How to Stain Your Garage Door

Natural wood garage doors give an enhanced appearance to any home. To keep your wood garage doors looking good, it is important to stain and seal them on a regular basis. Doing this protects the wood doors from the weather and enhances their beauty. Here are a few steps to keep your wood garage doors looking their best:

1. Start by Cleaning

You'll want to begin by cleaning the garage door. Always use a good quality wood-cleaning product. Dust, dirt, moss and mildew are the most common things that you will find on wood that’s exposed to the elements which will ruin the look of the garage door. Sun damage in warmer states will also take a heavy toll on wood.  A water pressure washer can be used on most wood doors but low water pressure, 1000-1500 psi or less, is recommended. Too much pressure can damage the door.  We also recommend using a wood cleaner to remove stains and all types of dirt and residue.  Be careful not to damage to the surface of the garage doors' surface when doing this.

2. Allow Drying Time

Once you have cleaned the wood garage door, make sure that it is completely dry. It is recommended that you wait at least 24 hours or more for the wood to completely dry out. If you are using an oil-based stain, it will bead on moist wood. And if you are using a water-based stains it will not apply evenly while the wood is still wet.

3. Make Sure to Apply a Quality Stain

Don't go with a cheaper stain since it will not look at good and will not hold up as well to the elements.  We recommend using a penetrating oil-based wood stain. You can use a roller brush or a sprayer. Typically you only need one coat of stain. Using a technique called back brushing, helps the stain to get into the wood’s surface evenly and deeply creating an even and consistent look. This must be done quickly and before the stain begins to dry otherwise the stain will be too viscous and will cause blotches and an uneven look.  Be sure to only apply a second coat after the first coat has dried for at least a day. Since stain tends to fade over time, you can refresh it by washing the wood with wood cleaner and then re-coating.  If you want a glossy look, we recommend going over the finished wood with an exterior varnish or polyurethane.