Steel Versus Wood for Your New Garage Door

Picking a new garage door can be more difficult than it sounds. While there was a time that choices for garage doors were fairly limited, now there are hundreds of choices, starting with the material. There are garage doors made of aluminum, steel, fiberglass, wood composite and solid wood to choose from. Although there may be price advantages to some of the other choices, the two most popular options for a quality garage doors are solid wood and steel. Before you move on to design, here are the basics on choosing between these two durable materials for your new garage door.

Steel Garage Doors

Steel is a great option for garage doors. It is durable, strong, cost effective and easy to maintain as a garage door material. You can purchase almost any style of garage door made from steel, so your options are not limited when it comes to design. However, keep in mind that all steel doors are not the same. The gauge of the door is important – a high quality steel door is usually at least 24 gauge. Plus, steel is not a great insulator so you will want a door that comes with insulation.

Solid Wood Garage Doors

Wood is a beautiful material for garage doors. It is also durable and can last for decades when maintained properly. The main advantage of wood over steel is the beauty and uniqueness that can be found in wood. There are different types of wood and endless styles to choose from. However, wood does require more maintenance and tends to be more expensive than steel doors.

Either choice of materials can make an excellent new garage door for your home. Talk to your local garage door dealer to determine which will be the best fit for your home and budget.

Posted on behalf of: 
Habpro Garage Doors
Dacula, GA
770-985-3355

Developments in Garage Doors

Most homeowners don’t give much thought their garage doors unless it needs a garage door repair, but garage doors have changed a lot in the past ten to fifteen years so if your old garage door is on its last legs, it may be a good time to buy a new garage door rather than spend money on garage door repairs.

One of the biggest changes has been the emergence of steel doors as the dominant type of garage door.  In the past, most garage doors were wood, but strong, lightweight steel doors are now the go-to garage doors for most applications.  Steel garage doors come with high tech factory coatings that look great for years with little if any maintenance necessary.

Steel garage doors are available with insulation panels that make the doors a little quieter and keep the temperature in the garage more comfortable.

The wooden garage doors still on the market are usually high end custom made garage doors.  These look fantastic and are custom made to fit any opening. There are also some high end fiberglass and vinyl doors on the market although they can be hard to find.

Finally, most manufacturers are now making doors with pinch-resistant panels.  In the past, the gaps between the door panels have been a source of pinched or crushed fingers, especially for children who have gotten their fingers smashed between panels of a garage door as it closes.  There are different designs for pinch resistant doors, but they all result in safer garage door.

Garage Door Construction

If you are shopping for a new garage door, you should understand the basic types of garage door construction.  Except for custom built high end garage doors, the days of wooden garage doors are pretty much gone.  Most garage doors on the market today are steel garage doors. 

Modern steel garage doors are a big improvement over older wooden garage doors.  Steel garage doors are far more durable than wood doors.  Steel doors don’t rot, warp, crack, or split.  Steel doors are galvanized for corrosion resistance and can be ordered factory painted or you can paint them yourself. 

In addition, steel garage doors are more secure than wood garage doors.  A basic steel garage door consists of a single layer of durable steel without any insulation.  These are the least expensive option and provide good protection and security for unheated garages.  However, they are noisier than insulated doors so even if you don’t need insulation, consider an insulated door for quiet operation.

A two layer door has a layer of steel covered with a layer of polystyrene insulation.  These doors are a good choice where you would like to retain some heat in the garage for example if there is a room over the garage.  The insulation also acts to absorb noise so they are quieter to operate than non-insulated doors.  A quieter door may be an important feature for an attached garage.

A triple layer door has inner and outer layers of steel with a layer of insulation sandwiched in between.  These are the quietest, most secure doors and are an excellent choice when installed on finished or heated areas.

Guide to Buying a Garage Door

If you are in the market for a new garage door, you will be pleased to know that they come in a range of styles and materials to suit any budget and taste.  It has never been easier to find a beautiful new garage door for your home.

The most popular materials garage doors are made of these days are steel and wood.  There are some fiberglass and aluminum garage doors, but their popularity has declined because of the advantages of steel and wood.  Fiberglass doors have poor insulation qualities and break relatively easily, especially in cold temperatures.  Aluminum doors were once very popular, but modern steel doors are almost as light and more resistant to denting than aluminum.

Modern steel garage doors are lightweight and attractive.  They are the most secure and durable garage doors on the market.  Steel garage doors can be made with a wood grain texture and have a baked on or clad finish that holds up for years without needing any maintenance.  Some steel doors only have a single outer skin, but better quality doors have an inner and outer skin filled with a foam core for sound dampening and weather insulation.

Wood garage doors come in an infinite variety of attractive styles and shapes.  Some are painted and others are stained and finished for an attractive wood look.  Wood garage doors are beautiful and have good insulation characteristics, but they require more frequent maintenance than steel doors.  They need to be refinished or repainted every few years or the wood will start to split and crack.