Choosing A Garage Door Material For Your Home
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Your garage door has a massive impact on the aesthetic appeal of your home. A garage door is more than just an entryway — it’s also a statement about your home’s personality and style. Whether you choose a timeless style or a contemporary, attention-grabbing design, you’ll want to be sure you select a garage door material that’s perfect for your home.
For the average homeowner, selecting the right garage door can feel overwhelming when considering all the materials, styles, insulation, colors and decorative options. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to help you select a traditional, modern or craftsman garage door.
Tips for Getting Started
Before you get started on selecting a garage door style, here are a few tips to follow before you begin your search:
1. Look at Your Home From the Street
To begin, you’ll want to get a holistic view of your home to get a sense of the overall style, the color scheme and the textures. Would a woodgrain or smooth texture work best? What color door would best complement the rest of your home?
2. Decide Whether You Want Your Door to Stand Out or Blend In
Depending on your preferences, you may want a garage door that blends in with the rest of your home or one that is more of a focal point.
3. Gather Ideas
Take a stroll through your neighborhood, snap a picture of your best friend’s garage door or turn to Pinterest for plenty of garage door inspiration. You may also want to search through our garage door gallery for more options. Take notes and save all of the garage doors with styles and colors that appeal most to you.
4. Consider Typical Weather Conditions
The weather in your area should factor into your decision when you’re selecting a garage door. If you live in an area where you have to deal with strong storms, you’ll want to consider a door that’s made to withstand those conditions.
5. Decide Whether You Want Windows
Would you prefer a garage door with windows to let in sunlight or would you prefer a solid, bare garage door? Windows on a garage door can often increase the curb appeal of a home by giving the garage door a unique look. Windows will also allow in natural light, which means you won’t be fumbling around for a light switch every time you enter the garage.
If you want a garage door with windows, you should select a window style that aligns with the windows on the rest of your home. Most windows for garage doors are highly customizable and can be designed to match your home. If you live in an area with high winds, you can also elect to design your windows with impact-resistant glass. For a little extra aesthetic appeal and convenience, windows can be a great addition to your garage door.
6. Should Your Garage Door Be Insulated?
For garages that are adjacent to living space, such as living rooms or bedrooms, you may want to select an insulated garage door. This insulation can keep those rooms more comfortable, particularly in regions with extreme temperatures. Insulated garage doors also tend to be quieter, which is a must if the garage is located adjacent to or below a bedroom.
The presence or lack of insulation in a garage door can also impact a home’s energy costs. Since a garage tends to be the biggest entry to a home, the garage door is also the most susceptible spot for heat loss. By including insulation in your garage door, you could increase your home’s energy efficiency and lower your energy costs.
If your garage is detached, you may be able to get away with a garage door that isn’t insulated as long as you don’t live in an area with extreme cold in the winter and none of your belongings in the garage would be damaged if they froze.
7. Make a Long-Term Purchase
Keep in mind that a garage door is a purchase that will last you many years, so you want to make sure you’re selecting a garage door that will not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your home but will also give you that long-lasting appeal with minimal upkeep.
Choosing Your Garage Door Material
You can select from steel, aluminum, wood and vinyl for your garage door material. Each material comes with its set of pros and cons, so be sure to consider which material will work best for your garage before you make your purchase.
1. Steel
Steel tends to be one of the most commonly used materials for garage doors. Steel doors are low maintenance, durable and cost-effective, but they’re also not the best insulators. This lack of insulating power negatively impacts your home’s efficiency. If you live in an area with a wide range of temperatures, you’ll want to opt for a steel door that’s insulated. Though the parts and hardware of steel doors are quite durable, steel tends to receive dents and dings quite easily compared to other garage door materials.
2. Aluminum
Another cost-effective option for your garage door material is aluminum. This tends to be a great option for garages with double doors. Aluminum is lightweight, so it tends to have longer-lasting parts and hardware. Like steel, however, aluminum doors need to be built with insulation and tend to be prone to dents. On the other hand, they’re also easy and affordable to repair and maintain. You can also pair aluminum with glass to create a clean look with plenty of natural light.
3. Vinyl
If you’re looking for a garage door that’s durable and isn’t prone to dents or rust, then you may want to consider a vinyl garage door. Though they don’t insulate well, they are lightweight and cost-effective. If you want a vinyl door but live in a noisy area or an area with a large range of temperatures, then you may want to choose an insulated vinyl door.
4. Wood
When you want a natural look for your garage, nothing quite beats a wood garage door. A wood garage door may also be the right option for you if you’re looking for more insulation than steel or aluminum tend to provide. Along with insulation, wood garage doors can also give your home a custom, warm look. They do tend to require more maintenance than metal doors, however, and they need to be stained or painted every couple of years due to sun and weather exposure, which causes the paint to chip and fade.
For wood garage doors, here are a few options you can choose from:
- Reserve Wood Collection Custom Series: These handcrafted doors can be created exactly as you want them, with the design, window and wood selection of your choice. Select from Spanish Cedar, Knotty Alder, White Oak, African Mahogany and Ironwood. This four- to five-layer construction is also insulated with polystyrene to maximize energy efficiency and is handcrafted to meet your exact specifications.
- Reserve Wood Collection Limited Edition Series: These limited edition garage doors are crafted by skilled artisans to create a style of warmth and welcome. When you choose from this collection, you’ll receive a garage door that is durable, energy-efficient and aesthetically appealing. Select from eight base designs for your door, decorative hardware and optional windows.
Now you’re ready to delve into our tips for selecting traditional, modern or craftsman garage doors!
Tips for Selecting Traditional Garage Door Styles
If you want a home with a classic style, you’ll probably want a traditional garage door to match. A sleek, classic design can enhance the look of your home and increase its value.
Don’t mistake “classic” for “old” or “out-of-date.” Garage doors with a classic design still offer modern features, such as weatherproofing and insulation. You don’t have to sacrifice modern technologies and conveniences for a traditional garage door design.
If you have a bungalow, single-story, ranch-style home or a two-story, cottage-style home, you may want to consider a traditional garage door. These architectural styles are associated with a classic, comfortable and warm feel, and a traditional style garage door can complement that design well.
These garage doors are generally made from steel and are offered in a variety of simple panel designs. You can also opt to include windows that are durable and low maintenance. Traditional garage doors are also built with a sectional roll-up mechanism that makes them easy to repair and maintain.
1. Classic Collection
For a traditional garage door option, select from the Classic Collection. This collection of traditional steel doors is offered in a variety of looks and colors to complement your home’s style and aesthetic without compromising strength or durability. Choose from flush, long or short panels, a variety of insulation options and 14 paint colors, such as Mocha Brown, Classic Cherry Finish or Standard White. You can also opt to include architectural, decorative or double-top windows. We also design our window grilles to be removable to make cleaning easy.
2. Classic Wood Collection
For another traditional garage door option, choose from the Classic Wood Collection. You can choose from cedar, hemlock or redwood to create your garage door, along with recessed, flush or raised panels for the exact look you want. Raised panel garage doors can include short or long panels with windows and paint or stain-grade wood. Recessed panel garage doors can be made with a hemlock wood frame and include windows. Flush panel garage doors are a three-layer construction that can include Breckenridge or Luan exterior panels.
Tips for Selecting a Modern Garage Door Styles
For a modern home, you may want to select a garage door that also has a modern look and clean lines. Generally, these garage doors are made from aluminum and glass, and they are offered in a multitude of finishes that will complement the look and feel of the rest of your home. The glass panels on these modern doors can be customized to suit your privacy needs, such as through obscure designs and tinting.
1. Modern Steel Collection
For a modern garage door option, you may want to select from the Modern Steel Collection. These garage doors are available in multiple paint options, finishes and with or without grooves to create the right look for your home. They’re available in a single layer of steel or up to three layers, along with options for insulation. This collection also includes various window size and glass options, included frosted, insulated and short and long designs.
2. Avante Collection
Another modern garage door option you may want to select from is the Avante Collection. With an aluminum and glass garage door, you can create the look of warmth and beauty from the day’s natural light. Our variety of glass panel options also allows you to select the best degree of light for your garage. You can choose the color, the glass and the amount of aluminum, and you can also secure a three-year warranty for the hardware and a five-year warranty for the finish.
3. Reserve Wood Collection Modern Series
You can also choose from the Reserve Wood Collection Modern Series. If you’re looking for natural wood that stands out, simple forms and clean lines, then this is the garage door option for you. You can blend shape, tone and materials to craft the stand-out contemporary garage door of your dreams. Include insulation and heavy-duty hardware to create a garage door that will keep your home energy efficient and last you for years to come.
Tips for Selecting Carriage House Garage Door Styles
Carriage house garage doors provide the perfect blend of rustic charm and modern convenience. These garage doors are great options for new constructions and replacements of existing doors. If you’re looking for a door that can enhance your home’s curb appeal while also retaining your taste and style, then a carriage house garage door may be the right option for you.
1. Reserve Wood Collection Semi-Custom Series
The carriage house designs featured in the Reserve Wood Collection Semi-Custom Series bring with them the character and charm of history. If you want a garage door that gets people talking, select a natural wood door from our collection. You can choose from six different designs and an array of window panel designs and top section designs to be painted, stained and matched to your home’s architectural style.
2. Coachman Collection
For carriage house garage doors that look like wood but are actually steel, select from the Coachman Collection. These garage doors are the perfect combination of practicality and beauty and are constructed with four layers of steel. You can select from a variety of insulation options, along with high wind load applications. Choose from several base and overlay colors that can be mixed to give you the perfect look for your garage door. You can pick from clear, obscure, rain, seeded, insulated or frosted glass options.
Find Your Garage Door With Door Pros
Ready to find and install your new garage door? At Door Pros, we’re the garage door experts for San Fransisco, Folsom, Walnut Creek, San Rafael and San Carlos. We use only the highest quality products, including Clopay doors, and we offer the top labor warranty in the industry. To get started with finding the perfect garage door for your home, request an estimate today!