Whether you’re replacing or installing a new garage door, there are lots of considerations to make before picking the right garage door material. From budget and design to climate and energy efficiency, there are numerous factors to consider to ensure your new garage door material serves its purpose efficiently. The right material can offer multiple advantages, saving you a lot of money in the long run. If you’re unsure what material to choose for your new garage door, we’ll take you through a few best-performing options below that can meet your needs.
Wood
Wood garage doors are the oldest type of garage doors ideal for creating a sense of timeless elegance in your home through their beautiful and rustic looks. These doors are also easy to customize, as they’re available in a variety of wood types and overlay designs. This makes them ideal for homeowners looking to achieve a unique look or design in their homes for improved value.
While wooden garage doors are aesthetically appealing, you must set aside a budget for regular maintenance to preserve their beauty. You must also know when to replace garage panels in case of an impact or a scratch to evade the cost of maintaining or replacing the entire door.
Wood garage doors are also widely affected by drastic changes in exterior temperatures and constant contact with moisture from snow, humidity, and rain. Consider installing them only if your region experiences mild climates for the best performance.
Steel
Steel is a popular garage door material in modern homes because of its durability, versatility, and value for money. Since they don’t warp, crack, or dismantle, even in harsh weather, steel is preferred for use in almost any climate in the world. They’re also a low-maintenance option, with a wider number of design options, making them more customizable and cheaper to maintain than wood. If you wish to have a taste of both worlds, you can have the two blended in a faux wood option, which is steel with an outer wooden finish.
The main downside of using a steel door is its high affinity to rust and corrosion, which you can prevent or minimize by galvanizing your steel door. While the initial cost of galvanizing your steel door can be expensive, it saves you from expensive repairs or frequent maintenance calls when rust sets in. Additionally, if you need to retain warmth in your garage, you will have to insulate your steel door as they’re not natural insulators like wood.
Aluminum
If you miss a steel garage door, you can’t miss an aluminum one. Aluminum doors are equally popular in modern homes and are probably more preferred to their steel counterparts because of their ability to resist rust and corrosion. Choosing an aluminum garage door also means opting for a cost-effective solution that comes in a variety of designs and styles, giving homeowners value for their money.
On the flip side, aluminum doors are poor insulators, just like steel, and are known to have a low R-value, which describes their incapability to keep warm air from escaping. You’ll have to get them insulated to improve their warmth retention rate and energy efficiency. Aluminum garage doors are also prone to scratches and dents, which means extreme care must be taken to minimize frequent maintenance or painting work.
Glass
A perfectly crafted glass garage door is gorgeous, regardless of the type of house it’s attached to. They allow a maximum amount of light to infiltrate into the garage, making them a unique, attractive material option for any garage. When paired with aluminum frames, glass garage doors can last just as long as their counterparts. However, they don’t offer enough privacy, and you’ll also need to add insulation to keep your garage warm.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass doors are often overlooked and less popular, but they can be just the answer you need for your residential garage door, especially if you want an affordable wood alternative. A fiberglass garage door closely mimics wood’s defined grain texture, making it look exactly like wood from a distance. Their main advantage over wooden doors is that they don’t warp, crack, or shrink, making them a perfect choice for wood lovers living in humid climates.
Fiberglass is also better than steel in terms of durability, as it can resist scratches and dents much more easily. On the other hand, fiberglass’s lightweight nature makes it more prone to damage compared to steel and wood. They’re also not natural insulators, which means you’ll need an additional insulation budget to keep your warm air inside your garage.
Choosing the right garage door for your home depends on many factors, and with these options above, you can tell what can work for you based on your needs. Ensure you choose an aesthetically appealing garage door that aligns with your local climate and improves your home’s value.
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