The Many Types Of Garage Doors

If you are in the market for a new garage door, then there are a lot of options out there. However, you might be a bit overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices that you will need to make. To help make your life a bit easier, here is an overview of the most common styles and materials used in garage doors:

Styles

Roll-up - The most common choice for suburban homes is often the roll-up door, which consists of several rectangular segments stacked atop one another. The segmented nature of the door means that a minimum of space is needed as the door moves between open and closed positions.

Swinging - Next, you have swinging doors, which can operate either horizontally or vertically. As you might expect, swinging doors tend to take up a lot more space than roll-up doors. However, they do offer an unparalleled aesthetic if you are looking for a rustic look. For instance, if you want to make your garage to look a bit like a rural barn, then a swinging door is a great addition.

Sliding - Finally, you have sliding doors, which do take up a lot of space, but in a different way than the prior two styles. Sliding doors move horizontally, which means that you need to have prepared a sizable area directly to the right or left of the door. For many garages, this poses somewhat of a logistics problem, so you might need to modify the layout of the garage to make room for a sliding door. The big advantage here is that sliding doors have a very unique transition between the open and closed positions, and are quite easy to conceal when open.

Materials

Wood - There is a lot of variety within wood, so you can get almost any level of quality at most price points. Whether you want a cheaper option like basswood or pine, or a richer option like oak or mahogany, there is a lot to choose from. The biggest advantage that wood offers is the aesthetic appeal, so if you are more concerned with functionality than appearance, metal might be a better option.

Metal - If you want to get metal, but don't necessarily want to invest in a heavier option, then aluminum is a great choice. Lightweight and inexpensive, aluminum can be a great choice for sheds and other garages that aren't necessarily visible from the street. On the other hand, steel is inexpensive and quite strong, but you need to be on the lookout for rust. Vigilant maintenance can give your steel doors a long lifespan at a fraction of the cost of more expensive materials.

For a garage door company, contact an organization such as Kaufman Overhead Door.