Why You Should Paint Your Garage Walls? – Garage Transformation Ideas

Yes, you can paint your garage walls to give the space a finished look. Since most garages come with an unfinished wall, finishing the space and painting can improve the aesthetic. It can also improve the value of your home since the garage space will look finished and neat.

If you want to turn your garage into a living space, painting the interior walls can be a great way to give the space life. Since some people use their garage as a man cave, gym, or kids play area, using some paint will add some personality to space. You can paint the garage walls on your own, but you need to know the right type of paint for the garage walls.

**Disclosure: This blog post might contain affiliate links. We earn some commission from qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you**

Why are garages not painted?

Most home garages or not painted because it is costly to home builders and developers. In fact, you will realize that many garages have unfinished walls. The simple logic is that builders avoid spending money on the garage since it is not a living space.

Homeowners, on the other hand, do not bother to improve the look of their garage space.
Unlike popular belief, finishing and painting the garage walls does not have to be expensive or time-consuming. Finishing and painting the garage walls is worth it  and will increase home value at the end of the day.

What kind of paint should you use to paint your garage walls?

Choosing the right kind of paint for your garage makes all the difference. Painting garage walls is different from painting your home or kitchen. Here is all you need to know about the kind of paint that you can use on the garage walls:

Garage paint finish

When choosing paint for interior garage walls, you need to choose the right finish. We have matte, satin, gloss, and eggshell. It is advisable to paint your garage gloss or semi-gloss finish as opposed to matte. Cleaning gloss finish paint is easier than cleaning a matte finish that attracts a lot of dirt. Since the garage tends to accumulate a lot of dirt, it should be easy to wipe the paint frequently.

Garage paint colors

Once you choose the right garage paint finish, choosing the right colors is also important. The simplest way to go about it is to use neutral colors. White, gray, cream, taupes are good neutral colors for garage colors.

If you are feeling bold, you can also paint your garage walls blue. Blue is a masculine color, and since the garage is used for masculine activities, painting your blue garage might is always a good choice. When choosing the right color for garage walls, you should also consider the color of your floor. Choose a color that complements or contracts your garage floor.

Moisture resistant paint

Most garages tend to be humid due to lack of ventilation. Unlike a regular house, you will need moisture-resistant paint for the garage. Using regular paint is not always a good idea because it will start peeling due to water. The best thing with moisture-resistant paint is that it can prevent mold growth on your garage walls.

Painting unfinished garage walls

Most garages come with unfinished walls. It may be challenging to paint unfinished garage walls because the surface is too rough for the paint to stick. However, you can still make some improvements to make painting the garage walls easy to paint.

Painting plywood garage walls

For plywood and OSB garage walls, painting requires some creativity. The first step should be to prime the plywood walls like you would with any other surface. After priming the walls use water-based paint to paint the plywood. If you decide to use water-based paint, it is advisable to mix it with grout so that it can stick better.

Painting concrete garage walls

Concrete garage walls are unfinished, but you can improve the look by painting. The first step is to use a concrete sealer or primer as a base. After the concrete sealer dries, you can use latex masonry paint. Using masonry paint is a good idea because it sticks better to paint.

Painting brick garage wall

Painting brick garage wall is the same as painting a concrete wall. A brick wall is porous, and the first thing is to seal the surface. You can seal the surface with a concrete sealer. After sealing the brick wall, use masonry paint to give it a proper finish.

Priming garage walls before painting

Priming garage walls before painting is necessary. However, the type of primer that you will use depends on the type of garage walls that you have. In case you have a concrete, brick or other porous garage walls, you need to use a sealer to prime. For drywall or wood, you can use the regular paint primer.

How much paint is needed for garage walls?

The first step should be to calculate the surface area of your walls if you are planning to paint your garage walls. The standard gallon of paint will cover 400 square feet. Calculating the square foot of your garage walls and dividing them by 400 will help you know the amount of paint you will need for the walls.

Alternative to painting garage walls

Garage wall painting is a good way to give your garage a finished look. However, there are other ways to give your garage walls a neat look. It all depends on the style that you want to achieve for your space. Here are some alternatives for your garage walls:

Garage wallpaper

Using garage wallpaper is a good way to cover garage walls in case you do not want to paint. Using garage wallpaper is quite affordable. The best thing about wallpaper is that you can get many effects and colors. You can install a brick effect wallpaper on your garage to give it a brick wall look. In case you want to use wallpaper in the garage, make sure that you keep the space dry because wallpaper tends to be affected by moisture.

Garage wood sheathing

Using wood sheathing can be used in case you do are not interested in painting. Installing wood planks on garage walls can be expensive, but it gives your garage a unique look. When using wood sheathing, it is advisable to stain and treat the wood. Staining the wood will maintain the natural look of wood and, at the same time, protect your wood from damage.

Garage PVC siding or panels

Apart from painting your garage, you can also use PVC panels to cover your walls. In case you have unfinished drywall, using PVC panels can be important for giving the wall a finished look. The best thing about using PVC panels is that you can use the wall to hang tools. You do not have to install PVC panels on the entire wall. Using PVC panels gives you durability because PVC is moisture resistant.

Share with a friend