The front door used to be the most attractive exterior of a home and make the most telling statement about the property owner’s sense of aesthetics and security. Now, people are beginning to realise the garage door is just as important.
A home’s garage door is no longer something homeowners can flippantly make decisions about. Today, the garage door is now increasingly recognised as an important piece of a home’s aesthetics as well as its security. If you make the wrong choice concerning the sort of garage door to install in your home or actually pick the right door but have it poorly installed, such decisions could seriously flaw your property in more ways than one.
Home security expert, Jamie from Neighbourhood Garage Door Services explains that: “Garage door manufacturers now make it possible for homeowners to pick from a wide variety of garage doors. But we usually advice that homeowners install doors that offer beauty without compromising security and vice versa…”
If you want to pick an ideal garage door for your home that will deliver results and keep you happy for a long time, you need to seriously think about these important factors when making your choice.
1. The garage door’s material
A quality garage door made with the right material will offer easy maintenance, durability, impressive design, and a price that’s within your budget.
Typically, most people simply assume doors made from hardy materials like steel are a better option. While steel offers certain benefits, there’s more to a quality wood garage door that just a seemingly tough exterior.
Besides, steel doors show dents with time and can even begin to rust if not properly maintained. On the other hand, wood doors offer none of such problems. Depending on your budget, you can opt for a wood garage door made from top materials such as mahogany, cedar, or any other type you prefer.
Let’s consider the unique benefits of different garage door material types:
- Aluminium: You can get an aluminium door in a variety of designs, styles and colours. One reason many people prefer the aluminium door is because of the little amount of maintenance it requires. It’s also mostly rustproof and because the metal is light, it places less strain on the garage door opening mechanism, or your arms and shoulders if opening the door manually.
- Steel: You can get a steel garage door in a variety of styles and colours. It’s actually sturdier than aluminium, but is prone to rusting if dented or scratched.
- Wood: Wood can is often a more expensive option and requires more maintenance than aluminium as you need to paint or spray it to prevent rot. But you can opt for a less costly alternative such as veneer or overlay garage doors.
- Fibreglass/PVC overlay: This is more durable than metal and wood, but can be harder to find because it’s still new on the market. It also costs less than a wood door but more than a steel door.
What garage door style best matches your home’s style?
Naturally, your garage door shouldn’t stick out like a sore thumb from the rest of your home. Instead, it should blend in and complement the overall beauty of your home’s exterior. For example, a Georgian home or Victorian home, or a colonial home will likely look good with a panelled wood garage door or a door with decorative hardware such as iron handles and hinges.
On the other hand, a contemporary or modern home can work with pretty much any garage door style depending on the tastes of the homeowner. Some tested and trusted style ideas for garage doors for modern homes are stained wood with V-ribbed or horizontal banding, and pebbled or frosted glass.
Here are some features to keep in mind when looking for a garage door that’ll match your home.
Security
Various garage doors come with various security features. The key is to look out for one that offers the quality and size of security you need for your home. Rather than just considering the sturdiness of the door, also look out for the quality of its door opener. Jamie advises installing a modern garage door opener with a “rolling-code” capability. This ensures your door opener can’t be hacked and only your remote control can activate the door.
Other security features you can look out for include a keypad that will allow your kids go in and out of the house via the garage without needing a key. There’s also the option of a handle-less garage door that will give burglars a harder time.
Colour
You should typically avoid vivid colours or any other colour that contrasts severely with the general shade of your house exterior. When looking through colours for your garage door, pick one that effectively blends in with the rest of your home’s outer painting and complements the aesthetics of your property.
Convenience
A hassle-free garage door will offer certain conveniences such as ease of installation. Also the right door for your home’s garage should offer sufficient insulation.
Proper insulation will provide more protection from the elements and noise. Sufficient insulation is particularly important if you plan to used your garage as a work or living space.
Safety
Modern automatic doors can automatically ‘notice’ obstructions and retract to avoid damage. This can be useful in preventing the garage door from scratching your car’s paint or hurting anyone trying to run through it at the moment when it’s closing.