Let’s face it, if you have a front-facing attached garage, the first thing people will notice is your garage door as they drive away.
The aesthetic appeal is definitely on top of a garage door-buying list, but there are other significant factors that you must consider when buying a new garage door. One of them is security.
Did you know burglars often break inside the house through the garage?
Most break-ins through the garage are because of the weak or unsecured garage doors. If you were to list what is most important to homeowners, security would feature very close to the top, followed by durability, design, and material.
Building or remodeling a garage is a significant undertaking that costs thousands of dollars; hence you should consider installing a robust and durable garage door that will complement and secure your garage.
What are the Different Garage Door Types?
Table of Contents
You’ll find six different types of garage doors.
Sectional Garage Door
The first on the list is the sectional garage door, one of the US’s most installed garage door types.
Sectional garage doors are made up of panel sections connected with hinges. It works similar to a roll-up garage door mechanism, but instead of rolling up, the panels collapse and retrieve overhead. As the door operates, wheels at the edge of each panel roll inside a vertical track on each side of the opening.
This simplistic overhead design keeps it cost-effective, hence a popular choice for many homeowners.
Space and Costing
Sectional doors need less headroom than other overhead doors, so you can choose section garage doors if you have less headroom inside your garage.
A single sectional door can cost between $850 to $1900, depending on the material and style. A double sectional door may cost anywhere between $1400 to $4600.
Weight Consideration
The material and weight of the sectional garage door determine the Horse Power required from the garage door opener. Most sectional doors weighing 130 pounds (single door) are easily lifted by a 1/2-HP door opener engine. Many section doors can go up to 350 pounds or more, requiring 1, 1-1/2, or more HP engines.
Most section doors are typically made from steel or aluminum that makes them low maintenance. You can also choose sectional doors made from wood, composite, glass, or plastic.
Sectional Door Styles
Section door has three different styles, namely;
- High lift sectional doors –High-lift garage doors have a more extended straight portion of the track between the top roller and the curved portion of the track.
- Vertical lift sectional doors –Vertical lift garage doors do not have any curved portions of the track. The garage door opens straight up and at a slight angle backward.
- Standard lift sectional doors –These are typical garage door styles. When it closes, the top roller rests at the bottom of the curved portion of the track or just below it.
Roll-up Garage Door
Roll-up garage doors are conventional garage doors used for residential and commercial applications; most of the time, they’re used for commercial applications such as warehouses, docks, storage units, etc.
Roll-up doors work like sectional garage doors, but instead of collapsing, they roll up in a bundle, saving a lot more headroom. As the door gets lifted, the corrugated flex allows the steel curtain to roll upon itself. The slats coil over each other around a drum for compact storage. When you open the door, the slats gradually uncoil and come down.
They’re widely used for commercial applications because they’re built to withstand heavy usage. The stainless steel roll-up doors prevent rust, corrosion, and freezing.
Cost
Due to their heavy-duty nature, the upfront costs are higher. A single roll-up door could cost between $800 to $2800, and a double roll-up could cost between $1200 to $2500.
Features of the roll-up door
- You can choose from galvanized steel, stainless steel, and aluminum doors in various gauges, slats, profiles, and finishes.
- Finishes include primed and painted steel, clear or colored anodized aluminum.
- Choose from the push-up, chain hoist, crank, or motor operation available
- A standard 25-gauge 8×7 feet roll-up door could weigh 75lb to 80lb.
- Most 1/2-HP door openers can easily lift and close roll-up garage doors.
Sliding Garage Doors
The sliding garage door or slide to the side garage door operates by sliding sideways, saving headroom space. The door bends to one side of the garage or slides on the track to one side and sits parallel to the wall.
The modern garage door type is designed for smooth and easy operation. The horizontal sliding feature also makes it safer for use and versatile.
They’re made of multiple hinged panels, just like sectional doors allowing them to bend and rotate at the corners.
Homeowners with less headroom space can take advantage of sliding garage doors. Moreover, sliding doors do not require balancing springs and have a built-in retractable motor for automated operation without the need for installing a ceiling-mounted operator.
Cost
A single sliding garage door could cost between $700 to $1500 and $1500 to $5500 for 12-feet or 16-feet garage doors.
The price will vary according to the materials used. A vinyl, aluminum, and wood door cost up to $1200, $2500, and $3000 respectively.
Features
You will have a broader range of choices in terms of door materials; steel, aluminum, wood, glass, composite, etc.
- Depending on your wall space, you can install it either internally or externally.
- The mechanism ensures that the weight pressure is kept to a minimum on door openers.
- Side sliding doors allow partial opening; hence you can use it as much as you want.
- The sliding tracks are incredibly durable and maintenance-free.
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
The side-hinged garage door is an old-fashioned door design. The side-hinged door swings open and closed from a hinged frame on either side of the opening, just like your windows or house doors.
Many homeowners choose side-hinged garage doors for accessibility and mobility. They are more demanded garages with obstructions or limited headroom. In addition, the opening mechanism serves well for garages with larger vehicles or multiple vehicles.
Features
- Although you will mostly find wooden side-hinged doors, you can also opt for steel or glass side-hinged doors.
- Most side-hinged doors are manuals, but you can also make them automatic; however, they’re more costly to make automatic.
- Side-hinged doors aren’t as secure as sectional or roll-up doors.
Tilt-up/Up and Over Canopy Garage Door
Up and over garage door or canopy garage door slide upwards when opened. They’re available with two types of mechanism; canopy gear and retractable gear.
The canopy gear is also known as the trackless canopy, and retractable gear is also known as tracked or slideway. It uses a simple system where a torsion spring above the door panel lifts the door at either side with a pair of steel cables.
Like side-hinged styles, the canopy garage door doesn’t have sections but a single sheet or curtain that retracts overhead when pulled up. The canopy completely pulls up without using any headroom space inside the garage; hence they’re more space-friendly.
Canopy garage doors are mainly installed to add appeal or complement expensive garage units.
Cost
A standard single tilt-up canopy door could cost $500 to $1500 depending on the material used.
Up and Over Retractable Garage Door
Up and over retractable garage doors are similar to up and over canopy doors. They function similarly by lifting up and into the garage but the only difference is that they remain suspended independently from the frame, so a portion of the door does not protrude outside.
Their configuration requires more space than canopy doors. They use multi-tension springs at the side with steel lifting arms and horizontal steel tracks that require enough side space. However, it can take a much heavier load than canopy garage doors.
They are also slightly expensive. A standard single retractable garage door costs $600 to $2000, depending on the material used.
What are the most common garage door materials?
Choosing the garage door material depends on your budget, maintenance, and weather condition.
Garage doors are available in a wide range of materials. Here are your choices.
Steel
Steel is essentially the most popular and cost-effective garage door material. It’s suitable for all kinds of climates and can take up snowfall, rainfall, dents, and break-ins.
Steel doors are also flexible, durable, and valuable to any garage. Most homeowners choose steel doors for durability and less maintenance. Less maintenance means less overall cost.
Wood
Wood is a popular choice for garage doors when you require timeless elegance and appeal. An organic material, wood doors are a more eco-friendly choice; however, they are only suitable for specific weather conditions.
Wood door lasts longs in mild climates. The wood can easily crack under harsh sunlight, rainfall, and salt. Avoid using wood doors if you live close to the sea or ocean.
Wood doors are more expensive than steel garage doors, but they add a rustic appeal to your garage.
Aluminum
Aluminum is chosen over steel garage doors when you need something durable and appealing. Aluminum looks more appealing than steel, and it can withstand any weather condition.
Choose aluminum doors with anodized coating and multiple-powdered coats for high resistance and durability.
Glass and Fiberglass
Glass doors are eye-catching and expensive. You’d need a durable glass material with high resistance for garages because the glass can easily break down.
Fiberglass is another underrated choice for garage doors. It closely mimics the defined grain texture of authentic wood hence providing a rustic, natural appeal. Moreover, fiberglass does not crack or shrink under intense weather conditions.
Which one is right for you?
The right type of garage door will ultimately depend on your budget, garage space, usage, and weather conditions.
For budgeted homeowners, choosing a steel, fiberglass, or aluminum garage door is a more reasonable option. Wood and glass garage doors cost more for installation and maintenance. However, if you want to add an aesthetic appeal to your garage, consider natural wood or glass door.
Sectional and roll-up garage doors work best for all kinds of garages. They’re cost-effective and easy to install; however, both sectional and roll-up doors can take up headroom space. If a headroom space is your concern, you can opt for a sliding garage door or a side-hinged garage door.
One disadvantage of using a side-hinged garage door is that you’d need to pay more than double to install an automatic door opener, making it a costly choice.
Up and over canopy doors and retractable doors are appropriate for all kinds of garages. Be wary about the additional space that retractable doors will take up.
In Short
All garage door types require regular maintenance and cleanliness to ensure longevity. The water or snow residue and road salt can easily corrode metal and wood door panels, causing corrosion and breakage in the long run.
As there are many types of garage doors to choose from, we’ll advise you to choose wisely.