Should I paint my garage doors black?

Question

We are having our house painted this spring and I really want to paint the garage doors black. The problem is that the house is west facing and gets blaring summer sun with high heat. My biggest concern would be the door warping or fading and looking really bad. Does anyone have any experience with a black garage door, and if so, is there a particular paint/sheen that you would recommend? We are keeping the same colors on the house when we repaint. I don't have a problem with touching it up every few years.

Jeanette S · Answer

Personally, I wouldn't. That is two large black spots in the front of your house.

B.J. B · Answer

I agree with Jeanette. I probably would paint them the same color as the house to try to make them disappear. Your house is very pretty and you should draw attention to it not your garage. I do like black because it is a rich accent color but I think it would be too much.

Amy Anderson@ thesavvystagerinc.com · Answer

Another idea I had was to paint 'faux' windows along the top by taping off some of the squares and painting them black, then adding some carriage hardware. They just seem so blah to me.

Amy Anderson@ thesavvystagerinc.com · Answer

Thanks for the answers, but I'm still hoping for more ideas.

The Garden Frog with C Renee · Answer

I think black would look great. the only problem would be fading since black will absorb the sun and the garage may get hotter plus paint fade. I would not go gloss but a satin or low gloss finish. I think white garage doors scream look at me and I am blah! I have a white garage door only because my HOA will not let me paint it. 
I say go for it. Your front door and shutters are black, right? You may have to spend extra for the paint but if you want black, go for it. I am not sure to do the faux windows. I think you should not put more focus on the doors other than the black. 
Whatever you do, if you love it, then you are the only one that matters.

Moxie · Answer

I agree that you will create a problem with black as it will absorb heat, cause the interior panel insulation to expand. On several commercial jobs, we have had problems with hollow metal doors doing this and the lock refusing to latch due to door warping. I am thinking perhaps you might be happy with creating something that would break up the large solid white surface. They have faux hardware kits and faux windows you can apply to the doors to add some character & charm. You could also paint them on..if you don't like them, paint it back white. I think you would like them. Check out Coach House Accents on line for some ideas. Good luck with whatever you do; your home is gorgeous.

Angela · Answer

My first thought was carriage hardware!!! Your home is beautiful!

Ophelia laurel · Answer

no the white looks nice if you wish to add black as an accent that should look nice.

Diane Coakley · Answer

I think Coach House Accents has exactly what you're looking for. Just the right amount of black touches with hardware to the doors and even the faux windows would break up all that white, or you could paint to match your house first. You're definately on the right track! Beautiful home!

Terea H · Answer

Beautiful house. I like the garage doors white. Adds character. Believe black would look too dull.

Araceli rodriguez · Answer

I have seen garage doors painted black and they do look nice, but It would be more maintainanc because of the black fading

Michaela Edwards · Answer

do the trimming as a ascent, just the front not the inside, to match the windows, just don't have the shutters.

Duv310660 · Answer

if you want your eye to be drawn to the colour of your garage door (and you don't), use contrast and tone that pulls away from it's surroundings - white, black, purple, etc.

if you want it to be in visually harmony with the rest of your home (but not the focal point), use softer tone and/or contrast. Introducing any kind of texture, e.g. hardware or otherwise breaking up the space will reduce the visual impact (which you do want to do).

This is how aesthetics and design is understood, talked about, and works. How you choose to employ these principals is a matter of personal, subjective taste. I find that googling appropriate images helps clarify what I want.

Linda Stone · Answer

I agree with making 'faux windows' at the top of the garage doors. I think that would be the best bet. Definitely not black.

Tracey Andino · Answer

Carriage door hardware would look great.. Painting it the same color of the house or a complimenting shade would look even better.. Black, in my opinion, would be too much. You only have a little black trim on the shutters(at least it looks black) but those black doors would be the main focal point of the house and take away from the beauty of it.

Jim L · Answer

The black doors will make it look like you are looking into a cave...and they will be unbelievably HOT in the summer sun...paint them to match the house...I would get rid of those tiny shutters on those BIG windows...they are not attractive... my opinion...

Dee · Answer

I have never seen black doors. I think that would be a mistake.I think it would look like big black holes and draw your eye to them and not the lovely home you have.I agree with some people here change the top panel with one that has windows in it and put the carriage hardware on . It will change the look without being over the top.

Sharon Calvert · Answer

Definately a mistake to paint them black!

Clopay Garage Doors · Answer

Hi Amy. I work for residential garage door manufacturer Clopay. My first question is are your garage doors steel or wood? Second question is do they get a lot of sun exposure during the day or are they mostly in shade? Painting a steel garage door black used to be a big no-no. Black steel doors absorb and retain heat, which can cause the door to bow. In areas with extreme temperatures, it can even melt the insulation inside the door. Clopay has recently introduced a line of insulated black steel garage doors factory coated with a 'cool paint' and primer that reflects heat to reduce surface temperatures. If you are going to paint your door a dark color we recommend visiting Sherwin Williams to learn about their vinyl safe exterior latex paint. If you want to try out some different color and design ideas on your home, you can use Clopay's Door Imagination System at www.clopaydoor.com to upload a photo of your home, design a door, and see how it looks on your home. You can add windows, decorative hardware, change colors, etc. It's a fast, easy way to figure out what works and what doesn't before you start investing in materials. Below are some photos of black garage doors as well as before and after images showing the impact adding windows and hardware to a front-facing garage door can have on a home's appearance. Hope this helps!

Susan Alkire · Answer

Personally wouldn't paint the garage door. I would paint the shutters a nice 'Little Filly' brown or even a lighter tan.  The dark shutters makes the roof stand out too much.  Lighter shutters would make the house stand out more, and would match the garage door much better leaving it white.

Dee · Answer

Amy after thinking about your doors here is what i would do first. Print out two pictures and do one with windows and carriage hardware and get your marker out and do black doors. Then at least you can see what it will look like. Im thinking about something else but will save it for later. Please let us know what the outcome is.

Decorating Den Interiors · Answer

I am in agreement with those that suggested painting them the color of the house and then adding carriage hardware for those special touches.

Karen · Answer

THIS IS TOO COOL! http://apinterestaddict.com/2013/07/18/creating-a-faux-carriage-garage-door/ @Amy Anderson

J K Weigle · Answer

Don't listen to naysayers. The clopay doors look wonderful! Put up some black or other color poster board or cardboard next to the house to check it out. Use those little paint samples. EVERY house has white garage doors. As Apple says, 'think different.'

Art-Faux Designs and Painting Inc · Answer

@Amy Anderson You can paint them what ever you like, but you just would need a high quality acrylic paint. Of course it would generate heat but I can only assume that the quality of your doors is probably better than most and an insulated overhead door was installed which resists heat remarkably well. ( I have one ). I have been painting for 35 years and am also an artist, so you can imagine that I have used every color imaginable including certain base colors for wood graining. I would not fear the color you are wanting but it could create a maintenance issue for you and I would not use anything higher than a satin finish. If it were me from a decorative stand point I would trompe loeil the look of carriage hardware on the doors and would warn against breaking the integrity of the surface with any thing such as nails, screws, or substrate piercing of any hardware as it would probably void the warranty of the door. I would especially read the manufacturers labeling on the back of the door (inside labels) as to painting and/or repainting. Here in Florida any oil base paints (including primers) on these types of substrates is strictly forbidden and can cause more damage than good later on. If I have seen it once I have seen it a thousand times and it costs more to refinish the door than it does to replace it (refinish costs $1,800 - $2,500 in some cases).
Does black fade? 
Of course it does just as any other color does it's just a matter of the quality of the paint you use that's going to determine how fast and how long the sun beats down on that door.
However what will help is a proper colored primer under coat is going to make the color last longer (dark gray/black primer if you can get it)
In todays market innovation has advanced the acrylic water borne paint systems that even todays auto industry uses acrylics for vehicles these days (even black) and of course spraying would be the best application and that takes an experienced professional to apply it correctly but you should be able to paint them whatever you like.
However in my professional opinion I think I would use the main color of the home (including primer) and hand painting (trompe loeil) hardware would be nice.
For a paint brand I would suggest a PP&G manufactured product (Porter, Pittsburgh, etc.) Even Sherwin Williams has a good line just ask for the area sales rep and not the 18 to 20 year old pimply faced teenager behind the counter. (Trust me on this tip lol ;-)

Deborah · Answer

Amy, great house, BTW! I would go off in another direction...add shallow pergolas over each garage section, painted white, paint garage doors one shade darker than the house, add either faux carriage hardware or the real thing in black. I love black, but I agree with the others. It could be 2 big black holes. On a side-load garage it would work.

Cindie Taylor-pamula · Answer

I CAN SEE THE SHUTTERS & DECORATIVE HEADER ABOVE GARAGE DOORS A DARK EGGPLANT COLOR.

Becky P · Answer

I am of the frame of mind that garage doors should only be white or a tan color. I think black would be way too hot, and they would stay hot longer than a lighter color. I base this of the fact our west facing maroon front door was too hot to touch during the summer months. It is now white (boring), and not hot.

Robbin Rothgeb · Answer

i had a similar issue....just went with the hardware. made a huge difference without a big commitment. a little bling for front! like earrings!

KATHLEEN QUINLAN · Answer

I definitely would not do Black. I agree with most of these statements. I like the white but if it is because the bottom gets dirty you could do a 1-2 foot paint on the bottom of tan to match the house and the top part white...

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