Are you ready to replace your garage door? There’s a wide range of models available to you right now, so it can be hard to find the one that would suit your home. If you need help deciding what to pick, here’s a guide to all the most common garage door models on the market. One of them is going to be just right for your home.
Steel Garage Door
This is one of the most common garage door models, as it’s versatile. It can be used on many styles of homes and fit in perfectly, making it great when you’re thinking about your curb appeal. They can also be painted to match your home, so you can customize the look of your garage door to suit your home. With steel doors, you have to be aware of the climate you live in. They don’t do well in coastal areas and start to corrode quite easily. They’re a good option for many homes, so you’ll want to consider them.
Wooden Garage Doors
These are another common option for homeowners, as wooden garage doors look amazing on many homes. The benefit of these doors is that they can be made of all kinds of wood, so you’ll get different styles and finishes on each one. These doors are typically built in layers, so they won’t warp over time. Like steel doors, they can be finished or painted however you want. If they ever do take any cosmetic damage, it can be sanded out, filled, and painted over as needed.
Aluminum Garage Doors
Aluminum garage doors are a good option for those who want a door that has the benefits of steel without the drawbacks. It’s highly lightweight, making it easy to handle, and they always look good in contemporary homes. They come in many colors, too, so you can match the color to your home to make it look its best.
While aluminum is much less likely to rust when well cared for, it is more susceptible to denting. You’ll need to consider whether you can protect it from issues such as kicked balls or misaimed parking attempts. If you live in an area that gets a lot of hail or stormy weather, that may mean you need to find a different style of door.
Fiberglass Garage Doors
Fiberglass garage doors are a newer style of door that has made its way onto the market and offers you many benefits. These doors are created with two layers of fiberglass bonded to a steel frame and filled with polyurethane insulation. The door is finished off with steel end caps to make it more rigid. These doors are great for those worried about rust, as that won’t be an issue with this material. It also won’t dent, however, it can break upon impact, so keep that in mind.
Garage Door Opener Styles
Now you have an idea of the garage door models you want, you’ll need to consider how you want it to open. Again, there are a few different options for you here:
- Up and over: This is the classic garage door style, where the garage door is made all in one piece. To open the door, you pull from the bottom, and it lifts until it’s parallel to the ceiling of the garage. If you want this style, remember that once the door is open, it will extend out into the driveway, so you need room to allow it to open up.
- Sectional: This is the most common garage door opening style right now. The door is made up of several horizontal sections, which are all connected with hinges. As you open the door, it rolls up on tracks too, again, parallel with the ceiling. They’re popular as they’re known to be low maintenance and very easy to use. They’re good at saving space, too, as you won’t need extra driveway space for the garage to open.
- Carriage: As the name implies, these garage doors are designed to look like old-world carriage entrances. They’re usually side-hinged, so they open out from the middle. That allows you to have a door that gives you real old-world charm. You will have the space needed on your driveway to open those doors, so keep that in mind when choosing them. Also, if you can’t have full carriage doors in your home, you can add windows and hardware that gives the appearance of a carriage door, which is a good alternative.
- Roll-up: These garage doors are most commonly found on commercial properties, but you can also buy them for residential garages. They’re designed to withstand heavy usage and can resist rust corrosion and more. If you have limited ceiling space, then they’re great for you.
Which Garage Door Should You Choose?
You’ve seen now that there are many options for garage door models for your home. Now you have to work out which one is the one that you should use. How do you pick? Budget will always be a big factor. You’ll want to determine how much you can spend, which will dictate what kind of door you get. Also, consider your location. The climate in your area will significantly impact your garage door, so it needs to be able to withstand it.
Finally, consider the look of the door. If you have a contemporary-styled home, for example, an aluminum door is going to match well with your overall look. A more traditional home would look great with a carriage door. Remember that you don’t want the garage door to be the focus of the house, instead, it needs to blend in. Now you know all the basics of garage door models. You can pick out the style and opening method that works for you, your home, and your needs.
Conclusion
These are the most popular garage door models – we hope it helps guide you to making a decision that’s right for you and your home-related needs. If you’re ready to upgrade your garage door, Your Garage Door Guys is ready to help! We are available in Los Angeles and Ventura counties.