Your garage is an area that can be overlooked when thinking about upgrades. You might not realize just how much a well-maintained garage door can impact your home’s appearance and value. The truth is, upgrading your garage door is becoming an increasingly prominent home improvement and can significantly boost your home’s curb appeal.
Knowing the importance of investing in decorative hardware for garage doors, what style options you have, and how you can expand the lifespan of your hardware can help you protect and enjoy your garage for years to come.
Why Invest in Garage Door Decorative Hardware?
Curb appeal is often a hot topic when selling a house or making improvements to your home, and decorative garage door hardware can be an easy way to spruce up an existing door to make it feel more special.
Decorative garage door hardware comes in a wide variety of styles, sizes, materials, colors, and components. These options allow you to find a style that complements your home, and decorative hardware for garage doors is an easy way to give your garage door a cost-effective makeover.
Studies show that 71% of homeowners use their garage door as their main entrance. Adding decorative hardware is an easy way to give your garage door a cost-efficient makeover so you can start describing it as “a breathtaking transformation” or “bright and beautiful.”
You may want to add decorative garage door hardware to your home for multiple reasons, including making a great first impression on house visitors or investing in your future. If you’re thinking about selling your home, having a redone garage door will help increase the value of your home, and you’ll receive just under 94% of the costs spent on making these improvements.
What to Ask Before You Buy Any Garage Door Decorative Hardware
Before you decide what decorative hardware to choose, you want to determine your purpose for adding new hardware. You can do this by asking yourself some basic questions:
- Do you live in a “snout” house – where the garage faces the street and is more prominent than your front door?
- Is your garage tucked around a corner or the back of your house, where you are decorating it mainly for your own pleasure?
- Does your garage door compete for attention with the front door?
- Do you want to draw attention to your garage doors or just freshen them up?
When making your decision, consider your garage door’s style and plan accordingly. If you have a swing-style or barn-style garage door, think about which design elements you want to emphasize with your chosen hardware.
For a traditional style & rail door, strap hinges and ring pulls aren’t usually the best fit. Instead, a two-tone paint scheme can enhance these doors and give them a distinct look.
Finally, think about how the garage door decorative hardware looks on your door. For example, if you want to mimic a swing-style look, consider the practicality of the door leaf, which is half the width of a swing door. Make sure it’s a reasonable size for one person to comfortably “pretend” to swing open, so it keeps the illusion of functionality.
Your Options for Garage Door Decorative Hardware
When picking out garage door accessories, you want to make sure it emphasizes the style of your home. Most decorative hardware mimics the look of working door hardware, for example, garage door hinges and garage door handles.
We’ve also provided some before-and-after photos to help you envision the positive effects of garage door decorative hardware.
Strap Hinges & Latches
When looking at different types of decorative hardware for garage doors, make sure it fits your garage’s aesthetic, but is still functional. Hinges and latches should be placed on the sides of the garage door at the top and bottom. The top and bottom hinges should be the same length. However, any intermediate hinges, such as ones under a window, can be shorter
If your garage door looks more modern or is an overhead door, don’t add strap hinges. However, if you have traditional swing doors, they can be accented with strap hinges. Just make sure these accessories are not too short or thin, and that you position them at the top and bottom rails so they serve a purpose.
The picture on the left indicates this garage as a very wide single door and has a much simpler look to it. The right photo imitates two side-by-side swing-style doors with a more decorative look through the use of garage door hinges.
Pull Handle & Ring Pulls
Pull handles or ring pulls are a popular choice for carriage-style garage door hardware, and they add an elegant touch to your home. If your garage door opens from the middle, you may want to have hardware installed. These should be placed just above the shoulder height of the driveway.
Handles and ring pulls should be installed in pairs rather than by themselves. When you are replacing garage door handles or hinges, make sure to properly take off the old ones so the new door has a clean and finished look.
Clavos
Clavos are decorative nails that add a finishing touch to your garage door. These can be used with another garage door accessory without being overbearing. The doors on the left seem simple and beautiful, but don’t have the wow factor you may be looking for. Adding small touches like clavos around the panels and ring pulls in the center dress up your garage in an easy and elegant way.
Should I Look Into Magnetic Garage Door Hardware?
If you’re looking for a quick DIY fix, then you might think of adding magnetic garage door accents. Although this may be a good temporary solution, magnetic hardware has its disadvantages.
- Magnetic garage door hardware only works on doors that are magnetic. So if you have a wooden or vinyl garage door, then it won’t work.
- Magnetic garage door accents may only be used for decorative purposes, so garage door handles may not allow you to manually lift or open your garage door.
- Magnetic hardware is easier to steal than professionally installed garage door decor.
Do I Need Professionally Installed Hardware?
One of the biggest advantages of getting your decorative hardware professionally installed is that you won’t have to worry about the logistics or take time out of your busy schedule to work on the installation. They’ll make sure the pieces are put in the right place and won’t leave you with an unfunctional, awkward-looking garage door.
Although upfront costs may be higher, professionally installed hardware is meant to be sustainable as long as everything is well cared for.
Maintenance & Care
Once the garage door accessories are installed, it’s time to make sure they are well-maintained. Here are some of our tips to expand your hardware lifespan:
- With your door closed, inspect all garage door hinges and handles for any loose fasteners and tighten any you find.
- When cleaning your garage door and hardware, use a mild detergent and soft cloth.
- For safety reasons, always work from the bottom to the top.
- Never use a pressure washer; instead, use a garden hose or low-pressure sprayer to clean your garage door and hardware.
Other Garage Door Accessories to Consider
While we are on the topic of enhancing the look of your garage door, here are some other accessories to keep in mind.
Specialty Glass
Specialty glass comes in four different styles: glacier, hammered, seeded, and frosted. If you have windows on your garage door, specialty glass will not only improve the look but also the security of your home. Specialty glass enhances the beauty of your garage door, but doesn’t allow people to see directly into your garage.
Door Stops & Door Jambs
Including door stops and door jams in your next garage door design will help prolong the life of your garage door. A door stop will help cushion the bottom of your garage door as you open and close it over time. The door jamb will frame three sides and help protect the inside of your garage from bugs and leaves.
