If you are in the market for a new garage door – first of all, you are at the right place. Second, you know that there are a lot of things to consider before purchasing a garage door. Today’s garage doors account for almost half of the entire exterior of homes, so you want to make sure that you are getting one that not only looks great, but that will last a long time. You’re probably asking questions like: should I add smart technology? What is the best brand? What about sensors? These are all valid and important questions to ask, but perhaps the most important one is the type of material you should choose. In this post, we’ll help you make the best informed decision on what type of material to use with your garage door. 

First, let’s go over some pros and cons of the various types of garage door materials.

Steel Garage Doors

Pros – Steel garage doors are highly popular, affordable, and tend to be versatile and can be effective for most homes in warmer climates.

Cons – Not great at insulation, and tend to make a considerable amount of noise. 

Aluminum

Pros – Much like steel garage doors, aluminum garage doors are affordable and offer the homeowner a good amount of versatility. 

Cons – Aluminum garage doors are usually on the flimsy side, and are prone to dents and dings. Aluminum garage doors are not recommended for families with children who play outside with bikes, balls, or outdoor toys.

Fiberglass

Pros – Fiberglass garage doors are lightweight, easily customizable and can be some of the most innovative doors that you’ll find.

Cons – Weaker material fiberglass will fade and potentially crack if there are really cold winters. There is not much UV radiation protection with fiberglass garage doors, either.

Wooden Garage Doors

Pros –  Wooden garage doors are some of the most attractive looking in many modern day homes. They also usually have high durability and are good insulators. 

Cons – Wooden garage doors are typically on the expensive side, and can require a considerable amount of maintenance compared to other garage door materials. 

Additionally, you will want to make sure you give some thought to the following:

  • What size garage door you want? 

Think about if you’d like a single-swing up door, several smaller doors, or folding doors. How big is your home, and how much of your home’s exterior would you like your garage door to cover?

  • What will you use your garage for, who will be using it, and how often?

Different types of homeowners utilize their garages for different reasons. Some store highly valuable luxury vehicles, some use their garages as home workshops, and some might even keep a spare bedroom in their garage. Thinking this through will greatly help you in your decision. 

Who will use your garage? If you have children, for instance, you will want to think about additional safety features, like automatic garage door openers and high quality sensors. 

Will you or your family be in and out of your garage on a regular basis? Or will you keep it closed most of the day? These are all questions that will assist in making your decision easier.

  • What kind of aesthetic are you going for?

What kind of home do you own? Is it modern looking, traditional, or perhaps rustic? Do you want a garage door that is nice to look at first and foremost, or are you leaning more towards functionality and long-lasting durability?

  • Windows and Security 

Do you want windows with your garage door? If you are going to be spending a lot of time in your garage, perhaps using it as a home workshop, then you’ll likely want to add windows for natural light. If you are only parking your vehicle in your garage and/ or just storing items in it, then windows probably aren’t as important. 

  • Insulation

As previously mentioned, some people use their garage doors for spare bedrooms or home workshops. If this is the case for you, then you’ll want some insulation for those cold winter months so you minimize the amount of heat that escapes your garage at that time.

While deciding what type of garage door is right for you and your family is a big deal, we hope you got something out of this post and found it valuable. You might also find that doing your homework such as reading online reviews as to what other homeowners think of their new garage doors is very helpful as well.

If you still have any questions or are ready to book a free in-home quote, give the pros here at Garage Door in My Area a call anytime. We look forward to working with you!