If your garage is getting dated or boring, it can take away from your whole home's outdoor appeal. But it's not always in the budget to remodel the entire garage or facade of the building. One way to make a big impact without breaking the bank, though, is to give the overhead garage door its own focused makeover. Warm up a cold or outdated garage door with one of a few tricks suitable for any budget. 

Faux Wood

You can change the door itself with something as simple as a coat of glaze that mimics wood. Power wash the garage door and surrounding area to clean it thoroughly. Then, choose a wood glaze color and style that matches or complements the trim on your house and any visible outbuildings. You can spread the glaze on the existing door with a brush, but be careful to choose a moderate, cloudy day because glaze dries very fast! Finish the project with a good clear seal to keep its look. The result is what appears to be an expensive wooden garage door that adds classic style and warmth to any facade. 

Add Windows

Faux windows can be easily added to any existing overhead door through a variety of means. Fairly inexpensive simulated window sets can be purchased as a unit from many dealers and are attached to the door with simple screws. You can also make your own with two colors of paint. Tape off a square (or whatever shape you want your window units to be) with painter's tape. Then paint each fake window a deep black or cut some permanent adhesive vinyl to simulate the darkened windows. You can create any pattern of fake windows you want, and the change to the garage is instantaneous. 

Fake Carriage Doors

Carriage-style doors, which are gorgeous wood doors that swing open on the sides like regular doors, evoke a time gone by and a simpler, richer life. But they may not be in the budget. The answer is to create fake carriage doors! How? Start with a modern standard overhead door (upgrade yours if it's getting worn before you begin). Add some faux windows (see above) added to the top in a row. Then, glue or nail on some boards to create a wood-like effect -- usually slanted cross-bars and a wooden plank outline of each "door." Finish up with some hardware from any home improvement store -- hinges for the outside edges where the door would swing and handles to "open" your fake door. 

Giving your garage a new life with any of these DIY door hacks is a great way to stretch your budget and add value to your home with as little as one day or weekend's worth of work. And the result is a facelift for the entire house. 

To learn more, contact a company like AR-BE Garage Doors and Openers.