When people want to install garage doors in their homes, the door material is usually the last thing on their minds. More important considerations like pricing, sizing, and where to get the door from are usually the top of their priority list.
But alas, the garage door material is just as important, too.
Firstly because of climate – not all garage door materials are suitable for all climate conditions. And lastly, because of pricing – different garage door materials come for different prices.
In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about garage door materials so that you can know your options when shopping.
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Steel
Steel garage doors are naturally flexible, lightweight, reasonably cheap, and highly durable. Thanks to the flexibility of the material, steel garage doors come in a number of eye-catching designs. Meaning, you’ll never run out of design options as far as steel garage doors are concerned.
Price-wise, steel doors are quite affordable, too. They fall perfectly well under the low-maintenance category. Meaning you won’t have to worry too much about maintaining, repairing, or replacing your door every now and then.
When shopping for a steel garage door, look out for the thickness of the panels. The lower the gauge number of these panels, the thicker your door will be. For example, a 24-gauge steel door is thicker than a 28-gauge steel door. The thicker your door, the stronger its resistance to impact.
On the downside, steel doors are poor insulators. As such, they allow the passage of noise and heat. But you can solve this problem by opting for an insulated steel garage door.
Finally, if you live in a region where salt is needed for de-icing in the winter months, avoid steel doors completely because they’re quite susceptible to corrosion and rust.
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Aluminum
When we talk about aluminum in the garage door world, we love to think of it as a low-budget steel. Everything we’ve said about steel holds for aluminum, too.
It is lightweight (even lighter than steel), flexible (there are lots of colors – i.e., designs – to choose from), and highly durable.
Additionally, as far as pricing goes, aluminum steel doors are way less expensive than steel. But that’s not even all. Unlike steel, aluminum doors are rust-and-corrosion-resistant. Meaning they work well in regions with harsh weather conditions.
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There are two downsides, however, to aluminum doors.
The first is that they reduce your home’s curb appeal. Reason being that everyone knows they’re low-budget, and they are also not amongst the most aesthetically-pleasing materials.
Secondly, they are more prone to being dented.
Check the figure below to see what a dented aluminum garage door looks like:
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Wood
Wood is the material from which traditional garage doors were made. And even now, it still enjoys such huge acceptance. Perhaps because of its ageless elegance and unique outlook.
If properly designed, a wood garage door can improve the overall aesthetics and curb appeal of a home’s exterior view.
Generally speaking, they can be less expensive or more expensive than steel. Their pricing depends on the nature of the wood being used. Basically, the lowest-cost option is painted wood with flat hardboard panels, while the highest-cost option is Stain-grade wood doors.
Wood is naturally a better insulator than steel and aluminum, which makes its door highly energy conservative.
On the downside, though, wood is not suitable for areas with unstable climate. And it also falls under the high-maintenance category of materials. Meaning you’ll have to spend a lot to keep up its beauty and appeal.
If energy conservation, classic design, and rustic look are your allures, choose wood garage doors.
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Wood composite
Wood composite garage door is an upgrade on pure wood garage doors. They offer the beauty, texture, and rustic elegance of pure wood but come with the strength and durability of steel.
Although it is more expensive than pure wood, composite wood represents a better option if you live in an area with unstable weather conditions but still fancy the looks and feel of wooden doors.
They are made with recycled wood fibers and offer huge resistance to rot and splitting.
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Fiberglass
One can easily argue that fiberglass garage doors are the answers to the challenges posed by aluminum and steel garage doors.
For example, where aluminum garage doors fail in terms of being prone to dents, fiberglass doors excel. Also, while steel garage doors fail in the face of salt-water exposure, fiberglass doors stand tall.
Generally speaking, fiberglass doors represent a good option if you live in coastal regions or are in need of a material that’s dent-resistant.
On the downside, fiberglass is a poor insulator, which can lead to high energy bills.