Materials to Consider When Buying A Garage Door

First impressions are lasting impressions. Choose your garage door to create the ultimate lasting impression.



Garage Door Material Options

When deciding which of the different materials to use for your next garage door, consider these four factors: energy efficiency, durability, aesthetic appeal, and of course, cost.

Let’s take a look at four material choices and the benefits of each.

Steel and Wood Composite

These doors work on a steel frame and mechanism with a wood composite facade or outer layer giving you the best of both products. The strength of the door is based on the steel while the wood composite gives you all the beauty of wood with hardly any maintenance. While genuine wood is likely to rot and split over time, the wood composite (or faux wood) will not as it is made primarily of recycled plastic.

These doors start at a higher price point, but the investment will certainly pay off over the years as your door continues to look great and perform perfectly year after year with very little effort regarding its upkeep.

Wood

The beauty of a wood garage door cannot be denied, but if you choose genuine wood, be prepared to put in effort and expense to maintain it. The door will need to be repainted, primed, and sealed regularly.

Wooden doors can be more expensive, but the advantage is that the natural beauty gives your home a distinguished aesthetic.

Aluminum

Aluminum garage doors offer an alternative to wood and steel. There are heavy duty options available, but even the standard aluminum garage doors come with reinforcement struts to help prevent dents. They are corrosion-resistant, durable, and low-maintenance.

The rising popularity of aluminum garage doors is due to its modern, sleek look which can be customized to suit your home or commercial premises and take your exterior from plain to fabulous instantly. You can choose from over 200 powder coat color options while the standard finish is a clear anodized one.

Even the glass can be customized and you can choose from insulated, Low-E, clear, obscured, tempered glass, and many more options making this door the ultimate in sophistication.

Fiberglass

Fiberglass is another modern option that comes with its own set of benefits. These doors are manufactured using a steel core molded to a fiberglass surface and are energy efficient as well as low maintenance. Fiberglass garage doors can be customized to look exactly like wood so you get the traditional look with the advantages of modern material.

Fiberglass garage doors are less common than other options and are ideally suited to high salt areas like beachfront properties. The additional advantage is that they do not warp or rust easily.

Vinyl

Vinyl garage doors are entirely rust-proof. Unlike wooden garage doors, they will not warp or rot in humidity. They are also highly resistant to salty air, wind, and sand. Vinyl doors cope very well in extreme weather conditions so are a superb choice for Colorado.

Vinyl garage doors can instantly give your home added curb appeal for a low price. There are also customizable options available if you have something special in mind.

Additionally, vinyl does not require painting as the color is within the actual material. This is a great advantage for homeowners who are not fond of DIY. The vinyl itself requires no maintenance, but of course you will want to keep up regular mechanical maintenance.

What should I look for when buying a new garage door?

When buying a new garage door, the top priority is quality. Trust brands that have been around for a while and are recommended by established installers.

Next, look for a wide selection of garage door styles, colors, and decorative hardware.

Your best bet is to contact the professionals at Tri-Lakes Garage Doors and they will help you choose the best material for your budget and your unique needs.