Before you buy a new garage door
Garage doors are a big purchase, and an important part of the usability and curb appeal of your home or business. Because they aren't something most people shop for very often, we've put together this short primer. Below we go over the fundamentals of choosing a new garage door, and even discuss some of the latest trends in 2021. Spend 5-10 minutes here, and make the best decision for your project.
Garage door basics
How much do new garage doors cost?
Although the prices for garage doors can vary widely, you may need to rethink your approach to assessing their value. Garage doors not only increase the security, usability, and beauty of your home they are actually a uniquely good investment. In fact, Remodeling Magazine research has listed garage door replacement as the #1 return on investment for home improvments in 2021! Check it out:
What size is my garage door?
Openings for garage doors are measured across the width from one door jamb to the other, and at the center of the opening from the floor to the bottom of the header. Some typical residential sizes are 16' x 7' and 8' x 7'. Openings that are 8'+ tall or odd sizes like 7'9" often require special ordering. The other measurements are important for installation, but we'll worry about those for you when we perform on-site measuring before ordering your door.
What type of garage door do I need?
Sectional doors comprise the vast majority of residential doors, and are almost certainly the correct choice for any home remodel. They consist of a number of rectangular panels that use rollers to follow a track.
Sheet doors and slat doors are most common on commercial buildings and workshops. They don't have rollers in their tracks, but instead roll up on themselves into a cylinder directly above the opening.
What's the best door material?
Garage doors can be made from many materials. We generally sell those made from wood, steel, and aluminum/glass. There are advantages and disadvantages to every material. What are some of those trade-offs?
Aluminum / Glass
- Suitable for all climates
- Uniquely modern styling
- Lower maintenance
- Corrosion resistant
- Lighter - easier to operate manually
- Allows maxiumum natural light
- $$-$$$
Wood
- Best in mild climates
- Natural beauty
- Highest maintenance
- Corrosion resistant
- Heavy - hard to operate manually
- $$$-$$$$
Steel
- Suitable for all climates
- Available in many styles/colors
- Lower maintenance
- More susceptible to corrosion
- Lighter - easier to operate manually
- $-$$$
Do I need insulation?
To put it simply, we always recommend a garage door be insulated.
Why?
- It makes your garage door quieter
- It increases the energy efficiency of your garage and home
- Insulated garage doors are more durable and secure
- The interior of the door has a nicer appearance
- It's an all-around win of an investment
Insulation Fundamentals
How well a material insulates is rated by something called an R-value. Higher R-values mean better insulation, but the majority of the benefit of insulation comes from having at least some insulation. Because of the way heat transfer works, it is subject to diminishing returns.
Wood is a natural insulator with an R-value around 2, but all garage doors can benefit from added insulation. Added insulation comes in two varieties: polystyrene and polyurethane.
Polystyrene
- Decent thermal and sound insulation
- R-value typically between 5-9
- Can be installed on uninsulated doors
- Less expensive
Polyurethane
- Best thermal and sound insulation
- R-value typically between 10-17
- Only available in new doors
- More expensive
UninsulatedInsulated PS
Steel Back PSSteel Back PUInsulation Accessories
Options to increase other aspects of insulation include insulated glass, and weatherstripping.
Garage door style
Door designs?
Garage door design refers to the pattern that is stamped into the steel, or built into the face of a wood door.
Traditional Designs
These are typical, basic garage door designs. Notice that the door is separated into four or more sections.
ShortLongBead Board
RibbedFlush w/RibFlushCarriage Designs
Inspired by the look of antique wood doors, Carriage designs are now available in steel as well. Some of these doors can have taller panels. This means it is possible to have just three separate sections, so they can have larger windows. There are many options for this type of design. Here are just a few examples of designs in both 3 and 4 section arrangements:
Which finishes and colors are available?
Traditionally steel garage doors were painted basic solid colors, and wood doors could give you a more rustic or elegant look. Today there are many more options available including steel doors that look like wood doors, powder-coated metal in hundreds of colors, or frameless glass for an ultra-modern look. Below we go over some of the newer trends to get you up to speed.
Aluminum / Glass
Framed Glass
Glass panels are mounted inside an aluminum structure for a contemporary look on an easy-to-maintain garage door that can help fuse indoor and outdoor spaces. Frames are available in a variety of anodized and powder-coated finishes.
Frameless Glass
Glass panels are mounted on top of an aluminum structure for an ultra-modern, frameless look.
Faux Wood
Faux wood doors are steel or composite doors painted to look like stained wood doors. People like this because they want the appearance of wood grain with the material properties of steel (lack of maintenance, more affordable). However, not all faux-wood doors are created equal. Often they can have obvious repeating patterns, lack of texture, or something else that makes them look cheap and unrealistic when viewed close-up or from a distance. For these reasons we encourage you to see the door finish in person before ordering, which can be done at our showroom.
Composite Overlays
Composite overlay doors mimic wood doors that have been painted solid colors. This gives an added sense of dimension over a plain stamped steel door. They are constructed with a steel base to which a composite overlay is attached.
What are the window options?
Window options depend on the manufacturer of the garage door, so here we list the fundamentals. There are three basic options when choosing windows for your garage door: glass type, window design, and window layout.
Glass Type
Plain, Frosted, Tinted, Obscure, Glue Chip, and Seeded are some of the most common varieties of glass, but there are of others as well. The material itself can sometimes be acrylic instead of glass, or even insulated glass if the door is also insulated.
Window Design
Window designs come in two flavors: design inserts, and printed. Inserts are cutouts that are placed over the glass in the window frame. They appear to have dimension, are typically the same color as the door, and made of plastic. Printed designs are typically a ceramic material that has been thermally bonded to the glass, and have the appearance of being integrated with the window (similar to stained glass).
Design Inserts
Printed Designs
Window Layout
Modern window layouts include the old standbys that simply go across the top of the door, as well as new trendy formations. It is not uncommon to now see windows down one side of a door, dual rows, or even staircase and pyramid patterns. It may be just the thing you need to lend a unique contemporary style to your home.
Get the ball rolling
Are there other resources available?
We try to carry a diverse selection of garage doors, and pride ourselves on being able to deliver on custom jobs. Feel free to browse the resources below and let us know what you are thinking...then we can get together and make it happen!
Can't I get my doors at a big box store?
Stores like Lowe's and Home Depot, and services like Angi and HomeAdvisor tend to only be an extra middle-man in the process of getting a new garage door or repair. They simply contract the work out to companies like ours. Save yourself some time and money by contacting us directly instead.
(805) 239-0202
