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Guide to Choosing the Best Garage Door Material

February 15, 2022 Posted in: New Garage Doors

When choosing a brand-new garage door for your home, the material is one of the most important factors. There are many garage door material options to match your budget and lifestyle. As a Clopay® Master Authorized Dealer®, we offer high-quality residential garage doors of various materials and finishes. We offer several different garage door material options so you can find the best garage door material for your home or business.

Table of Contents

  1. What Are the Different Types of Garage Door Materials?
  2. Benefits of Each Garage Door Type
  3. How to Choose the Right Garage Material for Your Home 
  4. Pick Your Garage Door Material With a Local Expert

What Are the Different Types of Garage Door Materials?

Quality Door Company offers multiple garage door material options and collections. 

Pick our Your Next Door With Quality Door Company

Steel

High-quality steel garage doors usually contain two layers of galvanized steel with a primer or paint on the surface. Any paint or finish can mimic other materials and complement the rest of your home. To enhance steel doors’ energy efficiency, most manufacturers add a layer of polyurethane or polystyrene insulation, but you can also get it without extra insulation. 

Some of our steel garage doors include:

Wood

Wood garage doors have layers of wood panels specially treated to prevent warping. Even though wood has a naturally beautiful color alone, you can choose from paint colors, stains and wood finishes to customize your door.

Explore the qualities of the following wooden garage doors in our collection:

Faux Wood

As an alternative to solid wood garage doors, faux wood or composite garage doors feature panels with a combination of wood and plastic fibers. These garage door options include high-density fiberboard with realistic details that make the door look like various real wood types, such as grooves and overlays. Like steel doors, composite wood garage doors have polyurethane or polystyrene insulation for additional weather protection and durability.

As your local Authorized Clopay Dealer we carry some of the best Faux Wood Doors available to withstand the Michigan weather:

  • CANYON RIDGE® CARRIAGE HOUSE (4-Layer): The products in the CANYON RIDGE® CARRIAGE HOUSE (4-Layer) feature steel garage doors with faux wood overlays and ULTRA-GRAIN® wood finish.
  • CANYON RIDGE® CARRIAGE HOUSE (5-Layer): The faux wood garage doors in the CANYON RIDGE®  CARRIAGE HOUSE (5-Layer) feature the look of a traditional swing-out carriage house door with the convenience of an automatic overhead door.
  • CANYON RIDGE® MODERN series: The CANYON RIDGE® MODERN series includes insulated faux-wood overlays over a durable steel garage door. This collection is suitable for contemporary or modern-style homes.
  • COACHMAN®: Our COACHMAN® garage doors offer practical steel and composite wood products that look like natural wood with enhanced durability.
  • GRAND HARBOR®: The GRAND HARBOR® faux wood garage doors are budget-friendly options for steel and composite wood doors with or without insulation.

Aluminum

Aluminum garage doors feature sleek glass panels with aluminum frames. They come in various colors and are common in modern or contemporary homes. Choose a glass type that gives you privacy for your valuables, shows off your luxurious vehicles or brings natural light into your garage. 

AVANTE® aluminum garage doors feature a clean, modern look that provides a unique, fresh aesthetic for your property. Choose from bronze anodized, clear or black aluminum frame options, as well as Color Blast® custom colors. You can also add insulation to the glass panels to enhance their energy efficiency.

Benefits of Steel Garage Doors

Steel garage doors are popular among homeowners because of their value, design flexibility and durability. Our steel doors:

  • Provide endless design options: Steel garage doors come in various styles to complement your home’s overall design. Choose from many colors and finishes to get a garage door in your property’s existing color palette. This material has the flexibility to look high-end at a fraction of the price.
  • Have excellent resilience in different weather conditions: Steel garage doors are suitable for any climate. They come in various insulation strengths, so they’re rougher and better suited for harsh weather conditions. Aside from the considerations of energy savings, if you plan on spending any time in your garage door, we recommended having your door insulated as Steel doesn’t naturally offer strong insulation on its own. Since steel is vulnerable to rust when exposed to salt, you may have to maintain it more diligently if you live in a coastal area or use salt to get rid of the ice on your driveway.
  • Are easy to care for over time: Since steel garage doors are lightweight, they’re more convenient to maintain. You don’t need to repaint or reseal them to maintain the luxurious colors. You’ll need to wash it at least twice a year to get rid of the residue from salt in the air or on your driveway.
  • Accommodate different budgets: Steel garage doors are generally more affordable than other materials. These products also come at various price points, depending on your need for insulation, style and durability. You can find a garage door made of steel that meets your budget requirements and lasts a long time, providing value for your home for many years.

Benefits of Wood Garage Doors

Wooden garage doors are best known for their luxurious appearance and timeless style. A garage door made of wood improves your home in the following ways:

  • Adds warmth and charm to your home: Wood has an elegant, rustic warmth that complements any architectural or design theme. This material will always be in style, so it’ll look great on your home, even if you update the exterior in the future. Even though other garage door materials can resemble wood, authentic, natural wood has a unique aesthetic.
  • Has plenty of design choices available: Wooden garage doors offer customization options, including wood species, finishes and panel designs, to give your home a one-of-a-kind garage door. Wood tends to develop a natural patina due to sun exposure, making your garage door even more special.
  • Provides environmentally-friendly options: Wooden garage doors are suitable for mild climates. As an eco-friendly resource, wood is sustainable and recyclable, cutting down waste. Since this material is an excellent insulator, it saves energy and puts less strain on your HVAC system.
  • Has long-lasting value: Even though doors made from wood tend to be more costly than other garage door materials, these high-quality products last a long time. Their excellent natural energy efficiency allows you to save money on your energy bills in the long run. Wooden garage doors are also unique and enhance your home’s resale value.

Benefits of Faux Wood Garage Doors

Faux wood, or wood composite, garage doors have similar qualities to wooden ones, but they’re a popular choice among homeowners for various reasons, including:

  • Stunning visual appeals: A high-quality faux wood door can look almost exactly like a natural wood door, providing a warm, inviting aesthetic for your home. This material comes in various colors, finishes and panel designs to create a one-of-a-kind door perfect for your property’s unique exterior design. Our composite wood garage doors have pattern options that allow you to mix and match the overlay and the base colors. For new and existing homeowners looking to up their curb appeal, faux wood doors are always a great place to start. 
  • Enhanced resistance to weather damage: Composite wood is more resistant to moisture and temperature changes than natural wood. As you look for your garage door, make sure you shop at a store that offers high-quality faux wood products to give your home the ultimate protection. The plastic fibers in the faux wood panels increase their durability. Add insulation to your garage door to enhance its energy efficiency and resilience in different weather conditions.
  • Fewer maintenance requirements than solid wood: Since wood composite is lighter than natural wood, a garage door made of this material puts less strain on your automatic overhead garage door opener. A faux wood garage door is easy to clean and keep clean due to its plastic fibers. Wipe the dirt and grime off the panels with a microfiber cloth, mild soap and water.
  • More affordable than natural wood: A wood composite garage door is typically a budget-friendly option compared to solid wood doors. This lightweight material is lightweight and easy to install and maintain. Faux wood gives your home the aesthetic of authentic wood panels at a more affordable price point.

Benefits of Aluminum Garage Doors

Aluminum garage doors offer a sleek, modern look to your home’s design. This material can add value to your property, among other benefits, including:

  • Accommodating a modern or contemporary style: Aluminum is usually suitable for contemporary or modern homes. An aluminum frame garage door features glass panels that bring natural lighting into your living space. This material comes with hundreds of color options to complement your overall design. There are also different glass type options, depending on your desired privacy and natural lighting.
  • Resisting most weather conditions: Aluminum garage doors work well in any climate, but keep in mind that they’re sensitive to extreme heat. Since aluminum is resistant to corrosion and rust, you can install a garage door with this material in a coastal or rainy environment. Hail or strong winds can dent the aluminum, and a technician can repair them. Add insulation to your aluminum frame garage door and glass panes to make it more durable and energy-efficient.
  • Being easy to clean and maintain: Aluminum is a relatively low-maintenance garage door material. Since it’s resistant to water damage, you can easily remove dust and other forms of residue with a garden hose and soap. The glass panels are also easy to clean with mild detergent and warm water.
  • Fitting various budget options: Aluminum is typically less expensive than steel, but high-quality doors come at various price points. Whether you want a high-end garage door with additional insulation and security or a budget-friendly product offering basic protection, you can find what you’re looking for in an aluminum garage door.

How to Choose the Right Garage Door Material for Your Home 

Each material has advantages and disadvantages based on your unique lifestyle and design preferences. These factors can help you decide which garage door material is best for your home:

Set a Budget for Your Garage Door

Think about how much you’re willing to spend on a brand-new garage door. Besides the upfront cost, you’ll also need to consider how much you’ll pay in maintenance, energy bills and durability. A high-quality garage door lasts a long time, so you’ll save money instead of replacing the door in the next few years.

Pick a Design for Your Garage Door

Your garage door makes up a large part of your home’s exterior, and it plays a role in curb appeal. Look for a garage door that provides the desired look to complete your property’s overall design. Use the Door Imagination System to see how a garage door will look against your home if you need help figuring out your design preferences.

Design Your Dream Home with Quality Door Company

Consider Your Climate 

Your garage door is supposed to protect your valuables and provide a convenient entry into your home. Your home’s local weather conditions can affect your door’s durability and life span. You may live in a coastal environment or a place with a lot of rain. In that case, it’s best to look for a material that withstands moisture. A low-maintenance material will also save you time and money in repair and care over the years.

Prioritize Energy Efficiency with Your Garage Door

Garage doors with insulation can help keep unpleasant air drafts out of your home and keep your living space comfortable throughout the year. Each garage door material has a different level of insulation capabilities to help you save money on energy costs and protect your valuables. You can typically add insulation layers to your garage door if you like the material but want something with a little more protection against the elements.

Request a Quote For Your Garage Door From Quality Door Company

Whether you know the best garage door material for your home, or you need some help nailing down your decision, we’re here to help. Our team at Quality Door Company provides high-quality residential garage doors for homeowners located in Western Michigan. Besides installing our high-quality products, we also offer repair and maintenance services for your existing garage door. 

 Send us a message online to request an estimate or learn more about getting your new garage door installed.


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