Owning a car is no more a luxury as the majority of people nowadays can afford a car of a particular segment. And with their growing importance in our lives, they have gained equal prominence in residential floor plans. Of all the single-family houses built in the last 10-15 years, it would be an astonishment if the first thing you noticed wasn’t the garage door. The garage has become such an integral part of home planning that many people use it as the primary entrance too!

Earlier, garages were often built separately or detached from the home and the garage doors were primarily made of wood. As time progressed and architectural designs got creative, attached garages became the preferred residential design and garage doors became an integral part of the exterior appearance or aesthetics of the home.

Garage Doors Have Come A Long Way

In the last decade or so, garage door construction has seen some rapid advancements. The modern-day garage doors are far more advanced and exquisite looking than the garage doors of yesteryear. Many factors have led to the improvement of garage doors that help boost your home’s curb appeal and value. Some of the factors are -

• Improved strength and rigidity
• Better energy-saving insulation features
• Far more design and style options
• Less maintenance required
• Longer-lasting

Things to Consider While Choosing Garage Door Materials

Today garage doors are available in a variety of styles and materials, testing the choice-making abilities of homeowners. The most common garage door materials include wood, steel, fiberglass, vinyl, wood composite, and aluminum frame with glass panels. Each of these materials has merits and shortcomings which we shall discuss further below.

When selecting garage door materials, many factors will dictate what type of material you’ll choose, including the durability of the garage door, style & maintenance preference, insulation options required, and whether your selected garage door type is matching with the exterior architecture of your house. For example – wood doors will require more attention than steel doors. So, according to your maintenance budget, you got to choose the garage door materials.

Before going ahead, we would like you to check our garage door repair services as we are the leading garage door technician company in the town.

Different Types of Garage Door Materials

- Steel

Steel is the most popular garage door material, and for some good reason. Steel doors are affordable, durable, low-maintenance, and available in just about any style you like. Steel doors can be customized in a variety of configurations, colors, and finishes such as insulated or non-insulated construction, multiple layers for enhanced durability, and finishes including painting options or Ultra-Grain faux wood grain.

Pros:

• Overall high durability
• Available at reasonable prices
• Low maintenance
• Customizations available such as foam insulation backing or a faux wood overlay

Cons:

• Can be easily dented
• Subject to corrosion if not maintained properly

Wood

Wood is the very first/ original garage door material and it continues to appeal to those seeking authentic and traditional styles and materials. Wood garage doors come in a variety of styles, finishes, and colors. They are built with layers, or plies, to prevent warping. There are several types of wood to choose from, including cedar, redwood, fir, hemlock, and others. Your maintenance cost and durability of the garage door will depend on the type of wood material you choose. Wood is a better insulator than steel, but weather and climate can take a toll on it, resulting in damage. A sturdy wood garage door brings timeless beauty to your home’s exterior.

Pros:

• The lowest-priced alternative for residential garage doors
• Aesthetically appealing material
• Has reasonable insulating qualities

Cons:

• Requires regular maintenance (sanding and refinishing)
• Vulnerable to cracks, warping, rot, and insect infestation

Aluminum

Aluminum garage doors are lightweight, versatile and require less maintenance. These kinds of garage doors eliminate the problem of rust or corrosion but are highly susceptible to denting. However, laminated panels can resist denting. The aluminum garage doors can be painted in almost any color of your choice, plus there are additional glazing options. Aluminum garage door material offers great variability and it is also less expensive than steel. Full view aluminum doors are a fitting complement to your home’s modern architecture, making a stylish and bold statement for years to come.

Pros:

• Lightweight and cheaper than steel
• Can also be customized in painted wood style
• Adding insulation is an option
• More resistant than steel to rust/corrosion

Cons:

• More vulnerable to denting than steel garage doors
• Supreme quality aluminum garage doors can be very costly

Fiberglass

Fiberglass garage doors are lightweight, low-maintenance, prone to rust, thermally efficient, and can be made to resemble a variety of materials, especially wood. They can handle mild denting or cracking but can break upon a huge impact. Two layers of fiberglass are typically bonded to a steel frame and filled with polyurethane insulation, which is suitable for homes in hot climatic conditions. These kinds of garage doors are quite sturdy.

Pros:

• More durable material than wood
• Can be produced to appear like wood
• Has the ability to withstand dents and penetration by moisture and insects

Cons:

• Essentially a very poor insulator
• Exteriors of doors can fade from extreme weather conditions and deteriorate in cold climates

Wood Composite

The wood composite garage door material is made with recycled wood fibers and its cores are filled with polystyrene insulation. These types of garage doors typically have a wood frame covered with sheets of fiberboard. They offer the strength of steel with the looks and texture of wood, and also can be painted or stained. They are superior to solid wood in resisting rot and splitting.

Pros:

• Manufactured with recycled wood fibers
• Similar strength to steel doors
• Can be painted or stained
• Offers more resistance to rot and cracks than natural wood

Cons:

• Lower quality than traditional/authentic wood doors
• Won’t last longer than steel, aluminum, and fiberglass
• Limited choice of colors and models

Vinyl

Vinyl is a durable garage door material that resists denting or breaking and thus, vinyl garage doors are usually promoted as being ‘kid-proof’. These doors are typically built upon steel frames and filled with polyurethane insulation. They require less maintenance and you typically need just a quick hose-down for cleaning. Vinyl garage doors are ideal for coastal homes as they can resist wind, sand, and salt, with just the right finish. Vinyl material provides a decent level of insulation and it also doesn’t rust or fade due to UV light. Vinyl doors look similar to fiberglass doors but one downside is there are comparably fewer designs and colors available.

Pros:

• Resistant to denting
• Less maintenance required
• Doesn’t rust or fade

Cons:

• Very few design options
• Limited colors

Glass

The last of the garage door materials to consider is glass. Glass garage doors are a perfect setting to add aesthetic appeal to your home. They are often combined with aluminum, giving your home a modern look. The glass used in a glass garage door comes in many types offering different features. For example - frosted or tinted glass is great for maintaining privacy, whereas tempered safety glass or acrylic enhances security factors. You can also alternate glass and opaque panels in various configurations. Glass garage doors are a great way to flood your garage with natural light.

Pros:

• Beautifully compliment the homes with modern architectural design
• Frosted and tinted panels increase privacy
• Can be used as interior/ exterior wall

Cons:

• May not suit every type of homes
• Safety and security can be a concern
• Less practical for many homeowners

Conclusion

Choosing the right type of garage door material for your home can be a confusing and painstaking job. But if you have read each word of this article, by this time you should be clear in your mind which type of garage door is best suited to your needs and your home.We are the garage door company providing services of garage door repair in Maumelle and surrounding areas including Little Rock, Sherwoord, Cabot in the state of Arkansas. 

This article was originally published here - garage door materials.