What to Look for in a Garage Door Upgrade

Material Choices.

Rigid-foam insulation backed steel is  the material most recommended by industry experts today. You can’t go wrong with panels made of 24-gauge steel (although 26- and 28-gauge steel options are also often used) for your doors; you can get them in an embossed wood-grain pattern or with a smooth finish that can add a touch of elegance to your home. It’s also recommended that, for the best quality rust protection, you choose a model with a baked-on primer and polyester topcoat. Steel doors often come with limited lifetime warranties.

Wood doors remain a popular choice.

Wood doors remain a popular choice even if they do require regular painting and need frequent maintenance. Once considered the number-one material of choice due to its elegance and durability, wood has taken a backseat to other materials in recent years. Wood doors that are commercially available often have a frame fashioned out of hemlock and hardboard panels, while solid Douglas fir is the most popular choice for custom-made doors. Factory warranties for wood doors typically only cover the first year, but custom doors have better coverage, running to about 15 years on average.

Also relatively durable while requiring minimal upkeep are plastic doors, many of which come in light-colored variations with UV-resistant additives that make them resistant to fading from the sun. Like steel, plastic doors offer lightweight durability without routine upkeep; they’re corrosion- and rot-free, and they operate almost silently. Plastic doors also have UV-resistant additives, and light-colored versions are particularly resistant to fading. Plastic doors come with a minimum 20-year warranty.

Insulation.

Insulation has many useful attributes; it has the ability to cut down on the cold that can seep in from the outside, to mute noise, and to make your door less prone to dents. In Ohio, where the winters can be extremely chilly, having an insulated door is smart.

For your home’s needs, you might want to consider a thick-gauge steel-door “sandwich” with a steel outer skin, an insulated core and a light-gauge steel or plastic backing material for a strong but lightweight door. Or perhaps top-of-the-line wooden or plastic doors, which already come insulated, may have greater appeal. Such doors come supplemented with weather-sealing capabilities that can help keep dirt, debris and water out.

Blue garage doors to make the home pop.

Style and Color Options.

Your garage door is a prominent component of your home’s exterior, often accounting for up to 30 percent of your home’s frontage. There is no shortage of ways in which you can change up your home’s style via your doors. You can choose a basic frame-and-panel design or elaborate, sculpted segments. You can also play around with size options, decorative treatments or even color choices. While the color palette for garage doors is often limited to white, beige and brown, you can always tweak your choices to accommodate painted or stained options that appeal to you.

Windows.

Windows echo the rest of the home’s features.

Safety features. 

Yet another important aspect to consider is safety. Check on the joints between your door sections–a now-common safety standard is shaped edges that push fingers out of the cracks as they close. Many kid-friendly features that follow federally mandated safety standards were introduced as early as the 90s, and have been further improved upon in the succeeding years. For instance, manufacturers must now provide automatic door reverse (if the edge of the door makes contact with an object while closing, the door automatically reverses direction) and an electronic-eye system that sends the door upward if anything breaks the light beam across the door opening.

Garages serve as separate storage or living spaces.

Spring and Track Systems.

When you buy a door, you’ll need to select spring and track systems as well. Between the two kinds of spring systems, extension springs — which need about 10 in. of headroom — are simpler to install. They come in pairs and stretch along either side of the door parallel to the ceiling.

Torsion springs, on the other hand, go over the opening of the door. You must provide for a 12-in headroom, although special hardware is available for doors with low clearances. These springs wind and unwind in place as the door is raised or lowered. Torsion springs distribute the weight of a door more evenly than extension springs do, so they’re better suited for wide or extra-heavy doors.

There are likewise two choices in tracks: hot-dipped galvanized or powder-coated steel. Many homeowners prefer powder-coated steel mechanisms for their much more finished appearance and the ability to cut down on the noise of the door — all for just a few dollars more.

Professional installation is always best. 

Installation.

Don’t mix and match parts for a garage door. Incompatibility between the track and the door can lead to door failure and can void the door system’s warranty. It’s best to entrust your door installation to your contractor, who will get the job done quickly and efficiently at minimal cost.

Consider this: steel doors are the most budget-friendly, with wood and plastic models coming in at a slightly higher price. But if you have the budget for it, why not consider a fully customized door?