Are you looking to get a new garage door installed in your home or office premises? A new garage door, when carefully selected and professionally installed can renew the looks of your home. The technology today has vastly improved and so has the material used in building garage doors. So they last significantly longer than their counterparts from a decade ago. Considering the type, variety, and the number of garage doors available in the market today, you will be lost for choices.
This short checklist or things to know guide will help you be prepared before the purchase and get a garage door that suits your home, is easy to operate and will last for years.
Types of Garage Doors
The most popular ones remain the garage doors made of steel. The second favourite of the masses are the wooden doors. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages but steel doors are more durable and maintenance free. It is simply due to the fact that steel is more long-lasting than wood. Wood also demands greater care and attention.
As far as looks go, nothing can beat the natural beauty of the wooden doors. They look absolutely stunning which is why they still remain a very popular option despite being less durable than the steel ones. Wooden doors are also quite expensive whereas steel doors are inexpensive. That is also an important factor to consider before you make your decision.
- Steel garage doors: These doors are not just stronger than wood but also fibreglass and aluminium. Also, technology has made it possible to make steel doors look very similar to wooden ones. So if looks are a major consideration and you are inclined towards wooden doors due to it, consider the fact that steel can be made to look as good or even better than wood. Steel doors are also very easy to maintain. Steel doors won’t rust, warp, crack, or break due to weather conditions. The only real issue with steel doors is that they may dent or fade over time and they are difficult to repair.
- Wooden doors: Wooden doors are very popular and the reasons are obvious. They look very good and can enhance the look of your home manifold. The natural finish boasts sophistication that is hard to match with steel doors. However, wood expands and contracts with change in weather and also cracks. So wooden doors need regular maintenance in the form of polishing, painting, and refinishing to maintain their look. Wooden doors are also quite expensive as compared to their steel and fibreglass counterparts.
- Fibreglass and aluminium doors: Fibreglass doors are made of aluminium frames with sheets of fibreglass inside the frames. Both fibreglass and aluminium are light and hence the doors are very easy to install and operate. These doors are also translucent and are great options in case you need natural light to filter through the doors into your garage. The advantages are pretty similar to steel doors. They don’t rust, are lightweight and inexpensive. The downside is that they tend to become yellow with age and have the tendency to crack and break easily, especially when the temperature is cold.
Price
This is perhaps the first thought that comes to mind when you are planning to get a garage door installed. There are so many varieties, features, and price points that you can easily get lost or frustrated. The prices for garage doors can range from $400 for a basic no-frills installation to $8000 or more for a fully loaded, feature-laden garage door. The pricing depends on the size, material used, features, and cost of labour. For example, a door that opens automatically with the help of remote control or sensors will increase the price by $300-400.
Installation
These days, companies also sell doors that you can install yourself. There are DIY kits or instructions to help you along the way. The overall cost of installing such doors is significantly less than the doors that a professional will install for you for obvious reasons. You may also want to take this route if you have plenty of time to devote to this exercise and also want a hands-on experience. While we don’t particularly discourage buying a garage door that you will install yourself, know that installation of a garage door is a herculean and complex task.
You will need help from one or two people, a set of tools, some carpentry skills, and heavy duty springs. A significant effort aside, working on such projects can also prove to be dangerous and risk of injury is high. You will be dealing with very heavy doors and inexperience can lead to mishaps.
Garage doors not only help to make your house look complete and beautiful but also prevent burglaries and make your house secure. Do thorough research for the different options available in your area and then make an informed decision. While budget is an important consideration, do remember that a typical garage door installation will last for many many years and a sturdy one will compensate for the costs you incur overtime.