The different types of garage door designs
By Jim Hatley, December 28, 2021
If you have a front-facing garage attached to your home, the garage doors you choose will be vital to your house’s curb appeal. The right garage doors will add to the look and feel of your home, and you should consider both this and the intended functionality of different garage doors types before making your choice. Here are some popular types of garage doors:
Sectional Garage Doors
These overhead doors are made up of panel sections connected with hinges to open systematically. When a sectional garage door opens, the wheels on each side of every panel will roll inside the vertical tracks installed in the door opening. When this door is closed, it will be in line with the walls, but it will rest parallel to the ceiling as soon as it is entirely open.
They have two high-tension springs above the door, attached to cables that help operate the door. You also have the option to customize these doors with window inserts, decorative hardware, textures, and colors. These doors are typically low maintenance, either insulated or non-insulated, and steel. In Colorado, we highly recommend insulated doors for energy efficiency.
Benefits of sectional garage doors:
- Space-saving in and outside of the garage.
- Robust, safe, and sturdy.
- Convenient and easy to operate.
- Stylish and customizable.
- Flexible and weather-resistant.
- Easy installation and maintenance.
Roll-up Garage Doors
Roller doors are a bit more expensive than sectional doors. These heavy-duty doors do not have as many frills as sectional doors, but they are made to withstand heavy usage. Roll-up doors are very popular for commercial garage doors and are good for buildings with limited ceiling spaces.
This door type consists of 2-3 inch steel slat sections that roll around a drum above the garage door opening. High-performance roll-up garage doors can also be built by removing the springs or enclosing them to prevent rust, freezing, or corrosion.
Benefits of roller garage doors:
- Extremely durable and weather-resistant.
- Secure and fire-resistant.
- Easy to maintain.
- Sound insulation to reduce energy consumption.
- Keeps external noise out and maintains privacy.
- More space inside the garage.
- Industrial style is available in many colors and textures.
Slide to the Side Garage Doors
Slide to the side doors works well for garages with little headroom because they run along lower trolleys on the side of the wall. You may lose wall space, but they work well for houses with low garage ceilings. These trolleys are flexible enough to work with slight slopes in the floor or ceiling.
There is no need for a ceiling-mounted operator with these garage doors as they have a built-in retractable motor for automated operation.
Benefits of slide to side garage doors:
- Easy to use and open even during power outages.
- A motor that operates quietly.
- Less energy consumption as fewer air escapes.
- Can open only partly to create smaller yet full-height openings for humans, etc.
- More overhead storage space.
- Easy to fix and maintain.
Tilt-Up Garage Doors
Just as with sectional garage doors, these doors get lifted up and swing out to rest parallel to the roof. These retractable garage doors go into the roof, making it suitable for low ceilings. They can be made from one solid piece of wood or aluminum and work with extension springs to help them retract.
Benefits of tilt-up garage doors:
- More overhead space.
- Many different design options.
- Affordable.
- Easy to use.
When buying a new garage door, consider the style and size of your home (or commercial workspace). Your new garage door should complement the style of your home to ensure curb appeal. Tri-Lakes Garage Doors will build you a custom garage door, install a new garage door, and install a custom garage door opener.
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