You don’t need to shell out big money to paint your garage. You’ll find the process fairly straightforward.
If you’re only interested in the best paint for your garage, I found Prestige Interior Paint and Primer to be a great option if your garage walls are in great shape and just need a touch-up.
If your garage walls are in rough shape, then you’ll need to go with Montage Signature Interior Paint and purchase primer separately.
If you have unpainted drywall, you will need to pick up a primer.
You’ll find exactly how to paint your garage and the best paint your garage walls below.
Let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Tools You Will Need to Paint Your Garage
- Sandpaper – to fix any blemishes on your walls before the first coat
- Towel – for dusting and cleaning off any messes that may get on the floor or on items in your garage
- Paint scraper – for removing stubborn paint that you’d like to remove
- Brush – an edging brush helps ensure you get the best paint job around the edges and corners of your walls
- Paint (with primer) – buying the perfect interior paint (and not exterior paint) is important to ensure your garage paint job lasts for years
- Paint Roller – to make painting your garage easy
- Paint Tray – for making it easy to get paint on your paint roller
- Tarp (optional) – it’s recommended to put down a tarp so your garage floor doesn’t get ruined in this process
- Elbow Grease – a little elbow grease goes a long way and it’ll save you money in the long run!
What is the Best Paint for Garage Walls and Ceilings?
You want to be using interior latex-based paint for your garage walls.
If your garage has drywall that has never been painted, you will need to apply a coat of primer.
You want to create a barrier between the paint and the drywall otherwise the drywall will soak up a lot of the paint. If you don’t use primer, you will end up with a less than satisfactory result.
If you are touching up your previous paint job, then Prestige Interior Paint and Primer is a great option.
Prestige Interior Paint and Primer will paint your garage with ease. Your walls will be easily washable after, making it a great choice of paint for your garage walls.
If you aren’t a fan of the fall chill color, you can choose between many dark shades to keep your garage looking excellent with this interior paint.
You’ll want to pick up interior paint with semi-gloss because it’ll be more durable and easier to clean.
If you find that one coat isn’t enough for your garage, feel free to put another one on. A gallon should be around 3 coats for a normal two-car garage.
I also suggest Montage Signature Interior if you’re looking to paint your drywall for the first time or your garage walls are in rough shape and you need to cover up stains on the walls.
Interior paints will be great for garages that need a fresh coat of paint to cover up dings, scrapes, or stains from years of living.
You can choose from various colors to make your garage yours!
Unfortunately, they’re out of semi-gloss interior paints but the low-sheen variation should still be fine for your garage.
Not only is this paint good for the interior, but it’s also great for exterior uses as well.
This paint is also able to be scrubbed so you can clean up marks without the paint coming off of your garage walls.
Remember that if you go with this option, you’ll need to get a primer alongside this option so that this paint has a better chance of adhering correctly.
How to Prepare Your Garage For Painting
Spend ample time preparing your garage for its new paint job to ensure your garage will not have to be repainted.
Step 1
Start by removing everything from your garage. If it isn’t possible to remove everything, put everything towards the center away from the area you’ll be painting.
Ensure that you have proper ventilation when you’re going to paint garage walls by opening a window or the garage door.
If it’s not possible, look into either garage exhaust fans or use a fan and a window to blow out the fumes.
Step 2
Dust off and clean your garage walls. You can use a towel or a vacuum cleaner to do most of the heavy lifting. Use dishwasher soap with water if you’re having a hard time getting everything clean.
You won’t need to use heavy-duty chemicals or a pressure washer, it’ll only lead to damage on your garage walls.
If you find that your garage walls aren’t dirty, then you can skip this step completely.
Allow your walls to dry completely before moving on to the next step.
Step 3
Scrape off any cracking or flaking paint with a paint scraper. If you have any dents or nail holes in your drywall, now is a good time to sand them down with sandpaper.
If your garage walls are made out of concrete, ensure that any cracks are filled and the surface is cleaned before moving on to the next step.
Step 4
Add painter’s tape to the wall trim to keep the paint exactly where it needs to go. If you’re worried about paint sticking to the concrete floor, put down a tarp so you won’t need to worry.
Step 5
Remove any fixtures around your outlet switches if possible. You’ll paint around them later.
How To Paint Your Garage
Remember that if you’re painting unpainted drywall, you will need to use a drywall primer before painting your garage.
If you don’t use primer, the paint won’t have any way to hold onto the drywall, and it’ll seep into the sheetrock.
You can opt to use paint and primer all in one, but it won’t be optimal and your results will be less than satisfactory.
It’s also recommended to use interior latex paint over oil based paint to ensure best results. You can find the best interior latex paint here.
Step 1
Start by painting (called “Cutting”) around any light fixtures, switches, or plugs with a brush. You’ll want to do this so you don’t get paint all over your fixtures.
Do the same for any object that’s stuck on your wall. Paint where the garage wall meets the floor and ceiling with a brush so you’ll be able to start painting confidently without worrying about getting paint everywhere.
Step 2
Start painting with your interior latex paint. Use your paint roller in an up and down motion to cover every inch if possible.
Start from the middle and work outwards. If you’re nervous about messing up, don’t be, it’s easy!
Once you’re finished, it’s time to let the paint dry.
Step 3
Now you need to check your garage’s walls and see if it looks good. If it doesn’t, put on another coat of paint.
You shouldn’t have to do more than two coats if you did everything properly.
What Color Should I Paint My Garage?
The choice is up to you. If the color exists, you can find garage wall paint in your favorite color. The issue with lighter colors is that the buildup of dirt and chemicals over time can stain the walls.
You’ll hide the damage with darker, neutral colors so you won’t have to constantly repaint your garage walls.
Use a neutral color like the ones below so you won’t have to repaint your garage every other year.
- Light Grey
- Off-White
- Beige
- Tan
- Blue
- Green
I’d say go with the garage wall paint that you prefer the most. It is your garage, after all.
Why You Need to Use Primer For Garage Walls
If you aren’t using interior paint for your garage with primer, then you’ll want to make sure you prime your garage walls before you paint.
You’ll want to use primer for your garage walls because it’ll help with mildew and leaching from moisture.
It also helps to cover up any imperfections from your previous paint job and give a uniform surface so your fresh paint goes on well.
It’s important if you’re going from a dark color to a lighter color. When you’re switching to a higher sheen finish like semi-gloss, priming your walls is imperative.
One coat of primer should be all you need for your garage walls.
Should you paint your garage walls?
As long as you make sure to take your time, plan properly and use the right type of paint (avoiding exterior paint), you should be able to paint your garage walls with ease.
Avoid oil based paints as well so that you as they’re difficult to work with and give bad odors you don’t want to inhale.
If you don’t feel like taking the time to paint your garage walls, then you can hire professionals to paint your garage for around $500-600.
Should I use interior or exterior paint for garage walls?
While you can use exterior paint on your garage walls, it’s not recommended to use it because it can give off fumes.
You’re likely painting your garage so you can spend time in it, so it’s best to get interior paint (and not oil based paint) to ensure you and your loved ones are safe.
It’s also recommended to get paint for garage walls that has semi-gloss because it’ll make it easier to clean your garage walls in the future. It’s also highly resistant to moisture which can be an issue in garages.
How much paint do I need to paint a 2 car garage?
Depending on how many coats you need, you’ll need around 2 gallons of paint for a 2-car garage.
How long does paint for garage walls last?
Depending on how rough you are on your garage walls without dings and scrapes, you should expect it to last around 3-5 years.
Your results may vary depending on how humid your garage gets and where you live.
Does paint for garage walls expire?
Paint normally lasts for around 10-15 years.
What kind of finish should be used for garage wall paint?
A satin finish is recommended for garage walls as it helps hide any deformities or scrapes that have accumulated over time.
How do you paint a concrete garage wall?
Step 1. To paint concrete garage walls, you’ll have to first start by patching up any damaged areas with concrete crack filter. You can find this at your local hardware store.
Step 2. Next, you’ll need to clean your concrete with trisodium phosphate and warm water.
Step 3. You may see that there is bubbling on the walls. If this occurs, let it continue and then hose it off after a half-hour and wash away the TSP compound. After this is finished, let your garage wall dry for a day or two before continuing.
Step 4. Wipe down the concrete wall and then start painting the outside perimeter of your garage walls. You can use a medium to small-sized paintbrush so you can get into the edges with ease.
Step 5. Use a paint roller to finish the garage walls. Let the first coat dry for at least a day.
Step 6. If you find that there are any protrusions like bumps or lumps after the coat has dried, sand away or scrape any imperfections that you find.
Step 7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 again. This should be your final coat.
You can use the same type of paint for garage walls on concrete surfaces without any issues, just make sure it’s interior latest paint and not oil based paint. If you find that two coats wasn’t enough garage wall paint, you can continue with another round.
Final Thoughts
Now that you’ve painted your walls with the right interior latex paint, you can try painting your garage door!
It may also be a good time to paint your garage floor as well. Remember to avoid oil based paint as it’s not optimal for garage wall painting.
You may be wondering if epoxy is a good option or if there are other garage floor coatings as well. Depending on your preference, you may want to take a deep dive and find the right choice for you before you make a mistake on a big purchase.
