What Type of Garage Door is Best for You?

Modern-day garage doors are not limited to the wood of centuries past or steel of decades past.  You can also get garage doors made of other materials like aluminum and wood composites. But which of these many materials is most cost-effective and durable? Which looks best? We’ll examine the pros and cons of each material.

Steel is by far the most often picked material for garage doors. They aren’t terribly expensive, they’re quite durable and require very little maintenance, and they can come in pretty much any style you might demand. Steel’s appearance is flexible, as it can be painted or formed into panels, and can be treated with a gel stain that makes it look similar to wood.

When you’re actually doing your shopping there is a few things to keep in mind about steel: it’s a pretty ineffective insulator, and probably requires an outside source of insulation to keep your garage habitable and save you energy. Also, steel panels tend to vary in their thickness, usually varying with the price, and if you want a steel door that will withstand basketball games, you’ll have to pay for it. Aluminum doors are similar to steel in many ways, especially in that they have faux wood texture options, and various finishes and paints to change their appearance. They are on the whole much less heavy than steel, and usually cheaper, but they’re even more likely to dent. Again- if you’re not hosting basketball games in front of your garage door, or have kids that like to play handball, you’ll probably be fine going for the cheaper, thin aluminum garage doors.

Wood garage doors are the original. They’re traditional, very classy-looking, and highly variable in style, model, colors, and finish. They can include windows, and can be raised panel or flat. No matter how good the wood-grain mimicry is, nothing can beat the warmth and character of real wood on the curb appeal of your home.

Wood is a slightly better insulator than steel or aluminum, but requires more maintenance. They can warp or rot under weather pressure, and are flammable. You have to be more careful with wood doors. They also tend to be more expensive than steel or aluminum, but of course that depends on the style you want to get.

Wood composite garage doors, on the other hand, are made from recycled wood, so they’re better for the environment, and also still hold that traditional-looking appeal. They can come in almost as many styles as the classic wood doors, and are almost as strong as steel, but less likely to dent. They can also easily be painted or stained, and so are very flexible in that way. Plus, they don’t rot, split, or warp.

All the types have their pluses and minuses, and depending on the weather where you live, how much you’re willing to spend, what activities you do near your garage door, and how you want your house to look, any of the five options may be your best. Consult with a garage door installation specialist to decide.

Garage doors aren’t boring anymore: They’re part of an integrated home design

Garage door designs have become much more than the plain, cookie cutter styles.

Garage doors take inspiration from a variety of sources – from the American farmhouse to a European design. As garages play a bigger role in home design — with three-car garages practically standard in some neighborhoods — the doors are changing, too.

Gone are the days of the architecturally bland, cookie-cutter garage doors. Such doors have been replaced with ones that look like entrances to old carriage houses, barns, even castles. The doors boast leaded-glass windows, raised panels and an assortment of decorative hardware. And though they may look like doors that swing open, they roll up with an automatic opener.

A lot more attention is being given to the design and appearance of the interior of a garage, and that draws attention to the garage door. An attached garage represents a minimum of 30 percent of the visual portion of a home, depending on where the garage is facing. In the majority of homes, it faces the street. Yet, traditionally, doors were plain, cookie-cutter garage doors. They were functional and safe but not necessarily aesthetically pleasing to the overall home.

That’s changing. Now you can find doors that better complement a home’s design, whether it offers Old World charm or contemporary styling. There is new stuff all the time as the industry realizes how much curb appeal a garage door adds. Carriage-house doors were some of the most popular on the market. People want the garage door to match the entry door or to pick up on the home’s windows or gables on the house. Now you can make them more distinct and more personalized.

Most people use their garage doors to enter their homes every day — while rarely using the front entry. Steel is the biggest seller, popular because of its low maintenance and its warranties.

Looking At Garage Door Windows

Many garage doors are equipped with windows. This added feature not only allows for a structural design to be implemented into the garage door but also has the added flexibility of enhancing a garage.

Garage door windows allow for light to come into the garage, making a dark and gloomy space bright and cheerful. This in essence also brings the benefit of making the garage space a more workable and desirable area to use for everything from crafts to handyman type hobbies.

Since, for many houses, the garage is a large space that is viewed from the street, garage door windows can also accent the home. The windows on the garage door can really make a statement and many homeowners have realized this and when looking at garage door window replacement consider changing the windows.

When a consumer begins evaluating the decision to look at garage door window, there are some things to consider. The garage door window is a way to spice up the garage door. When looking at garage door window consider a tinted glass for the windows. Many homes have garages that face the sun, by tinting the windows the heat in the garage will go down and help keep the part of the house that is connected to the garage a little cooler.

Many companies offer this simple option or you may consider adding an opaque or seedie glass to the garage door. For homes that have a garage as the largest focal point of their home, this can be a way to emphasis the originality of their home and give their garage a quick face lift to improve the overall appearance of the garage door.

If the entire style of the garage door is something that you are choosing to change, keep in mind the garage door windows. Many homeowners find that the price is worth the new look their home receives.

Garage door windows can be a great way to enhance or change the look of the outside of a home while having a lasting effect on your homes appearance.

Garage Door Gorgeous

Faux Painting and Gel Staining to the Rescue!

Most garages are readily visible from the street. A garage door has great potential either to add or detract from a property’s beauty. Many garage doors share an architectural partnership with their houses. The garage door should harmonize with its house. Garage doors express the structure’s function more than any other element. It should incorporate or compliment decorative features that will enhance the front elevation of the home. 

Then why settle for a Plain Jane, white on white, garage door every time you pull up to the house? Want the rich look and feel of a thick wooden door, but don’t have the spare $10,000-$12,000 it would cost for the real thing. The idea is simple, take a boring, static garage door, and create something appealing and interesting that will make your garage, and home a statement of your own.

Taking garage doors and either faux painting or using a gel staining process, can give them the dramatic effect of a rich, beautifully hued wood door. The most common types of garage doors today, have a wood grain texture imprinted on them that runs across the entire door inviting the look of a real wood door. Faux painting or gel staining achieves a deep rich look and insures durability and protection against elements, not fading as regular painted garage doors do.

Transform your steel garage door into a luxurious “wooden” door that will make the garage dominate the curb appeal of the home.

Replacing Your Garage Door is a Valuable Home Repair

If you have an older home one of the first things you may consider changing are the garage doors. Garage doors are used regularly and go through a lot of wear and tear. The good news, manufacturers of garage doors are offering numerous novel features that were not available in the past. Many of the garage doors available today are insulated, providing warmth as well as barring out noise for both temperature and sound. You might find this handy if your son has started a rock group in the garage.

Today’s garage doors are also more secure than older ones and since we keep a lot more “stuff” in our garages than just cars, this is an important consideration. You can park your valuable automobile safely, without having to lose sleep over the fear of theft or vandalism. Moreover, garage spaces are sometimes used for storage, and enhanced security enables home owners to stow even costly item in this area. Technologically enhanced garage door openers send out different signals every time the doors are opened, so that even techno-savvy thieves fail to steal your codes.

Many of the new garage doors available have distinctive designs and add to the aesthetic value of your home. The erstwhile wooden doors are discarded in favor of these modern day materials like steel or fiberglass, which can be gel stained or faux-painted to suit your preferred look and color.

Rain, snow, wind and other assaults by the nature can be kept at bay with the use of the tongue and groove feature available with the modern models. Also, most of the doors will not close if they come across any object in their path while they are sliding down. This prevents accidental crushing of any article under their weight. Some may even push obstacles away while the panels of the door come together at the time of shutting down.

Garage doors even provide windows that allow the natural light to trickle in. Some doors come equipped with lighting arrangements to keep the driveway well lit while you drive away or lock your car in for the day and go inside your home. This is also an important safety measure.

However, you should not try to install these garage doors yourself. The help of a professional garage door installer should be enlisted at all costs. The doors are large and so heavy that a person can crush under the weight in case they slip and fall. The springs that are used to open the doors release such immense force that can even get a person killed instantaneously. Even servicing of such doors should be carried out by trained garage door professionals. You should restrict your maintenance actions to oiling the hinges and the tracks and wheels.

Faux Painting and Gel Staining Your Garage Door!

Most garages are readily visible from the street. A garage door has great potential either to add or detract from a property’s beauty. Many garage doors share an architectural partnership with their houses. The garage door should harmonize with its house.

Garage doors express the structure’s function more than any other element. It should incorporate or compliment decorative features that will enhance the front elevation of the home. Then why settle for a Plain Jane, white on white, garage door every time you pull up to the house? Want the rich look and feel of a thick wooden door, but don’t have the spare $10,000-$12,000 it would cost for the real thing.

The idea is simple, take a boring, static garage door, and create something appealing and interesting that will make your garage, and home a statement of your own. Taking garage doors and either faux painting or using a gel staining process, can give them the dramatic effect of a rich, beautifully hued wood door.

The most common types of garage doors today, have a wood grain texture imprinted on them that runs across the entire door inviting the look of a real wood door. Faux painting or gel staining achieves a deep rich look and insures durability and protection against elements, not fading as regular painted garage doors do. Transform your steel garage door into a luxurious “wooden” door that will make the garage dominate the curb appeal of the home.

Choosing the Right Paint to Improve the Life of Garage Doors

Selecting the garage door paint depends upon so many considerations. The first consideration is the color of the house and whether the garage door is exposed to sunlight or not. Whenever you decide to paint garage doors, you must think about the color of your house and the garage door paint colors will largely depend on that.

If your house is of bright color you may use some color which will match with other exteriors of the house or you may decide to go for a contrast selection. If the garage door is exposed to sun rays during the day then you may not go for a bright color as bright colors tend to fade away very quickly in sun and the door will require very frequent repainting.

For selecting the type of paint that should be applied, in cases when you are repainting garage doors, it is important to know the type of paint which is already there on the doors. If you have oil based paint, you can apply latex paint or oil based paint but if you have latex paint then you can apply only latex paint over it. In case when you cannot confirm the type of paint which is already there, it is advisable to opt for the best quality latex paint for repainting the garage doors.

Once the type of paint and color is decided the question that arises is how to paint garage doors. You can very easily assign the task to professionals but if you love to so it yourself you will find that it is a very easy and tireless job.

Tips for buying a New Garage Door

One of the easiest ways to enhance the curb appeal of your home is a new garage door. When it comes time to figure out just which style, material and options to select, here are some tips that may prove helpful.

Tip #1 – Decide on a Look

Are you looking for a traditional garage door to match the rest of the home’s design? What about contemporary, ranch or other? You want to make certain that the garage door – a central point of your home – blends in nicely with the home’s architecture and style. Deciding on a look should be one of your first considerations.

Tip #2 – Choose Your Door Material

Types of garage door materials include wood (great for traditional styles), aluminum, steel and fiberglass. The material you choose may also depend on where you live (humidity, extremes of weather), maintenance and upkeep, and durability. The most popular, based on styles, maintenance and cost is a steel door.

Tip #3 – Select Door Type

Garage door types include a roll up or tilt-up design. Tilt-up doors rotate out and upward when opening. They have a disadvantage in that they may not open if objects are left too close to the door and they also tend to allow moisture, snow and other debris into the garage. Roll up or sectional overhead garage doors consist of several sections, usually 4 to 5, that roll over tracks and rest against the ceiling when open. Roll up models save on space and are considered stronger and safer.

Tip #4 – Pick Design and Options

Will you want insulation in your new garage door? This option will cost you a little more, which is well worth it if you live in a climate of weather extremes. Windows, special paints and decorative hardware are some considerations.

Tip #5 – Get the Best Warranty

Wherever you buy your new garage door, get the door with the best warranty you can – on both the product as well as the installation.

Photos: Garage Door Art

For murals and alley art, San Francisco’s Mission District really is the central hub of activity. One could put together a very interesting art walk centralized around the massive amount of color, expression and creativity found on garage doors. Here’s a gallery of garage doors photographed by Joseph Schell

Enjoy!

Garage Door Gorgeous

Faux Painting and Gel Staining to the Rescue!

 

Most garages are readily visible from the street. A garage door has great potential either to add or detract from a property’s beauty. Many garage doors share an architectural partnership with their houses. The garage door should harmonize with its house. Garage doors express the structure’s function more than any other element. It should incorporate or compliment decorative features that will enhance the front elevation of the home. 

Then why settle for a Plain Jane, white on white, garage door every time you pull up to the house? Want the rich look and feel of a thick wooden door, but don’t have the spare $10,000-$12,000 it would cost for the real thing. The idea is simple, take a boring, static garage door, and create something appealing and interesting that will make your garage, and home a statement of your own.

 

 

Taking garage doors and either faux painting or using a gel staining process, can give them the dramatic effect of a rich, beautifully hued wood door. The most common types of garage doors today, have a wood grain texture imprinted on them that runs across the entire door inviting the look of a real wood door. Faux painting or gel staining achieves a deep rich look and insures durability and protection against elements, not fading as regular painted garage doors do.

 

 

Transform your steel garage door into a luxurious “wooden” door that will make the garage dominate the curb appeal of the home.

 

CLICK HERE for some instructions on how to do your own “Steel Staining” Project.