Garage door styles, materials, colors & options keep continuing to grow. When you are in the market for a new garage door, how should you choose? For many of our customers, the shopping process usually starts with how they want the new garage door to look. Of course, for most homes, the garage door is a key focal point and curb appeal is very important. However, there are additional factors to consider that relate to the actual construction of your next garage door. Knowing which materials are best for your new garage door may help you choose a door solution that will last longer and ultimately save you money.
Raynor Garage Doors has provided a buying guide showing the 5 main categories of garage door construction materials along with ratings of good, better & best, to help you choose the material that will best fit your needs (see below). Of course, Raynor Garage Doors & Gates of Lexington, is always available to help in walking you through material choices that make sense for your home's style and for best performance in our Central Kentucky climate.
1. STEEL GARAGE DOORS
No matter your style or application you'll find the largest selection of garage doors are constructed of steel. The best steel garage doors for residential use are double-layered galvanized steel with foam insulation in the cavity.
Pros:
Wide range of durable finishes, designs, window options, and sizes/configurations.
Low maintenance – just hose and go.
Can be ordered with foam insulation for added strength and high R-value.
Generally longest warranties.
Climates: all
Cons:
Moderate resistance to dents. TIP: Ask for heavier gauge steel such as used in Raynor Aspen™ Series.
Potential corrosion over time if not galvanized steel that is also properly primed and painted.
2. WOOD GARAGE DOORS Wood is the most "classic" garage door material and is available in a variety of different finishes.
Pros:
Rich, vintage styling. Looks great with stone, stucco, brick and other high-quality exteriors.
Potential tie-in with wood entry doors and other visual elements of your home.
Strong, rugged feel and performance.
Can last a long time with proper maintenance.
Best climates: moderate temperatures, dry air.
Avoid climates with substantial rain, humidity, and prolonged high temperatures.
Cons:
Higher cost than most other door materials.
Requires refinishing periodically.
Prone to warping, rotting in wet climates.
A tendency to expand and contract with temperature, cracking finishes.
Doors tend to be heavy, requiring more expensive, heavy-duty openers.
Less insulation value than foam insulated doors.
If you like the look of wood but are unsure of its suitability for your application, some alternatives to consider include:
- Wood Alternative A: Wood-on-steel overlay doors Real wood panels are applied to steel for structural integrity along with foam insulation for additional strength as well as energy savings.
- Wood Alternate B: Woodgrain vinylboard-on-steel overlay doors In this combination, the door exterior features an environmentally stable trim material with embossed wood grain effect, all applied to strong steel panels. Providing the character of wood along with long-lasting, low-maintenance design, this type of door is available in Carriage House and other popular styles. Example: RockCreeke™ design by Raynor.
- Wood Alternative C: Woodgrain-textured steel doors
New steel surfacing technology has made it possible to imprint realistic wood textures onto steel panels, providing an installed appearance and textural feel that is hard to distinguish from real wood. Ask your Raynor dealer to show you some example panels. You may be surprised how easily you can configure a door with the look of wood along with the performance of steel. Example: Raynor Aspen AP200 steel doors.
3. ALUMINUM & GLASS GARAGE DOORS For contemporary styling and unique glass options, aluminum garage doors offer exceptional curb appeal.
Pros:
Naturally corrosion-resistant.
Lightweight and strong for single as well as double-wide doors.
Wide choice of full-view glass options and frame widths/colors.
Climates: all, including coastal areas.
Cons:
Generally more expensive than steel doors.
Lower R-value due to lack of insulation.
4. FIBERGLASS GARAGE DOORS Providing a fair simulation of wood appearance, fiberglass doors may be an option if you prefer that general design genre. The material can be molded in a variety of textures and colors. Similar to steel doors, fiberglass doors can be two-sided and filled with foam insulation for energy efficiency as well as block street noise. Applying a clear protective coating every few years is the only maintenance required. (Fiberglass doors are not presently offered by Raynor.) Pros:
Available simulated wood designs.
Lower maintenance than wood.
Corrosion-resistant.
Climates: warmer regions, including coastal areas.
Avoid extreme cold climates.
Cons:
Underlying material can yellow, especially in harsh climates.
Some fiberglass doors have been known to crack in harsh winters.
5. VINYL GARAGE DOORS While vinyl doors have durability advantages over wood, most in this category are certainly no substitute for a well-constructed steel door. Pros:
Lightweight, low maintenance
Generally on the lower range of cost
Corrosion-resistant
Crack- and scratch-resistant
Climates: Moderate temperatures.
Avoid climates with extreme heat or high elevations.
Cons:
Potential color fading if not UV protected
If you are considering a garage door purchase, explore all of the material choices with the assistance of a Raynor Garage Doors & Gates of Lexington. We know what selections will look good longer and save on maintenance over the long term.
Raynor Garage Doors & Gates of Lexington is located at 1033 Rushwood Ct. Lexington, KY 40511 and services all of Central Kentucky. Contact us today at 859-233-0802.
Information for this article provided by Raynor Garage Doors at: https://raynor.com/choosing-the-best-garage-door-materials-for-your-home-and-climate/