7 Garage Door Trim Ideas for Exterior Home Upgrades

7 GARAGE DOOR TRIM IDEAS FOR EXTERIOR HOME UPGRADES

Working with your clients to achieve the curb appeal they want for their home is crucial for the success of any siding project, whether on a new home or for a re-side project. Beyond the look of the traditional lap siding on the home, trim must be considered during exterior home upgrades.

One area your clients may not have considered is the garage and the trim that frames it. Here, we’ll call on the expertise of Kyle Miller, Marketing and Sales Director at All Around Construction, for some unique ideas for garage door trim. Consider these options when you’re deciding on a siding look and exploring trim and siding trends for your next client’s home!

Basic Guidelines for Trim Around Garage Doors

For re-siding projects, garage door trim will need to be considered if new trim is being applied in other areas of the home. The home's curb appeal will suffer slightly if some of the trim that is forward-facing, as is the case with most garages, remains older and more worn than new trim around doors and windows.

Clients may be interested in trying something new and different with their garage door trim, but Miller points out that “you don’t want to do anything drastic with this section of trim that isn’t also applied in other areas of the home.”

The state of your garage door itself matters as well, as trim draws attention to anything it frames. "I would recommend having a nice garage door installed if you plan to approach garage door trim in a unique way," Miller advises. "You'll be drawing more attention to the garage door with unique trim."

Ideas for Trim Around Garage Doors

The possibilities for exterior garage door trim ideas are nearly endless with trim available in numerous colors, widths and textures. However, Miller offers a few main design ideas to discuss with your next clients. Use these as a starting point to get your ideas going:

1. Complementary Colors: Think through the color palette that you and your clients plan to use on their home and explore siding color ideas. “I would recommend matching garage door trim to the trim around other openings, such as windows and doors,” Miller says. “You can also match it to the soffit and fascia color.” Ultimately, this is the most common approach to garage door trim in terms of color—it allows the trim to blend in with the rest of the home’s look and makes for a complete home exterior.
2. Matching Widths: In terms of garage door trim widths, “the most common approach would be matching the width to that of other trim applications on the home,” Miller says. “However, there may be limitations, such as the garage doors being very close to one another or to a corner post.” If this is the case, remember to take proportions into perspective. Keep proportions between corner posts, siding and garage door trim equal for the best look.
3. Varying Widths: Another approach involves varying widths. If your client is interested in mixing widths, you can choose a wider or narrower trim option based on how much emphasis they want to place on the garage. Wider trim will bring more attention to the garage, but narrower trim will help it blend in. If you take this approach, be sure the entire look remains cohesive.
4. Wider Trim on Top: “One design our company has done is a taller or higher profile board on the top of the garage,” Miller says. The rest of the trim remains the same width as the rest of the home’s siding, but the wider trim at the top of the garage adds interest and draws the eye in. It can be a subtle but impactful way to add design elements to a home.
5. Keystones: “Spicing the design up with a keystone also impacts curb appeal,” Miller adds. A keystone is a decorative element placed in the middle of the top of the garage. This is a great way to add a special touch to a home’s design, especially if it complements other unique trim and siding elements throughout the home.
6. Lighting Elements: Adding light fixtures that bring attention to the home’s garage door trim is another way to set a home’s design apart. Instead of a standard light fixture, help your clients choose a unique style that fits with the rest of the home’s look.
7. House Numbers: “Installing house numbers over the trim will draw more attention to it,” Miller says. Encourage your clients to get creative with how their house numbers are placed—an atypical location can both draw the eye to the trim and contribute to a unique overall look.

These are just a few starting ideas for trim around a garage door’s frame. Engineered wood products like LP^® SmartSide^® Trim & Siding can help you offer your clients the endless possibilities they’ll want. Beyond offering many different sizes and textures, LP SmartSide ExpertFinish^® Trim & Siding comes in 16 versatile colors that match any home’s style. “LP SmartSide trim and siding also cuts like traditional wood, so it’s very customizable,” Miller adds, which helps homeowners achieve any style. Combined with advanced durability, LP SmartSide trim is a great choice for unique garage door trim ideas.

Interested in how one (or more) of these garage door trim ideas will fit with your build's exterior style? Try them out today—along with other exterior home design trends—with our siding visualizer tool!