Nowadays, it is hard to shop for any product without having a variety of styles to choose from. Browsing a car dealership can overwhelm you with options like speed capability, 4-wheel drive, color, make, model, etc. Bath towel shopping has you pondering between cotton and linen. Even purchasing jeans can be a monotonous decision – do you want dark or light, bootleg or skinny?
That being said, homeowners should not be surprised that garage door shopping also requires an extensive decision-making process.Â
There are several different types of garage doors to choose from, including aluminum, steel, wood, fiberglass, vinyl and premium insulated doors. Factors that are usually considered while deciding on garage doors are price, climate, décor or specific needs.
If you need affordable and durable garage doors, your choice will likely be narrowed to aluminum and steel. While steel doors are stronger of the two, aluminum is tough and very good with resisting damage from outside elements like weather and rust. In terms of cost, aluminum doors are generally cheaper but the metal shine can be less appealing. Steel doors may be more expensive but they can be painted.
If style is what you are looking for, you need not look any further than wood doors.
Rail and stile (also known as frame and panel), carriage house doors and flush panel doors are very common options for garages. To cut down on cost, homeowners may opt for flat hardboard panels. However, the more expensive stain-grade wood garage doors add a tremendous amount of value to homes.
Purchasing wood doors gets you what you pay for. They are more expensive than aluminum and most steel doors but they look great, are extremely solid, durable and provide great curb appeal.
Vinyl garage doors have really experienced an increase of interest among homeowners over the past couple of years. Vinyl is durable and meant to last a lifetime. They are also easy to paint so homeowners do not need to stress about having the doors match their homes.
For the eco-friendly consumers, premium insulated doors are a great choice given their high R-value. Although the doors are industrial in strength, they can be designed to match the style of any home and even come with window inserts that are just as insulated as the doors.
As previously mentioned, some homeowners may have to choose their garage doors based off of specific needs. For instance, homes near the ocean often require fiberglass garage doors. Fiberglass is a material that will not corrode in salty air. This is why it is rare to see wood garage doors along the coastal shore as wood has a tendency to not perform well in corrosive environments.
The options for garage doors are limitless. Fortunately, there is a great process of elimination based on needs, cost and style that ease the decision-making process.