When adding a curb appeal to your property, garage and windows are as much important as the landscaping theme. These are the home exterior features, which decide the overall first impression of your home. People hardly take interest in decorating their garage but it is a prominent feature of a home’s façade. That’s why it goes without saying that your garage should complement your home exterior and garden areas. You can accomplish this easily by installing a suitable garage door that adds to the overall appearance of your home.
There are a variety of options available in the market, allowing you to choose the right garage door easily. However, you should keep the following things in mind to optimize your purchase.
Material
You should choose the material for your garage door wisely as it will decide the overall cost, durability, maintenance and aesthetic value of your garage. The first thing you should be considering is whether it can withstand the weather conditions of your location. If you live in a coastal region, the fiberglass or aluminum garage door will work best for you while aluminum is a versatile material that can be used in different types of climate.
There are mainly four types of garage door materials – steel, wood, aluminum, and fiberglass. Each material has its pros and cons. For example, wood offers a beautiful, natural look but is less durable and asks for frequent maintenance.
Steel is another popular material for garage doors, known for high strength, low maintenance and weather resistance properties. A steel garage door can be easily be customized with paint colors, panel styles, and window designs to suit different styles.
As of the aluminum garage doors, they are stylish, expensive, weather-resistant and low maintenance. Lastly, the fiberglass garage doors are the newest, perfect for the coastal region with salty air. The only downside of fiberglass is that it is a poor insulator.
Also Read: Benefits of Installing a New Garage Door
Design and Style
The design and style of your garage door should match the overall architecture of your home. You have to match the color of your garage door to the color scheme of your home to make a bold statement. If you own an old Victorian home, you should choose a garage door that doesn’t make its own presence rather becomes an extension of the home itself. And if you have a contemporary house, you’ve got a wide range of designs and styles to choose from.
With the evolution of time, there are a variety of garage door styles available nowadays, which gives you the opportunity to alter the looks of your home. Here are the most popular garage door styles, which you can choose according to the architectural style of your home.
Raised Panel Garage Doors
Raised panel is one of the most common garage door styles, featuring raised rectangular panels on the front side. Due to the minimalist look, these garage doors match to almost any home exterior you just need to be careful with the color choice. There are options to customize the raised panel garage door with decorative windows and automatic openers.
Carriage Style Garage Doors
Garage doors that look like vintage, swinging or sliding stable doors are called carriage house garage doors. The natural look and rustic finishes are standout features of this type of garage door. The design and color of carriage style garage doors vary according to different types of architectural styles. They come in a variety of materials and are extremely popular among homeowners all around the world.
Traditional Garage Doors
Designed with raised, recessed or flush panels, the traditional garage doors are popular for low price and maintenance. Usually, wood and steel garage doors are counted under these classics. Whatever your demand for color, insulation, windows, and hardware, there are various companies who can do it for you.
Contemporary Garage Doors
With the architectural world moving fast, you need to match your garage door to your contemporary home. The full view of fiberglass and aluminum garage doors are one of the most popular examples. These garage doors are designed to add modern appeal and style to a contemporary or even a traditional home.
Type
Although price, security, style, and material all play a crucial role in choosing the right garage door for your home, the most important thing you need to consider is the type of garage door that will meet your needs. Before you make up your mind for any garage door, carefully consider your needs and available space, as well as color and finish you’re looking to achieve.
There are mainly four types of residential garage doors types available in the market. They come with different opening mechanisms and styles, increasing the overall cost.
Up-and-Over Garage Door
Up-and-Over garage doors are popular for their simple style and reasonable price. They come in two types of mechanisms: retractable and canopy. Retractable garage doors open up fully into the garage, while canopy doors partially protrude from the front of the garage when open.
They can be installed with either a manual or mechanical operator. The Up-and-Over garage doors are a no-fuss option for people looking for a practical garage door but don’t want to pay premium prices for the features they won’t use.
Side Sliding or Side Hinged Garage Door
Certain building specifications make installing a traditional garage door difficult – if not impossible. Side sliding or side hinged garage is perfect for this situation as they are attached to the sides of the garage opening rather than at the top. Side sliding garage doors can even be programmed to only open up to a certain point, a convenient feature if you will be using your garage door often and won’t need to open it fully each time.
Roller Garage Door
Another garage door type that opens up vertically unlike the up-and-over garage doors. The roller garage doors curl up into a roll above your garage opening – leaving your garage ceiling space unobstructed. They are the ideal choice if you’re looking to maximize the amount of storage space, or are unable to install another type of garage door because of any critical structures, pipes, or insulation on your garage ceiling.
Sectional
A space-saving option, the sectional garage doors are made up of separate panels. They open up vertically like roller garage doors and curve back inward the garage. Because of the innovative opening mechanism, they allow you to make full use of the space in front of your garage, increasing the amount of driveway space available for use.
Sectional garage doors are ideal for automatic operation, making them even more convenient to use. If you own an irregularly sized garage, they are perfect because they can be customized to fit a range of openings.
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