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GARAGE DOORS Installation & Repair

The Pros And Cons Of The Four Best Garage Door Materials Every Homeowner Should Know


Are you a property or homeowner that wants to install a garage door in your home, property, or office? Perhaps yours isn’t new, but your damaged door needs repair. Choosing the best garage door material without knowing the merits and shortcomings can be tasking. In this content, we beam the searchlight on four garage door materials revealing the merits and shortcomings to help you choose right.

STEEL

Steel is the most common garage door material for diverse reasons ranging from design flexibility, giving a lot of choice for customized design, durability, which allows it to last long compared to other materials, and value for money. Also, due to low maintenance, which makes it cheaper than natural wood, steel should top your choice list if you want to install a garage door. It is also significantly lighter.

Although not naturally insulated, it can be painted and insulated. Insulated steel helps with noise reduction and saves energy. Steel gives you multiple choices of thickness depending on your budget. There are;

  • Low-cost thick steel doors with 27-28 steel gauge
  • middle-cost steel doors with 25-26 steel gauge, and
  • Top-quality steel doors with 24 steel gauges.

It’s worthy to note that steels also have their shortcomings. It is susceptible to rusting and corrosion. Scratches can lead to rusting if not quickly arrested and corrected. 

Maintenance Tip: To extend the lifespan of your steel garage door material, we recommend that you wash it twice a year, without salt (as salt promotes rusting, primarily when used for de-icing during winter).

Pros

  • Low maintenance cost
  • Durable
  • Higher design flexibility
  • It can be used in all climate

Cons

  • Tendency to rust when scratched and not polished.
  • Not a natural insulator
  • Moderate resistance to dents and dirt.

carriage-style-modern-wood-garage-door

WOOD

Unlike steel, wood is a natural insulator. Hence you don’t need to spend a dime extra to insulate it. Also, when you choose wood as your preferred garage door material, you’re invariably making a choice that gives you customized, timeless beauty if adequately maintained. Also, it is eco-friendly

However, wood requires high maintenance and would quickly fade, rot, chip, or warp if not repainted. Also, wood is pretty affected by climate. Wood rot or warp with constant contact with moisture.

Financial Tip: Wood is a perfect choice for vintage and traditional style lovers. It helps you to connect with nature. However, wood requires high maintenance; hence if you are fixed on budget, we recommend that you consider other choices.

Pros

  • Natural Insulator
  • Rustic or traditional look
  • Eco-friendly

Cons

  • Requires High maintenance
  • Not ideal for all climates
  • Can warp, rot, or chip.

fullview-aluminium-garage-door

Aluminum and Glass

Like steel, Aluminum and glass are suitable for all climates. Aluminum offers a variety of options in design, and it is also economical compared to steel. Although more lightweight than steel, it is less durable. Aluminum is also suitable for both interior and exterior use.

Aluminum is susceptible to dents by dirt and glass, which is transparent and does not support privacy for homeowners who love to stay low-key. Aluminum and glass are also affected by extreme heat, which may cause glasses to crack and break.

Maintenance Tip: Aluminum and glasses have a low R-value; hence insulating them will help increase their R-Value.

Pros

  • Suitable for all climates.
  • High design flexibility options.
  • Economical compared to steel.

Cons

  • Low R-value if not insulated.
  • Tendency to crack under extreme heat.
  • Reduces privacy.

fiberglass-garage-door

FIBERGLASS

Although often overlooked by homeowners looking for suitable garage door replacement, fiberglass is a better choice than natural wood. It is lightweight. It is an ideal choice for people around coastal areas because it is not susceptible to rust or corrosion when cleansed with salty water. Fiberglass also offers excellent resistance to dents than steels that scratch and rust. An ideal choice if low maintenance tops your priority as a homeowner.

However, Fiberglass is not an all-perfect choice with no shortcomings. It has cons. Fiberglass should not be used in high windy-coastal areas as it can easily damage. Fiberglass has no repair when damaged; hence you need to install a new door. Fiberglass also tends to change color to yellow as it ages, although it illuminates your garage better since it is semi-transparent.

Decision Tip: Do you live in Antarctica? Fiberglass does not warp, shrink or crack in humid areas.

Pros

  • Lightweight.
  • Excellent dent resistance.
  • Translucent.
  • Excellent for humid climate

Cons

  • No repair if damaged.
  • Has the possibility of color change.
  • Can crack in a windy climate.


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