garage can create an elegant look for your home. Creating a pergola for your garage can be pricey if you aren't thrifty, but a little bit of skill and creativity can go a long way.

While a garage pergola kit can cost anywhere from $100 to thousands of dollars, you can make your own for a lot less. It shouldn't be too difficult to make either, if you consider yourself a handy person.

If you can, try to gather up some lumber from a past project or a site like Freecyle, and build the pergola yourself. It doesn't require many supplies. All you need to do is build the structure on a work bench, then screw it to brackets above the garage.

Image source: Better Homes and Gardens

3. Gel Stain for Wood Grain
house with gel stain garage door

A lot of garage doors are made out of steel, vinyl, or fiberglass, but if you love the beauty of a wooden garage door without having to completely replace it, or deal with the maintenance, then applying a stain to it can help you create a natural-looking wood-grain appearance.

In order to get this wood-grain look, you will have to use gel stain. Gel stain is good for wood, fiberglass, metal, and other surfaces. You can also choose your wood color and type such as walnut, mahogany, oak, and cherry.

A 1-quart can of gel stain runs for about $20.

Image source: Made to Love

2. Fresh Coat of Paint
house with blue garage door

Sometimes a simple paint job is all you need to spruce up your garage door. Select a color that matches the rest of your house exterior, or choose a complimentary color that really stands out.

If you're looking for something bold and eye-catching, try a bright red or blue and paint your front door entrance to go with it. 

Before painting, make sure to thoroughly wash your garage doors, roughen it up with sandpaper and apply a coat of primer. Once the primer dries, you should be okay to paint it.

Image source: Jonathan Chambers Architects

4. Accent House Numbers
Garage door with house numbers

Although a lot of people add their house numbers to the front door, porch, or other areas on the outside of their homes, you can also put them on your garage door.

Large house numbers can look really interesting and help delivery drivers find your home. There are a wide variety of different styles to choose from, from something fun and colorful, to something plain and modern.  

Image source: A Chicago Sojourn

5. Updated Hardware
garage door with black handles.

A simple way to update your garage door for under $20 is to replace the hardware. Buying a new garage door handle is inexpensive but can leave a lasting impression.

Or if your garage door is feeling a little unhinged, you can buy other pieces of hardware like new fixtures, safety cables, or even handles with keyed locks.  

Image source: Houzz

6. Carriage House Door Creation
garage with carriage doors

Speaking of garage door hardware, a popular way to update your garage door is to add decorative hardware to create a carriage house look.

Carriage house garage door decorative hardware sets can be purchased online, or you can create your own. Apparently they are really easy to make; one family created them out of paint stir sticks, and another family simply painted them on.

Image source: High Street Market

7. Standout Window Trim
house with white trim on garage door

If you have a garage door with windows, why not add some trim to make them more interesting?

To create trim for your garage door windows simply purchase some inexpensive grilles. Then you can measure them to fit inside of your window, paint them whichever color looks best (most likely white) and literally glue them on. Just make sure to wash your window well before you glue it with outdoor adhesive.

Alternatively, adjust the paint job of your garage door to create a multidimensional look with faux trim.

Adding window trim doesn't have to cost a lot and it will help your curb appeal go up a few notches in style.

8. Faux Windows
garage door with faux windows

If your garage door doesn't have any windows, but you would like it to, try painting some on.

Painting faux windows is a simple and inexpensive project, yet it can have a big impact. And it only costs a few dollars to do. To paint faux windows on your garage all you need is black exterior paint, exterior primer, painters tape and a paint brush or roller. Once dry, this little update will add personality to your previously boring garage door.

Don't feel like painting? You can buy and install plastic garage door simulated windows online. They are so simple to install it only take minutes. On top of that, you can select your favorite style from a variety of custom looks.

Image source: Delineate Your Dwelling