What Color Should I Paint My Garage Door?

Whether you’re trying to refresh your home’s look or add a splash of personality, we’re here to guide you through the process of choosing the ideal color for your garage door. Oregon City Garage Doors is a trusted and insured garage door dealer in the Oregon City and Portland areas. We have more than 25 years of experience installing and servicing residential garage doors.

What Color to Paint Your Garage Door

We understand that selecting the right color for your garage door is more than just a cosmetic choice — it’s an important decision that can significantly affect your home’s curb appeal.

What Color to Paint a Garage Door on a White House

A white house offers a blank canvas for creative expression. When it comes to selecting a color for your garage door, you have nearly infinite options. Here are some popular choices to consider:

• Classic contrast: For a modern look, black or dark gray garage doors create a striking contrast with a white house.
• Soft neutrals: Beige or taupe are warm and neutral. They add a soft, complementary touch to a white home. Light grey provides a subtle contrast without being too bold.
• Traditional white: If you prefer a seamless, understated appearance, painting your garage door the same shade of white as your home creates a uniform look.
• Bold statements: A deep navy blue or a rich emerald green both provide a refreshing contrast. They’re unique choices that add your personality to your home.

What Color to Paint a Garage Door on a Brick House

Choosing the right color for your garage door on a brick house involves a balance between harmonizing with the brick and adding a stylish touch. Some considerations to help you make the perfect choice:

• Complementary colors: If your brick is in a warm tone — reds or oranges — choose neutral colors like white, cream or light grey. These colors provide a pleasant contrast without clashing with the brick.
• Bold contrast: For a more dramatic look, consider dark colors such as charcoal, navy or black. These colors give your home a modern and sophisticated look.
• Personal preference: Ultimately, your personal taste plays a significant role. Choose a color that you love.

Pros and Cons of Painting Your Garage Door

Here are some of the pros of painting your garage door:

• Increased property value: A well-maintained, stylish garage door can boost your home’s market value.
• Personalization: Painting your garage door allows you to express your style and complement your home’s existing architecture and color scheme.

Of course, painting your garage door also comes with some downsides, including:

• Maintenance required: Painted surfaces may need periodic touch-ups and maintenance to keep them looking fresh and vibrant.
• Color fading: Over time, exposure to sunlight and weather conditions can cause paint to fade, requiring repaints to maintain the desired look.
• Potential for peeling: Poor preparation or low-quality paint can lead to peeling and chipping.

Buy a New Garage Door From Oregon City Garage Door

If you want to avoid painting your garage, buy a new garage door with the color you had in mind. Browse our selection of new garage doors and learn more about our services — we can even haul your old garage door away for you. We’re confident that we have a residential door in our inventory that you will love, and you’re protected by a one-year warranty on all new garage door installations.

A Comprehensive Guide to Attached vs. Detached Garages

Garages are helpful extra spaces for your home to store vehicles, holiday decor, workshop tools and other belongings. Whether you want to add a garage to your current home or are building a new one, you have a couple of options. Detached vs. attached garages have their own benefits, so you can pick the best choice for your home.

The Difference Between Attached and Detached Garages

The primary difference between attached and detached garages is where they are located. Attached garages are connected to your home with a shared wall and direct access into your house. Alternatively, a detached garage is a free-standing, separate building from your house — often located a few feet to several yards away.

Benefits of an Attached Garage

Attaching your garage to your home offers unique advantages, including:

• Convenience: You can conveniently pull your vehicle inside during inclement weather with an attached garage. Storage is also easily accessible in your garage without having to step outdoors. 
• Straightforward insurance: When deciding between an attached vs. detached garage, insurance coverage can help you decide. Attached garages are considered a part of the main dwelling, meaning if your home is insured, so is your garage.
• Less expensive: If budgeting is a concern, attached garages cost less than detached garages since one wall already exists. Building an addition instead of starting from scratch can save you money.

Benefits of a Detached Garage

Detached garages are very different but still offer their own benefits. While they are separate buildings, many people opt for a detached garage because they provide:

• Flexibility: A detached garage allows greater flexibility in size and location. You can customize the size of your garage to fit more cars or be a workshop, and you can even leave room to add on later if you wish.
• Increased security: Without direct entry into your home, your family and valuables are safe from intruders. Detached garages also reduce the risk of potential fires reaching your home.
• Less noise: A separate building will reduce the amount of noise inside your house if your garage doubles as a woodworking or automobile shop. This benefit can be a selling point for your home as well. 

Consider Your Garage Door Options at Oregon City Garage Door

If you’re still deciding, Oregon City Garage Door professionals can help. We will walk you through your options and can customize any garage door to fit your needs. Contact us for a free estimate today.

Best Type of Garage Door for a Pole Barn Garage

With its wide open spaces and high ceilings, a pole barn design is one of the most popular detached garage styles. While planning your garage build, every detail must be thought out — including the right garage door for the right garage.

Let’s discuss some garage door options for your pole barn garage. 

Pole Barn Garage vs. Stick-Built Garage

In the world of detached garages, two styles reign supreme — pole barn and stick-built garages. While you may be more familiar with stick-built construction methods, many homeowners prefer the ease and durability of pole barn garages.

Stick-built garages have a concrete foundation with a wood-framed structure built piece by piece on top of the foundation. This type of construction allows for more walls and customization options. 

Pole barns were originally used in agriculture. This type of garage uses post-frame construction methods, with durable wooden poles driven deep into the ground. These posts serve as the main framing elements for the garage. Pole barn garages are quick, durable builds that tend to be more affordable.

What Is the Best Type of Garage Door for a Pole Barn Garage?

There are two main types of pole barn doors — sliding and overhead. While sliding doors are the more traditional option for agricultural pole barn constructions, an overhead door offers more benefits for detached garages: 

• Automated: Overhead pole barn garage doors can be used with automatic door openers. Most people don’t want to jump out of their car to pull in or out of their garage, so automation is a huge benefit.
• Sealed: Most sliding doors are not sealed, which can allow dirt, moisture, bugs and other critters inside. Overhead doors are sealed to protect the interior.
• Insulated: Insulation means you can better control temperatures, allowing you to utilize this space for more than storage. Keep your car, equipment and anything else you own in your garage safe from extreme temperatures
• Cost: While overhead doors tend to cost more than sliding pole barn doors, this price tag comes with a lot of benefits, including modern features and often a manufacturer’s warranty. 

Need Help Finding a Garage Door for Your Pole Barn Garage?

If you need help finding the right door for your pole barn garage, turn to the experts at Oregon City Garage Door. We can discuss your ideas to help you find a perfect option. We also offer free estimates on new garage door installations. Request a quote online or give us a call at 503-664-9982.

How to Remove Rust From a Garage Door

Rust takes a toll on metal garage doors. This destructive force can weaken your garage door over time and produce cracks or holes. Rust can also detract from the door’s appearance and reduce your property’s curb appeal.

Garage door rust spreads rapidly, so it’s imperative to address it as soon as you notice it. Painting over rust spots without removing them first only provides a temporary fix because it won’t deter the underlying rust formation. However, it’s possible to remove it before it consumes the door’s surface.

How to Repair Garage Door Rust

If you catch rust on your garage door early, you may be able to remove it and repair the damage in a few steps:

1. Cleaning: Fill a bucket with warm water and dish detergent. With the door closed, use a rag and a large sponge to clean off as much dirt and debris as possible.
2. Scrubbing: Fill a second bucket with white vinegar and soak a rag in it for several minutes. Alternate rubbing the rust spots with a steel wood pad and the rag until you’ve removed all the rust.
3. Sanding: Use a small piece of sandpaper to sand the rust-damaged areas on the door.
4. Priming: Apply a zinc-chromate primer to the affected areas with a paintbrush. This preventive step can stop future rust formation.
5. Painting: Allow the primer coating to dry completely before painting the affected areas with a color that coordinates with your door.

When to Get Professional Assistance

If rust has advanced too far for you to remove it yourself, you may need to contact a professional garage door company. Extreme rust may require a panel replacement. At Oregon City Garage Door, our experienced technicians can perform this common repair task and have your door looking like new.

We can also help if rust has completely overtaken your garage door and you need a replacement. We offer a wide assortment of products from Clopay^®, North America’s leading garage door manufacturer. We’ll help you select the best door for your needs and budget and perform a fast, seamless installation.

Contact Us to Learn More

At Oregon City Garage Door, we’ve been providing premium garage door products and services in Portland and the surrounding areas since 1992. If you need to remove rust from a garage door, our experienced team is ready to help. Contact us for additional information or to schedule a convenient service appointment today.

Residential vs. Commercial Garage Doors

Commercial and residential garage doors share the same basic function — they let vehicles and people in and out of garages. While a residential door offers access to your home’s garage, you’ll find commercial doors in industrial settings. However, location is not the only difference between these two types of doors, as each design boasts unique features and structural elements that make it ideal for its target application.

The Differences Between Residential and Commercial Garage Doors

When you compare the two, there are distinct pros and cons to commercial garage doors versus residential units. Comparing factors like cost, appearance, size and material make it apparent why the different classifications exist.

Appearance

Residential garage doors come in many different colors, and some designs include decorative windows and added accessories. As such, choosing a residential door design that complements your home’s appearance can significantly boost its curb appeal. Meanwhile, commercial doors have a more straightforward design, as it is more important for them to be functional than attractive.

Price

When comparing commercial vs residential garage door prices, you’ll find that commercial doors are significantly more costly. In making these doors, manufacturers use expensive, durable materials that stand the test of time even with frequent use. Additionally, these heavy doors also require special door openers that can handle their weight and perform many opening cycles.

Size

Size is the primary marker of what makes a garage door commercial or residential. Residential doors typically measure around 7 feet in height and 8 or 9 feet in width. You can customize your home’s garage door to accommodate motorhomes, but even large residential doors are still considerably smaller than commercial versions. Commercial overhead doors are typically about 32 feet wide and 24 feet tall, but they may be even larger.

Material

When choosing a type of material for a residential door, homeowners often consider durability, price and aesthetics. They might opt for wood, glass, fiberglass, steel, aluminum or composite doors to find an attractive design that fits their budget and expectations.

While a residential door will likely be cycled two to four times a day, a commercial door may open and close many times in a single workday to accommodate shipping needs. Because the appearance of these doors is less important than their performance, manufacturers only use the most durable materials in their construction, with galvanized steel and aluminum being common choices.

Find the Right Door for Your Home or Business

Oregon City Garage Door provides you with an impressive selection of residential and commercial doors. To ensure you find the right design, we stock products from industry leaders like Clopay®, Amarr Garage Doors and Northwest Door. Contact us to learn more about our services or request an estimate online for a residential or commercial garage door today!