If durability is what you value most, consider steel, wood, or vinyl garage doors. Wood doors in particular are heavier and more resistant to damage. But if you live in a wet climate, wood may not be the ideal choice.
Steel Garage Doors
These doors offer strength, durability, and relatively low maintenance needs. Steel panels typically come in a few thicknesses, with 24-gauge being the strongest. Many steel doors feature an embossed wood-grain pattern or a smooth finish, allowing for a variety of options to match your home's style.
Sectional Steel Garage Doors
These types of garage doors are among the most durable garage doors on the market today. There are also many other benefits of sectional steel garage doors. For instance, these garage doors will look amazing when you put them into place. They'll also be very easy to maintain.
Steel is a popular garage door material because of its versatility, durability, and value for money. Steel garage doors are available in an endless number of design options and provide a cheaper, lower maintenance alternative to natural wood.
The IRC requires the door between the house and the attached garage to be a minimum of 1 3/8 inches thick – either a solid wood door, a solid or honeycomb-core steel door, or a 20-minute fire door.
They are as follows: Fire Resistant Door – According to the ICC, the garage entry door must be “equipped with solid wood doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) in thickness, solid or honeycomb-core steel doors not less than 1-3/8 inches (35 mm) thick, or 20-minute fire-rated doors.”
For residential garage doors there are 3 main types of garage doors that you can choose from: Roller Door, Sectional Door or Counterweight (also referred to as a 'Tilt' Door)
Budget-friendly: Compared to other materials, steel garage doors tend to be more affordable, making them a cost-effective option for many homeowners.
Conclusion: The Safest Garage Doors Are…
If you have more valuables, you should opt for roller or sectional because these are the most secure garage doors.
Triple-layered doors use polyurethane insulation and are the most energy efficient. Polyurethane is an insulation that is a liquid foam and expands after injection. This fills every gap in the garage door. It has double the R-value per inch than traditional insulation does.
Material Quality and Durability
Each material has its own set of characteristics, benefits, and price points. For instance fiberglass doors tend to be more expensive due to their durability and strength, while wooden doors may command a higher price for their natural beauty, craftsmanship and customizability.
Steel Up & Over garage doors are often the most popular choice for garages, as they are reliable, functional and offer great value for money. For garages where cars will be parked or where gardening equipment will be stored, this is often a good choice of garage door.
Traditional Garage Doors. For a timeless classic, select an Amarr traditional garage door to complement your home's exterior.
Matching your front door to your garage door is a surefire way to boost curb appeal without spending a fortune. With a few simple choices of color, material, and style, you'll create a cohesive exterior look that will be the talk of the neighbourhood.
The most common garage door materials are aluminum, glass, steel, and wood, with steel and aluminum being the cheapest options.
Cons of Steel Garage Doors
Thinner gauge steel doors are more susceptible to dents from accidental bumps or flying objects. Opting for thicker gauge insulated steel can improve dent resistance, but it will also come at a slightly higher price point. Not a Natural Insulator: Steel itself is a poor insulator.
Steel garage doors are the most popular. They are low-maintenance, durable, and have the lowest cost of the five mentioned in this guide.
Replacing a garage door can cost anywhere from $750 to $6,325, with an average cost of $2,743. This wide range reflects several factors that can influence the final price, such as door type, material, size, and additional features.
You can save money on a new garage door installation or replacement by not opting for decorative features. These can include windows, non-standard colors, metal exterior hardware, embossed panels, or faux finishes.
The steel Clopay garage door is extremely long lasting and requires very little maintenance, and can cost anywhere from $750 to as much as $3,000. The aluminum garage doors are lightweight and rust resistant. Their costs run between $1,500 to $2,000.
The roll-up style of garage door may be most common and the most popular. In this style of garage door, a series of panels roll up and down along a track. Roll up garage doors can mimic historic styles yet offer the convenience of a modern garage door.
Insulated steel garage doors provide superior energy efficiency and durability, reducing energy consumption and saving money on utility bills. Energy-efficient composite garage doors offer excellent insulation, minimal maintenance, and a variety of styles and finishes to choose from.
The Home Depot offers Clopay garage doors and openers that are available for installation in a wide range of designs with options and upgrades to achieve the perfect look.