How to Stain a Wooden Garage Door
A garage is not only there to house cars, but also to complement the beauty of your property. Wooden garage doors are known as traditional statement pieces, and wood stain can enhance their beauty even more by altering the colour and highlighting the grain pattern. In this essential guide, we explore the features of wood stain, how it can benefit your garage door, and how to stain a garage door.
What is wood stain?
Quite simply, wood stain is a type of pigment or dye that is used to darken or colour wood. It is used mainly for decorative and aesthetic purposes, but a coat of stain can also protect the wood against damage or weathering.
The importance of using wood stain
The elegance of wood speaks for itself – however, applying wood stain can improve the look and quality the material even further.
Benefits of using wood stain for garage doors include:
- Allows you to customise your door with different colours and shades
- Enhances the grain appearance
- Protects against moisture, and sunlight
- Easy upkeep (restaining only needed every few years)
If you’re set on staining your wooden garage door, we’ll now explore the practical elements of the job.
How to choose the right wood stain for your garage door
Different types of wood have different properties, and this affects how well they stain and what the final result may look like. You will need to consider some key factors when choosing your stain:
- Texture: Research your wood type, or simply have a feel of it. Its roughness or smoothness may affect how well the stain takes, as might the porosity of that wood type.
- Coverage: Depending on the look you want to achieve, you may prefer a heavy or lighter coverage and there is a range of different stain types to accommodate your desires.
- Colour: Think about the colour and shade you want to achieve. Also consider the outside of your home, along with landscaping – what hue will complement it best?
How to stain a garage door
In this simple step-by-step guide, we take you through how to prepare and stain your wooden garage door to achieve the best results.
- Clean and dry: It’s important to prepare your garage door before the staining begins. Cleaning will provide a grime-free surface to work on, and will rid the door of bird mess, dirt or mould. Avoid power
washing a garage door as this technique might be too harsh. Instead, opt for a sponge and warm soapy water and make sure your door is completely dry before you commence the next stages. - Sanding: Be wary that certain types of wood, such as cedar and redwood, are rich in tannins and so cleaning and sanding may dull the wood. Having a brightener on hand to use will counteract this effect. Tape the edges of your door to protect them, and always sand with the grain to avoid damage.
- Preparing the area: If you have plant life or outdoor furniture nearby, remember to cover it with a plastic sheet to protect it from stain droplets. If your garage has handles or windows, put protection such as masking tape or plastic coverings over the top.
- Staining: Place a moderate amount of stain on the end of your brush to avoid it running down the door, and then carefully and evenly begin to apply. Before the stain has chance to dry, back brush the applied stain to even it out across the surface. Unless the tin specifies otherwise, one coat is usually sufficient. Wait for around half an hour for the stain to penetrate into the wood, after which you can use a clean brush to wipe off any excess.
Doormatic have been supplying and maintaining quality garage doors for over 20 years. With a range of brands, styles and materials available, we ensure your door achieves the right look and ambience for your property. Our specialists also repair and maintain garage doors to preserve their quality long into the future. Contact us to find out more – we serve Kent, Surrey, Buckinghamshire and beyond.
