If you are looking for a garage door, you might be wondering what types of garage doors are available. It goes without saying that the average customer knows little about the subject, but prefers to research options before committing to buying a particular brand or style. Knowledge about available garage door types helps people make decisions that they feel good about. A customer is willing to spend more on products they recognize and know something about.
Truth be told, there are many types of garage doors available and each has its own special look and list of benefits. Providing accurate information about said products allows homeowners to select the right item for their garage. Comparing garage doors side by side makes the decision process faster and easier.
Types of Available Garage Doors
Bob Vila explains the different styles and materials that make up garage doors on his website. Among those mentioned is sliding, folding, up-and-over, and roll-up. Each door opens a different way.
This Old House magazine explains that sliding garage doors are like barn doors. They hang from rollers and ride a track at the top of the opening. This style of door is sturdy and easily operable in all weather conditions as well as manually and with a remote. Sliding doors are not as weather tight as other types of available garage doors.
Folding doors are similar in appearance and function as closet doors. This style consists of a pair of hinged vertical sections. The doors fold back against the sides of the opening and are difficult to open when snow accumulates. Another downside to folding doors is that they are manually operated. A remote cannot be used to open this style of garage door.
Up-and-Over doors are standard. They slide up a track when opened with a remote. They remain suspended above the garage space until lowered by the homeowner. This style of garage door is ideal for individual, double, and row garages. It’s built-to-last using a variety of materials.
Roll-Up garage doors are preferable for storage units and mini warehouses. They’re typically made of steel which enhances their durability. Like Up-and-Over doors, Roll-Up garage doors slide up and down a track and are raised or lowered using a remote.
Materials Used to Create Doors for Garages
Commonly used materials include steel, wood, wood composite, aluminum frame, fiberglass, and vinyl. Personal preference dictates which is ideal for a home. Most people choose wood which is factory-stained or painted, or finished on-site by the garage door installer. Cedar, redwood, fir, and meranti (luan) trees are used to create wooden garage doors.
Related Resource: Storm Door
As demonstrated above, there are many types of garage doors available. Personal preferences, geographic location, and budget play a role in which style a person choose for their home. After comparison shopping and weighing the pros and cons of each option, you can select the right type of available garage door. Going forward, it’ll be easier to help family members and friends choose theirs, too.
