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How to Paint a Garage

A freshly blue painted garage with white trim and a blue door

It may not be the hang-out spot, but why shouldn't your garage look as nice as your house? With just a little bit of color, a fresh coat of garage door paint takes the aesthetic from gray to gorgeous.

A man pressure washing an unpainted garage
STEP 1

Clean

Pressure wash or hose down the exterior wall to remove any dirt and debris.

Tip: Sherwin-Williams' Paint Calculator can help you determine how much paint you need.

Using painters tape on the borders of a garage
STEP 2

Mask Off Edges

Tape the border of your walls and cover any light fixtures or trim that you want to protect from the paint.

Tip: The Multi-Tool can also be used to press tape in place to secure its position.

STEP 3

Protect

Lay down a drop cloth to protect the pavement or grass surrounding the garage.

A man painting white trim onto a garage
STEP 4

Apply Primer To Edges

Start priming the tricky areas, around trim and light fixtures, with the angled brush.

A man using a roller to paint a garage white
STEP 5

Complete Applying Primer

Use the roller to paint the large areas.

Tip: For smooth surfaces, cover about a two-foot square rolling upward at a slight angle using light pressure. Continue rolling in an N shape and then cross roll to fill in the square, spreading the paint from the roller. After area is completely covered, finish with light rolling strokes in one direction.

A man painting the trim and edges of a dark blue garage
STEP 6

Apply Paint Coats

After the primer has dried, begin painting the edges and then use the roller to paint the large areas. Allow paint to dry for 4 hours before applying second coat.

Removing painters tape from a dark blue garage door
STEP 7

Remove Masking Tape

After the second coat is applied and dried, remove the tape by pulling it off at an angle toward you.

STEP 8

Prepare Trim

Before painting the trim, use a damp sponge to clean dirt and grime from trim and then sand the surface.

After the trim has been sanded, use a damp sponge to wipe away any dust.

The surface should be dry before applying new paint.

A freshly painted dark blue garage
STEP 9

Enjoy!

Tip: Always clean your brushes for future use. Learn how to properly store and dispose of paint here.

Colors We Used

Check out our most popular colors for your most important projects to develop your color palette and create like a pro. See the colors we used for this design below.

A person using a laptop to visualize bedroom paint colors.
A person using a laptop to visualize bedroom paint colors.

Color Visualizer

Color Visualizer

Upload a photo, then virtually paint your scene and compare colors side-by-side.

Upload a photo, then virtually paint your scene and compare colors side-by-side.

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Sherwin-Williams PaintPerks is an exclusive program designed to help you with your at-home projects.