If it’s properly maintained, the average lifespan of a garage door is about 30 years. That’s 30 years of being the first thing people notice when they drive up to your house. That’s 30 years of looking at the same door every time you come home at the end of a long day. That’s 30 years of wear and tear, dings and dents and exposure to sun, rain and snow.
Let’s be honest. In most cases, the garage door has a significant impact on a home’s overall curb appeal. And, over time, even the most beautiful garage door will be subject to wear and tear.
Thirty years quickly adds up.
One day, you realize your garage door is bringing down the look of your home. Perhaps it’s a dent that suddenly grew bigger. Maybe it’s a paint color that’s grown faded and dingy over the years. Or, possibly it’s not compatible with the other updates you’ve done to the exterior of your home.
Whatever the case, suddenly, you find yourself in need of a new garage door. It can be tempting to throw up the cheapest, most basic option on the market, but before you do, consider this: A garage door has been shown to result in an 87 percent return on investment when selling a house. That’s one of the highest returns of any home improvement project you can do. Taking time to carefully select a beautiful and functional garage door will keep you happy while you’re living in your home, and, with an ROI like that, is sure to make you happy if you move away, too!
The problem is, if you’re like most homeowners, you don’t have a lot of experience choosing a new garage door. There are a wide variety of options, and determining what’s best for you can quickly become overwhelming. But, it doesn’t have to be. You need to do your homework. Before you choose a door, ask yourself a few questions:
- How often do I use my garage door?
- Do I back my vehicles in and out of my garage daily?
- Does my door face the street?
- What’s my budget?
- What kind of look do I want for the exterior of my house?
Once you’ve answered these questions, you’ll be able to evaluate the designs and materials that are on the market to make a wise, informed decision that will leave you smiling over your choice for the next 30 years.
Table of Contents
Types of Garage Door Materials
Types of Garage Door Materials
Garage doors are available in several different types of materials. Which you select should depend on how you will use your garage door, how each of the elements looks and, of course, your budget.
1. Wood
Traditional garage doors made of wood are consistently popular because they provide a classic, elegant look to any home. While the “wood look” is beautiful, one of the most tantalizing features of wood doors is that they are easy to customize with paint or stain. Depending on the color you choose, it may be hard to tell you have a wood door at all.
Pros of Wood Garage Doors:
- Provide a classic, elegant look to a variety of homes, especially ones built in colonial or Victorian styles.
- Available in a variety of styles and shades.
- Over time, you can customize them with wood stain or paint to coordinate with your home’s exterior.
Cons of Wood Garage Doors:
- Require regular maintenance to keep them looking nice and avoid damage. Expect to paint or stain your doors every few years to keep them looking their best.
- Wood expands and contracts when temperatures change. Combined with its susceptibility to moisture, it’s known to end up cracking and warping over time.
- While veneers and overlays can certainly make wood doors a more affordable option, solid wood doors are not cheap.
2. Vinyl
If you’re looking for a durable, affordable option, vinyl doors may be a good choice. But, just because vinyl is more durable, don’t think you won’t get any choice when it comes to appearance!
Pros of Vinyl Garage Doors:
- Vinyl doesn’t rot, rust or dent.
- Lightweight material puts less strain on your garage door opener, preserving it and ensuring it functions the way it should.
- It is known to hold up well in coastal climates.
Cons of Vinyl Garage Doors:
- Some vinyl can have a plastic look to it. Viewing a sample of the material — or an entire door if you can — is essential to make sure it will complement your home.
- Doors that are darker in color can fade, leaving vinyl doors looking old and dingy. Vinyl typically looks better when painted a lighter color.
3. Steel
Steel garage doors are strong and durable — how could they not be? This robust option can provide some fantastic benefits for homeowners, both regarding their makeup and their curb appeal.
Pros of Steel Garage Doors:
- Holds up to the weather, leaving it unlikely to warp or crack.
- Can be covered with a wooden overlay or other protective finishes for a softer, more traditional look that won’t rust.
- Available in a variety of thicknesses — thicker steel is best for a stronger, more durable door.
Cons of Steel Garage Doors:
- Lack of energy efficiency, especially if you choose thinner steel. Choosing a thinner — and cheaper — steel can also make your door more susceptible to dents and dings.
- Depending on the problem, they can be difficult to repair.
4. Aluminum
When you hear the word “aluminum,” you might picture the same thin material you wrap dinner leftovers in. However, it’s crucial to realize an aluminum garage door is a combination of aluminum and fiberglass. Since aluminum doors are available in a wide range of colors and styles, it’s essential to understand what you will and won’t get with this option.
Pros of Aluminum Garage Doors:
- Translucent fiberglass panels let more light pass into the garage, providing more natural light than other materials.
- Aluminum is lightweight, so it won’t put undue strain on your garage door opener.
- Not susceptible to rust, which makes it especially good in humid climates.
Cons of Aluminum Garage Doors:
- Susceptible to cracks and dents.
- Not a good option for providing additional insulation to your garage — it absorbs a lot of heat in the summer, which makes your garage hot and will have your AC working overtime to keep that hot air from heating the interior of your home.
- Can yellow over time, which may negatively impact the appearance of the garage door.
Garage Door Styles
When it comes to choosing the right garage door for your home, you should think about more than just what the door is made of. You need to consider your home’s style, as well. The right door will blend perfectly with your home — not stick out like a sore thumb. For example, if you live in a traditional colonial home, you won’t want to choose a contemporary door. You’ll want to opt for a more traditional door. Or, if you live in a mission-style home, a Carriage House-style door may complete the exterior look you’re going for.
Not only that, but you’ll want to make sure the materials you select for your door — wood, steel, aluminum or vinyl — are available in the style you like. While most doors today come in a variety of options, both for materials and color, it’s always smart to make sure what you want is available and works within the budget you’ve set for your project.
In general, there are three main styles of garage door available.
1. Contemporary
Contemporary garage doors have a reputation for their functional details and clean lines. That means they aren’t going to have as much detailing or look as ornate as some of the other options, but their beauty is in their simplicity. Contemporary garage doors are also known for taking materials like aluminum or steel and turning them into a beautiful exterior feature for your home. They can also incorporate elements of glass and wood. One of the benefits of these doors is that they typically have large glass window panels, which let a lot of natural light into your garage.
Learn More About Modern & Contemporary Garage Doors
2. Carriage House
These doors are also often referred to as “barn style” and are a much-sought-after feature for homes built in the Craftsman style. But, just because they work well with Craftsman-style homes doesn’t mean they don’t fit with other styles as well. Carriage House doors provide a lot of charm and detail that look great on many different kinds of homes.
They come in a variety of colors and materials and can be customized to fit your budget and the look of your home. While they’re popular for their beauty, don’t let their looks fool you. These doors are modern in every sense of the word, providing unparalleled strength, durability and energy efficiency that are sure to please.
Learn More About Carriage House Garage Doors
3. Traditional
These doors are also known as “raised-panel garage doors.” In other words, these are the ones you’ll see that have rows of raised, symmetrical panels along the surface of the door. Depending on the manufacturer, they can be made from different materials. You can select whether you want the panels to be “long” or “short,” which will give your door a unique, more custom appearance. You’ll also be able to select from doors that do or don’t have windows in them and, as a finishing touch, you can decide what color you want for your door(s).
Learn More About Wood & Faux Wood Garage Doors
Garage Door Types
When it comes to the aesthetics of your garage door, there’s another question you’ll need to answer: Do you want one door or two? For most people, this decision will hinge on the existing design of their home. After all, if you already had a single garage door, it’s not likely you’ll be changing up the entire layout of your home to accommodate two new doors. But, if you’re building a new home, you might have some choice when it comes to selecting whether you want two smaller doors or one larger door to grace your garage.
A double door is what it sounds like — two smaller doors that comprise the garage opening. They can go up independently of each other, and a narrow post or wall often separates them. A single door is one wide garage door that goes up or down across the entire width of the garage.
To determine which look is best for your home, it’s first vital to think about how you’ll be using your garage. Do you plan to house vehicles in it? Will you be backing one or more vehicles out of the garage daily? If so, you’ll need to select doors that will give you enough width to safely and securely back a car out of the doorway. If you plan to use your garage for your daily use vehicles, how large are those vehicles? After all, it takes a lot more space to store an SUV than a compact car.
You’ll also want to ask yourself if you plan to use your garage for storage. Will you be keeping tools or equipment there that will need a certain temperature to preserve their integrity? Will you be installing a workbench and doing home improvement projects there? If so, you’ll need to factor in the space to do this, as well as a door — or doors — that will allow you to move tools, equipment and other items in and out of the garage with ease.
Garage Door Windows
Windows are a common detail in modern garage door design. Their most significant benefits are the aesthetics they add to the look of your garage door. But, if you’re debating whether to add windows to your new garage door, there’s more than just beauty to think about.
Pros of Garage Door Windows:
- Provide natural light to your garage space, decreasing the need for extensive lighting in your garage.
- Add a beautiful architectural element to the exterior of your home.
- Select from a variety of shapes and styles to complement the style of door you choose.
- Create a more welcoming workspace for someone who spends time working on projects in the garage.
Cons of Garage Door Windows:
- If you opt for single-pane windows, they aren’t likely to be very energy-efficient.
- Worry that unwelcome “visitors” will be able to see what’s in the garage and encourage the possibility of break-ins.
People are often concerned the windows in their garage will tempt criminals to get a look at their tools and come back to help themselves. But, the truth is that most garage door windows are up so high that it would take a lot of effort to get up tall enough to have a good look. Yes, it’s possible, but no, it isn’t likely to happen. And, if you still aren’t convinced, consider having your garage door windows tinted. You get all the benefits of beautiful windows, but the tint keeps someone who’s nosy and determined from sneaking a peek at your stuff.
Choose the Garage Door That’s Just Right for You
With the variety available on today’s market, you can easily select a door that matches your needs, lifestyle and the character of your home. No matter what kind of home you have or what kind of budget you’re working with, there is sure to be a beautiful, durable garage door that will fit your needs perfectly.
But, if too many options leave you scratching your head, let the professionals at Continental Door Company lend a hand. Serving residential and commercial customers in Spokane, Spokane Valley, Coeur d’Alene and surrounding localities, Continental Door Company has nearly 20 years of experience helping clients find the right garage door for their home. Not only do our experienced professionals pride themselves on providing high-quality service to clients throughout the process, but we are proud to be the largest dealer of Clopay doors in the West.
Whether you’ve just started looking for a new door or you’re ready to have one installed, call us today for a free estimate. We think you’ll be glad you did!
Request More Information About Residential Garage Doors
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Updated: 05/22/2019
