When you’re looking to purchase your very first garage doors or are looking to upgrade an existing one you might be amazed at the variety of possibilities you can choose from. Although all garage doors perform basically the same purpose however, they differ in style and in the strengths they have. Gate Repair Experts provides professional gate installation, replacement and fabrication services to both commercial and residential customers. The process of choosing a material for your garage door isn’t a burden but it is important to choose.
This guide will help you choose the right option for your home and yourself. We’ll discuss the advantages and disadvantages of four popular garage door materials that include aluminum, steel wood and fiberglass.
1. Steel Garage Doors
The most commonly used type of garage door is made from steel. Steel is a well-known choice due to its numerous advantages and is available in a various choices. Steel garage doors are:
- Strong: Steel is an exceptionally robust and durable material, particularly when it’s galvanized, or coated with a coating to shield it from corrosion. If coated, it is able to stand up to the elements outside without cracking or warping. You can take advantage of the steel’s strength by selecting an smaller (thicker) thickness of the steel, or choosing garage doors that are made up of multiple layers of steel.
- Cheap: Steel is also one of the most cost-effective alternatives for garage doors even though it is more expensive than aluminum. There are a variety of factors such as the size, style, and the specific features the garage door will determine the cost you will pay, however it is possible to purchase an aluminum garage door for less than $1000.
- Low-Maintenance: Steel garage doors low maintenance, especially in comparison to wood. If the door has been painted, you might want to keep it painted regularly to ensure it’s always fresh. In other cases, it doesn’t need any ongoing care to keep it looking good. Like any garage door you’ll need to check the door regularly to ensure the weatherstripping and hardware are in good operating condition.
- Customisable: Since steel garage doors are extremely popular they come in a variety of styles and designs. You can pick the color and style that is a perfect match for the exterior of your house. You could even choose steel that has been textured to look like wood. Beyond the finish and style you can select windows that help to achieve the appearance you want.
Steel garage doors can provide many advantages, just like other materials, they come with some weaknesses. But, there are ways to keep the majority of these problems off. These are the problems to keep in mind:
- Rust: As steel is an element, it’s naturally susceptible to corrosion and rust when exposed to elements. However, garage door makers know how to stop the steel from corroding or rusting. The majority of steel is galvanized, which means it is coated with hot zinc that leaves the surface with a protective layer. Different types of coatings and overlays provide a layer of protection from the elements.
- dent: Metal can be susceptible to denting, as well. This is particularly true for malleable or thinner metals like aluminum. To lessen the chance of sustaining dents if struck by a automobile, a baseball or other force, select less gauge steel for example, 25 or less. Additionally, protective overlays can assist in protecting your steel garage door to prevent it from getting damaged.
- Insulation: Steel will be an excellent insulation material than wood, but it’s not a great insulation by itself. Insulation is vital to ensure that your garage to be warmer in winter and cooler during the summer months than outside temperatures, or to keep out the sound. Because steel isn’t a great insulation on its own it is recommended to select the garage door model with insulation between the steel layers.
2. Aluminum Garage Doors
It’s not the only material that is used to construct garage doors. Aluminum is also an option. Although these doors are completely made of metal, in the majority of cases, they’re composed from an aluminum frame which is able to hold fiberglass or glass panels. Gate Repair Experts can help you design and fabricate a custom aluminum gate that meets all your Aluminum Swing Gate Fabrication needs and fits within your budget. Gate Repair Experts offer all types of aluminum gates fabrication services for your daily routine needs. The main advantages to considering an aluminum-framed garage door is that they’re:
- contemporary: If you’re going for a modern, sleek style, there’s not an easier style to match that an aluminum garage door that has huge glass panels. Because they’re coated with frosted glass, these doors allow plenty of light into the garage. This contributes to a more airy, comfortable feeling inside. In the evening the garage door will shine from inside out.
- Rust-Resistant: As an element it is more resistant to rust and corrosion than steel because of its chemical composition. This means that aluminum is better equipped on its own to stand up in moist climates, where corrosion or rust could otherwise cause problems. Like steel coatings and paints, protective coatings can also protect the metal.
- The lightness of aluminum: Another thing that makes aluminum stand out is that it’s extremely lightweight. It’s a great choice when you need garage doors wide since it won’t place too much stress on your tracks and opener as a heavy-duty material might. The past was when certain metal garage doors seemed too light enough to be fragile, however the latest models are more durable.
- affordable: At an even less expensive price that steel does, aluminium is surprisingly economical, which makes it an ideal choice for those who have an extremely tight budget. Of course, the more robust aluminum will cost more like more expensive models.
- Low-Maintenance: Like steel, aluminum garage doors don’t require much routine maintenance. They could be described as maintenance-free with the exception of fixing any damages that happen from time to time.
Aluminum frame garage doors can come with the potential for problems however they can usually be addressed. In the case of the aluminum frame garage door, homeowners might be worried about:
- privacy: If privacy is important to you, then you might not be a fan of all the glass that is on the garage door that gives passers-by an unobstructed glimpse of the interior of your garage. The majority of homeowners choose glass panels with coated with a frosted coating to let light pass through without obscuring the view. If you’re looking to have the most privacy, think about solid aluminum panels without glass.
- Injury: Because aluminum is an alloy that is less durable than steel, it is more prone to cracking. Double-paneled doors made of aluminum will resist denting more effectively than single-paneled doors. Glass panels are vulnerable to breaking or cracking in the event of a strong impact however it is unlikely for them to crack or break.
- Insulation: Aluminium is not a great insulator, which is why it can make your garage extremely cold in winter, and very hot in summerat least if you select one that comes with an insulation layer between aluminum panels. This insulation can assist your garage door in ensuring that it will maintain a stable temperature inside.
3. Wooden Garage Doors
Garage doors made of wood are an elegant choice for those who want their garage doors to reflect an older or more rustic design. Wood garage doors are highly valued due to their unique advantages in particular, such as the fact they’re:
- Lovely: Homeowners are typically drawn to wooden garage doors due to their timeless beauty. In contrast to contemporary construction materials, wood can be seamlessly integrated into traditional or rustic architectural styles. In the event that your garage’s located or adjacent to your house, a wooden garage door can greatly enhance the curb appeal of your house.
- Modifiable: Wood garage doors are available in carriage house and traditional raised panel designs, and are altered in many ways. Select from a variety of wood, and choose the color or stain that matches all the other components of your home. Other accessories, such as windows and decorative hardware will also assist you in achieving the ideal look for your home.
- Eco-friendly: Since wood is a renewable resource with an extended life-cycle and is extremely eco-friendly, it’s a fantastic material. But it doesn’t mean that other kinds material for your garage aren’t environmentally harmful. It is possible to reuse fiberglass and metal when it’s the time for replacing your garage doors.
- Long-lasting: Wood is also a sturdy, long-lasting material provided it’s maintained. Log cabins dating back to the past for centuries attest of the truth that properly preserved wood will last for centuries. Although your garage door probably will not last for many centuries, it can last for years. Whatever the length of time your garage door made of wood lasts one benefit of the strength of wood is that it’s not susceptible to dents as metal is.
Despite its many positives, wooden doors aren’t necessarily the most well-known garage door material due to the fact that it’s not suitable for all. It all depends on the type of lifestyle you have you may not have any problems. However, some people may want to look at the following wood-related aspects:
- Prices: The main drawback of wood doors for the majority of homeowners is the expense. Garage doors made of wood are a more expensive choice that is priced more than the most expensive steel doors, however they are a good investment. An alternative that is less expensive is wood composite, which looks as solid wood, even though it’s not as sturdy or long-lasting.
- Maintenance: The maintenance of wood is more extensive than that for metal. Because wood is a porous substance that is porous, it must be cleaned regularly to protect it from moisture, which can cause it to turn to rot. If the wood garage door has been stained or painted it is necessary to repaint or re-stain it every two or three years to ensure its beauty.
- Insulation: The one thing that metal as well as wooden garage doors have one thing they share is they’re extremely efficient in insulating. Wood provides lower insulation levels than steel. Similar to metal garage doors the doors made of wood can also be fitted with insulation. This can aid in keeping your garage at the temperature of your garage to a lower level.
4. Fiberglass Garage Doors
If you’re looking for garage doors that combine the advantages of steel, but with the look of wood, you should consider an aluminum garage door. These doors have a steel frame, and the insulation is coated with an elastomer coating. Fiberglass doors include:
- Long-lasting: Fiberglass doors are sturdy and last longer than steel doors. It is also immune to damage caused by sources that could affect wood such as salt, insects and moisture.
- affordable:Fiberglass garage doors are extremely affordable, particularly when compared to wooden doors that have a similar design. They may even be cheaper over steel garage doors.
- Low-Maintenance: Since they’re nonporous fiberglass doors do not require the same level of maintenance as wood garage doors need. They aren’t painted, so you won’t need to do any maintenance to keep the color you chose initially.
- The door is light weight: Fiberglass is one of the lightest materials you could utilize for your garage door. This makes fiberglass garage doors simple to pull manually up and down, and implies that they are less burdensome on the automatic opener as well as tracks.
- Flexible: One of the advantages of fiberglass is the fact that its surface can be found in a range of designs. It is also able to mimic other materials, including wood. This makes fiberglass doors the ideal alternative for homeowners who do not want to spend a lot but still want the classic style of wood.
The fiberglass garage doors have their own risks. When you decide to purchase an aluminum garage door be aware of the following potential concerns:
- Cracks: Although fiberglass can be in general a sturdy material, when exposed to extreme conditions, such as extreme winds or extremely cold temperatures, fiberglass may become fragile, which could lead to the material breaking.
- discoloration: Excessive sunshine can lead to the fiberglass door to discolor in time. You might notice lines or yellowing wherever the sunlight strikes your door. If you’re not in an area that has your garage exposed to direct sunlight for a large portion of the day, this might not be an issue at all.
- Resistance to paint: Because their surface is not porous and sometimes totally smooth and smooth, fiberglass garage doors can’t retain primers and paint well. This may be disappointing homeowners wanting to test a new hue for their door. Before painting a garage door, you need to prepare the door so that the paint doesn’t fall off.
