Garage Door Options: What Works Best for Your Home

Aside from protecting your precious vehicle, your garage door also serves a major aesthetic purpose for your home. Picking a garage door that will stand the test of time hinges on many important factors, so ensure you have an excellent working knowledge of garage doors before deciding. Here’s some basic garage door info to get you started.

Types of garage doors

Most garage doors in Australia are categorised according to their opening mechanism.

Sectional garage door

The most common type of garage door in Australia, and probably in many other parts of the world, is the overhead sectional garage door. This type of garage door can be made from various materials like wood, metal, vinyl, and fibreglass. The sectional garage door comprises several hinged panels that slide across the garage ceiling. There are side sectional garage doors for those who don’t want their garage door to take up the ceiling space. They work the same way, but the garage door slides over tracks on the wall instead of gliding overhead.

Tilt garage door

Tilt or up-and-over garage doors comprise one large panel that swings forward and then goes overhead to take up the ceiling space. The major disadvantage of a tilt garage door is that it requires a certain amount of clearance in front of the garage, so vehicles can’t be parked too close to the door. However, they can be a good alternative for garages with a long driveway and low headroom.

Roller garage door

Roller garage doors take space-saving requirements to a new level. These garage doors are usually made of narrow strips of aluminium, steel, or fibreglass and roll around a drum on the garage door ceiling. Since the drums take up very little ceiling space, and the doors don’t need extra space when opening and closing, they are perfect for those with limited space.

Common garage door materials

Wood

Although wood is more expensive than other materials and requires a fair bit of maintenance to remain in top shape, many still prefer it because of its classy aesthetic appeal. To avoid getting wood doors damaged by the weather, they should be sealed every few years.

Metal

Garage doors made of steel or aluminium are strong alternatives to wooden doors. They are pretty easy to maintain but prone to rust and dents.

Fibreglass

Fibreglass garage doors eliminate the problems of rust, denting, and moisture damage. However, they are more brittle than wood or metal and can be broken upon impact.

Composite

Composite combines the natural look of timber with the weather-proof properties of fibreglass. On the downside, wood composite garage doors are more expensive than the others.

Other things to consider

Space should be the first thing to consider when selecting a garage door. The available space will help you choose which garage door best suits your home. Afterwards, think about which material works best for you. Wood makes for beautiful garage doors, but don’t choose this material if you are unwilling to invest time and money in its maintenance. Steel doors are very sturdy, but they are probably not a good choice for homes in coastal areas because they rust easily. Finally, look over several designs to pick the one that suits your tastes best.

Now that you know the basics of garage doors, it’s time to install the best one for you. Get quotes from professional garage door installers now!