What Is a Garage Door Wrap? How to Get a Custom Look for Less

Timothy Dale
·6 min read

Update the look of your garage with this innovative option.

Whether the garage is attached to the home or set apart, it's a prominent feature of the house that is always on display. It's important to stay on top of cleaning and maintenance to keep the garage and garage door looking great. One of the problems homeowners often run into with garage doors is peeling or chipped paint. The paint is intended to protect the garage from moisture, reducing the risk of wood rot or rust.

However, when the paint starts to chip or peel, it leaves small vulnerable spots where moisture can seep through to damage the garage door. DIYers can resolve this issue by touching up damaged areas or repainting the entire door, though a garage wrap may be a quicker and easier method for giving the garage door a new look. Use this guide to learn more about garage door wrap.

Related: How to Replace a Garage Door for Fresh Curb Appeal

What Is a Garage Door Wrap?

Wraps are common in the automotive industry where they are used to adhere logos, company names, advertising slogans, and creative designs on a variety of vehicles. A garage door wrap is essentially the same thing, except that it is used to cover the exterior of the garage door with a vinyl or aluminum material.

This type of customization option is excellent for homeowners that have faded garage doors, new garage doors, or that simply want to improve the aesthetic appearance of the home. Garage door wraps are durable, last for five to six years, and they are resistant to moisture and UV radiation. Wraps are available in a wide variety of types and are easy to install, making this an attractive option for avid DIYers.

Garage Door Wrap Types

There are a range of door wrap types to choose from, including aluminum, glossy vinyl, matte vinyl, metallic vinyl, printed vinyl, textured vinyl, and reflective vinyl.

  • Aluminum wraps are not as commonly used as vinyl wraps, but can be a good choice to improve the look of the garage. This type of wrap is more durable than vinyl, making it an appealing option for homes with kids, but is not as rust-resistant. Additionally, aluminum wraps are typically more expensive than vinyl.

  • Glossy vinyl wrap gives the garage door a shiny and mildly reflective appearance that helps the home stand out. It's available in a wide variety of colors and also comes in three different gloss levels, depending on the preferred level of shine.

  • Matte vinyl wrap has all the color options available in glossy vinyl, but without the reflective or shiny quality to the finish. This is a good type of vinyl for hiding imperfection in the surface of the garage door or simply mimicking the appearance of a painted garage.

  • Metallic vinyl wrap is appealing for those that want the home to have a sleek, modern aesthetic. The garage wrap comes in a range of finishes and colors, but the commonality between each is the metallic shimmer or sparkle the wrap gives off in the sunlight.

  • Printed vinyl wraps are commonly used to adhere business names, logos, and advertisements to the garage door. This can be a great way for a car wash or an automotive repair shop to advertise the business. While homeowners can get printed vinyl wraps with custom designs to give the home a truly unique appearance.

  • Textured vinyl wraps are intended to mimic the look and feel of various materials, including wood, stone, and metal. This type of wrap gives the garage door an attractive finish, while the texture reinforces the simulated design.

  • Reflective vinyl wrap is a significant step up from a glossy vinyl wrap. The wrapped surface has a mirror-like quality that is appealing for businesses and commercial properties that are trying to increase attention and attract customers. This type of wrap can also be used at home to create a highly reflective surface across the entire garage door.

Related: The Best Garage Door Companies for Secure Installation

Garage Door Wrap Benefits

Opting for a garage door wrap over paint can be a good idea, depending on what you are looking for in terms of cost, aesthetic design, and installation. While paint or stain comes in a wide variety of colors, vinyl wrap also offers a range of colors, textures, and finishes, including custom print creations that are a step beyond the customization options of paint.

Additionally, garage door wrap will last for about five to six years before it needs to be replaced, keeping the door protected from rain, snow, sleet, ice, and UV radiation. After installation, the garage door wrap only requires minimal maintenance that is typically limited to a light wash with soap and water.

If cost is a concern, garage door wrap can be installed without the help of a professional, so that the DIYer only needs to worry about the cost of materials. Garage door wrap is easy to install, but it can also be removed without damaging the surface below. This feature makes it an ideal choice for renters or enthusiastic home decorators looking to change the appearance of the garage door temporarily.

Garage Door Wrap Drawbacks

While garage door wraps can be a great choice, there are some drawbacks to this design option, including the cost, which ranges from about $500 to $1,000 for a basic vinyl wrap on a standard size garage door. For some comparative perspective, it costs $120 to $500 to paint a two-car garage door.

If you are looking for a more complex design or have a larger garage door, then the cost to install a garage door wrap can increase. Additionally, while a garage door wrap can last five to six years, exterior paint tends to last about five to 10 years before it needs to be repainted.

Paint can bubble, chip, peel, and fade over time, but garage door wraps are also susceptible to these issues if they are not installed properly. Garage door wraps can also delaminate if there are problems with the installation. For this reason, it's recommended to have a professional install the garage door wrap.

Installation Considerations

If you have decided to go with a garage door wrap, then you will need to figure out whether the installation will be handled by a professional or if the job will be completed as a DIY project. Installing garage door wrap is a relatively straightforward process, but if you aren't careful with the installation, the door wrap may delaminate, bubble, chip, or peel.

The basic process involves cleaning the surface, taping the garage door wrap in place, then using a squeegee to smooth out the material and remove any air bubbles or creases. The installer will also often use a heat gun to help stretch and conform the garage wrap material to the contours of the garage door and activate the adhesive on the back of the wrap. After the wrap is installed, the DIYer or professional installer will remove the tape and use a utility knife to trim off any extra material from around the edges.

While it will cost more to hire a professional installer to add the wrap to the garage door, it may be worth the investment if you are not completely confident in your abilities. This is because if the wrap is not installed properly, it may bubble, peel, and delaminate, ultimately leading to the removal of the existing wrap. After removing this wrap, the homeowner will need to pay for a new garage wrap installation, increasing the time and money it takes to complete the job.

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