A DIY To Try If Your Garage Door Magnetic Panels Are An Epic Fail

There are some garage styles that will instantly boost your home's curb appeal, and the wooden door look is one of them. Unfortunately, switching to a new garage door can be very expensive, so DIY panels may seem like a creative and affordable way to try a new aesthetic for your door. With PVC sheets, paint, and some strong glue, you can build panels that will stick to your garage door without causing damage. You can also purchase magnetic panels, but they are quite pricey. While the DIY panels seem like a perfect solution, they have some downsides. Magnetic panels can easily be misaligned or even fall off due to weather or imperfect installation. Even if they are made of a lightweight material like PVC, the panels will weigh down your door and force your garage door system to work harder. Over time, the glue securing the magnets to the panels will begin to fail, and your panels will fall off.

If you've tried magnetic panels and they've failed on you, you can apply more glue and hope for the best, splurge on an expensive real wooden garage door, or take on a DIY that will last longer and require less maintenance. Instead of the panels, you can get creative with the right type of paint to give the door the desired style. This DIY can be done using a wood-like paint product made with recycled wood fibers, or by going with exterior paint or primer with a gel stain in a different color and, optionally, some wood graining tools.

The easiest way to tackle this DIY is to use a kit. The Wood'n Garage Door Kit uses real wood fibers for a realistic result, and it costs about $290 from Retique It. The Giani Wood Look Paint Kit for Garage Doors is more affordable at about $80 on Amazon and has many positive reviews. When using either of these kits, choose a day without rain or direct sunlight on your garage door. The temperature should be between about 50 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.

For the Retique It kit, wipe down the garage door with denatured alcohol mixed with water and sand it if the surface is too smooth. Then clean the door with dish soap and water. Once dry, add painters' tape to the hardware and edges of the door to protect the seals. Then apply two coats of the Wood'n Primer using long strokes. When it's dry, apply a thin coat of the Wood'n Stain with a brush, and, optionally, use the graining tool while the stain is wet. Apply one to three coats. Once dry, add a coat of Gel Stain Alternative, and you are done.

For the Giani wood-look paint kit, move the garage door to the down position and disconnect it from the opener. Clean your garage door thoroughly. Once dry, use painters' tape to protect the hardware and door seals. Apply the base coat. Once it has dried, use the kit's mitt to put on the wood grain finish coat. A second coat can be added to make the door look darker if desired. Your door is finished!

If you decide that the kits are not worth the price or you want more color customization, you can achieve a similar result using an exterior paint and a slightly darker gel stain instead of a kit. You will need painters' tape, a paintbrush, exterior paint, gel stain, staining pads, and a day of good weather. First, clean your garage door and use a brush to scrub all dirt, dust, and other debris from the garage door surface. Allow it to dry thoroughly before proceeding. Adhere painters' tape to any hardware and to all of the garage door seals and roll or brush on your choice of exterior paint. Once dry, apply the stain in the direction you want the wood grain to be. Wipe off any excess with a staining pad. Like the kits, you can add more coats of gel stain to darken the result.

If you already know how to avoid the mistakes everyone makes when painting a garage door, consider some tips. Tape off panels or sections when applying products, as the layers create darker lines and a more realistic result. The small areas of overlap will leave darker lines on the door and create more dimension. Also, while leaving the door unsealed is an effective to naturally weather and distress the door for realism, you can apply a top coat sealant to preserve the look. When your DIY wood-look garage door is completed, you will wonder why you bothered with magnetic panels at all, as painting is surprisingly simple, long lasting, and easy to change later if needed.