A quick and effective home upgrade to start 2019 adding more value to your home is replacing your garage door. This investment can return more than 88% while also adding major curb-appeal to your house. (Related topic: Spencertown garage doors, Chatham garage doors, Austerlitz garage doors)
The four basic types of doors are swing out doors (carriage house style), swing up doors, roll up doors and slide to side or sliding barn doors. All of these come in a wide variety of materials, styles, colors and, of course, prices. With so many options, how do you choose the one that’s more appropriate for you?
For those with a little extra cash to splurge, luxury garage doors are an obvious choice. However, your decision should go beyond the superficial and take into account the amount of clearance in your garage around the ceiling for tracks and in the entryway for a swing out or up. Further, choosing the design should be coordinated with the style of your house and the most appropriate material for the type of door you need.
The following are five different garage door materials you can choose to adequately match your budget and lifestyle.
Aluminum
They are extremely lightweight and perfect for extra wide double doors. The newer models are sturdier and heavier with laminated panels that are dent-resistant. Their price can get steeper if you choose doors with heavy-duty frames, but there are also cheaper options with panels made of other materials but the latter can easily dent.
Steel
These doors are made from two layers of galvanized steel. They’re low maintenance in comparison to wood doors but they rust and are prone to dents. The best is to choose at least a 24 or 25 gauge steel door or a door with a fiberglass overlay that will resist rust and dents.
Fiberglass
Fiberglass doors are easily malleable and can easily mimic any other material from wood transparent materials. They’re affordable and easy to customize but they’re better for coastal areas. Further, fiberglass can yellow and eventually break, especially in cold environments.
Vinyl
These doors are known for being extremely hard to dent or break. In terms of construction, they’re similar to fiberglass but they are more durable and only require an occasional hose-down. The only downside is that vinyl doors don’t come in as many colors and designs as doors made out of other materials do.
Wood and Wood Composite
Beautiful and authentic but definitely the most expensive. Although they stand up well to wear, they need frequent refinishing and don’t last as long as other doors. Wood and wood composite doors are easy to customize and you can find them between mid-price and expensive. Wood composite will convey the same feeling as wood but weighing and costing considerably less. They work best for large double doors.
