Types of Garage Doors and How to Choose

The type of garage door that you choose for your home can have quite an effect depending on whether or not your garage is rear or front facing. If it happens to be facing the rear, you might not put too much thought into it – there is nothing with going with the typical white door that remains completely functional, but if you have a street-facing door then you want to sink some money into it and make sure that you’re really getting the most out of that aesthetic – it’s a difficult prospect, and it means learning the different types of garage doors so that you can deploy them effectively in your home. Here is a breakdown of the four basic types that you’re going to see the next time you go garage door shopping:

• Swing Out
• Swing Up
• Roll Up
• Slide

While the swing out variant isn’t too common, it tends to be a popular choice among those who need to keep the ceiling clear or those who simply like the aesthetic. Mayne people, however, choose the roll up option. Which works as long as you have 14 inches of headroom. Keep in mind however that you can in, fact get around the height restriction by investing in a low headroom track. This is more expensive, but it’s worth it in most cases.

Which Style is Right for You?

So how do you choose the right style? Which one will suit your needs properly? The most common go-to we see in our Weston garage door repairs is a door that matches the style of the home. Craftsman homes, for example, often use the swing out type, and mostly because this is what the home was built for more than half a century ago. You could go with the roll up door, but in most cases, unless you match the material of the house, it simply isn’t going to look right.

A Look at Door Construction

Most doors today, whether they are traditional or contemporary are going to use the panel construction, and those that use this are typically much sturdier than those with decorative panels. To elaborate, doors that use panels as part of their frame and structure are definitely going to be much sturdier and ultimately much more desirable.

Another common thing for you to look for is the type of panels – did you know that there are many styles which feature glass pens in the top row to serve as windows? These make the home look more inviting from the street and allow light in, which is perfect if you are using your garage as a workshop, or simply want to use the daylight over an artificial light when climbing into your car, or heading out to fetch a tool.

Choosing a Material

While the above information is useful, what it is ultimately going to come down to is material. There are a few different types for you to choose from, and we’re going to go over each of them briefly.

Wood – You’ve seen wood garage doors and you know the type of charm that they can add to any home. They are often custom made and stand up well to all sorts of trauma, including the occasional stray basketball. As for the cost, wood usually sits in the mid-range depending on the material being used. Some of the most popular include redwood, cedar, or even mahogany.

Steel – If you aren’t one who enjoys regular maintenance, steel tends to be a far better choice. You can lower the chance of rust by selecting a door that has a 24 or 25 gauge set of panels (higher gauge means thinner panels), or you can choose a steel door with a fiberglass overlay.

Aluminum – Aluminum doors today are often rust proof and, rugged, and beautiful – they’re just a little more expensive, sometimes costing $10,000 or more. There are less expensive materials, however, made from materials like polyethylene, and because it’s lightweight, you’ll find that it doesn’t put quite as much strain on the operating mechanism.

Keep it Insulated

Garage doors are big, and with that being the case they need to be properly insulated. You could insulate the door after the fact, or you could buy one that has been insulated beforehand. Always ask before you buy, and make sure you have a good garage door repair company on speed dial.

There is nothing more important than making sure that your garage door is in good condition by using our garage door repair company in Weston.

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