Choosing The Right Material For Your Custom Garage Door

When personalizing your living space, your garage doors tell a lot about you as a homeowner. A secure, accessible, and energy-efficient space comes down to having the right garage door.

With some research, you can explore the various types of garage doors and specific features to make your garage safe, climate-friendly, and easy to operate.

Common Garage Door Materials

There are many different materials to pick from when constructing a new garage door or upgrading an existing one. And to choose the right material, here are a few factors you need to consider:

• The durability of the material
• The cost of the material
• The maintenance necessary for the material
• The climate in your location

The most common materials you will come across are the following:

1. Steel

The most commonly used material for garage doors is steel. These garage doors are long-lasting, low-cost, and only require minimal upkeep. Steel garage doors have a wide variety of customization options. On the other hand, if not properly maintained and sealed, these doors can rust, dent easily, and need additional insulation to control room temperatures.

Premium doors made of steel have at least 24 gauge thickness (the lower the gauge number, the more durable the door), while steel used in commercial-grade doors is even thicker. For instance, some steel garage doors feature an exterior steel thicker than the interior.

2. Aluminum

Many of the qualities of steel doors are also present in aluminum doors, which have durable coatings and, like steel doors, have an option for faux wood texturing. Although aluminum is cheaper and lighter than steel, it is also more susceptible to dents.

3. Wood

Another excellent choice is wood. Wooden garage doors are timeless and ideal for individuals who like a more traditional or rustic look. These garage doors are attractive, adaptable, and environmentally friendly, but they also last a long time since wood is robust and long-lasting.

Paint-coated wood with flat hardboard panels is the most affordable choice. Stain-grade wood doors are more expensive but provide the comfort of real wood, which may significantly improve a home’s exterior appeal.

However, steel is a better insulator than wood, as such insulated steel doors offer greater energy efficiency. Wood doors also require frequent upkeep and refinishing.

4. Composite

Recycled wood fibers are used to make composite doors. They may be painted or stained, and they integrate the durability of steel with the design and feel of wood. Additionally, composite doors outperform solid wood doors in terms of rot and splitting resistance.

5. Fiberglass

In some parts of the country, garage doors made of fiberglass are another popular choice. These have many of the same advantages as steel garage doors but have a wood-like aesthetic. These types of doors also include a steel frame and fiberglass-coated insulation. They are dependable, reasonably priced, lightweight, easy to maintain, and versatile.

The aluminum-framed panels have paintable surfaces and are more dent-resistant than the thinner gauge steel. The main problem with fiberglass doors is that they may crack slightly in strong winds or extremely cold conditions, or get discolored from too much sun exposure. Nevertheless, fiberglass is a good option for coastal areas since it is more resistant to saltwater damage than any other garage door materials.

Types of Garage Doors

Materials are only one of many things you will have to choose from when it comes to your garage door panels, and their construction needs to be taken into consideration.

Garage door types range from low-end to premium with the “best” type depending upon your location, climate, and of course, your preferences.

You may choose from these three basic garage door construction types:

1. Single Layer

At the bottom end of the spectrum, single-layer doors feature just one material layer. Although this construction reduces costs, single-layer doors do not provide any insulation.

2. Double Layer

The next type is a double-layer garage door with a rigid and insulated polystyrene board inner core. The surface of the primary door material covers this core. Double-layer doors provide minimal insulation, often having an R-4 to R-7 insulating value.

3. Premium Triple Layer

Doors with a thick polystyrene or polyurethane insulation core and thicker steel, wood, or fiberglass exterior layers on either side make up the top end of the spectrum. With R-9 or higher ratings, these thicker doors provide exceptional insulation and offer a quieter performance.

If saving money is your priority, consider purchasing a single-layer door. Although you can get high-quality garage doors in all three categories, choosing a double-layer or premium triple-layer door provides the added insulation that many homeowners need.

The Bottom Line

Most manufacturers have tools you may use on their websites to upload images of your garage and add any of their garage door designs. You may select a door type, along with the design elements you prefer – windows, color, and accessories. You can experiment with different combinations until you discover one that you like. Once you’ve selected your door, email your dealer to get a quote.

Ohana Garage Doors offers a door builder featuring Amarr doors, right here on our website. If you prefer, we can build your new garage door for you and send it to you. Give us a call to discuss your ideas, or send us a picture of your dream door. We can mock that up for you and superimpose it on a photo of your home.

We hope the options listed here give you a better idea of what options you have in garage door types and styles and help guide you when thinking about the right material, climate, style, and budget best suited for you.