Garage Door Buying Guide

Installing a new garage door for your home is one of the best ways to increase the look and value of your home. It will instantly create an increased curb appeal and give your neighbors something nice and new to look at! There are several considerations to make before purchasing a garage door which include: Use, Size, Style, Material, Maintenance Safety, and Durability. Taking the time to properly research the numerous garage door options will help to ensure that you are in fact choosing the best garage door for your home.

Use: Garage doors come in so many varieties from insulated, to non-insulated, from custom ordered to pre-fabricated and more. The function of your garage is the main factor for determining what kind of garage door you need. For example, if you use your garage as a playroom room or workshop then you will definitely want to consider an insulated garage door, especially if you live in a colder climate. An insulated garage door will also help to keep sound out form the outdoors.

Size: Do you have a unique garage size that will need a custom sized garage door? If this is the case, then be prepared for it to cost you more than most standard garage doors.

Style: Accessories, colors, windows and more- all of these are styling options available for garage doors. When trying to decide what style garage door will suit your home the best, the first thing that you will want to keep in mind is color. When it comes to color, make sure to choose a garage door color that will compliment the other colors on the exterior of your home such as the brick, siding and or roof shingles.

Windows on garage doors provide extra light entering into your garage while making a stylish and pretty statement. Garage windows come with many styling options too such as stained glass, frosted glass, tinted glass and more. Another garage door styling tip is to stay with the general exterior style of your home. For example, if you have a new modern looking home, it would not make too much sense to install a old fashioned wood style garage door.

Material: Garage doors are made out of many different materials including: Wood, Aluminum, Vinyl, Fiberglass or Steel. Steel garage doors are the most popular garage doors throughout North America in that they are the most cost effective are low maintenance and prove to be durable enough for most climates. One of the least popular doors are aluminum, almost making their way as a garage door choice of the past. Wood garage doors are a popular choice as they come with many options from staining options to painted options.

Maintenance: As mentioned above, there are some garage door materials that require more maintenance than others. So you’ll want to consider how much time you want to dedicate to maintaining your garage door before you choose the style and material. Points to think about are: Will I have to re-paint my garage door; if yes, then how often?

Safety: Garage door safety is important for obvious reasons. Nowadays, almost every garage door comes with safety features but one should still check before purchasing a garage door that it has a good springing system. Also important, especially if you have younger children, are sensors which are installed on the garage door and will stop the garage door from closing if something is in its way.

Durability: The climate you live in will determine the durability level you need in a garage door for your home. In general, it’s important to choose a garage door that can sustain dents well, such as steel garage doors.

Find a reliable garage door contractor to install your garage door or to receive free quotes on garage door installation.