Garage Door Buying Guide
The style of your garage door has a huge impact on the overall outdoor style of your home. Your garage doors can allow you to showcase your personal or unique style while adding to the curb appeal of your home. When it comes time to choose new garage doors you will realize there is a wide variety of styles and colors available. As with most things in life, garage door prices will be dependent on the type of door, size, and material you choose.
Styles of Garage Doors
There are four main panel designs to choose from for your garage door. Each of these styles can also be customized with a variety of window styles and configurations.
- Carriage House Panels: Carriage garage doors are also sometimes called barn style garage doors. Carriage style garage doors have a distinct and rustic look that is complimentary for many homes and often perfect for craftsman style or mission style homes.
- Flush Panels: Flush panel garage doors are flat doors with a slight texturing to them. They are a more contemporary door style with straight and clean lines that can complement your home’s style without drawing too much attention to the garage.
- Long Raised Panels: A garage door with long raised panels is a more traditional garage door that works with a wide variety of home exterior styles.
- Short Raised Panels: Short raised panel garage doors are also a classic and highly versatile style that coordinates with a large number of home exteriors.
Garage Door Brands
Door Systems, Inc. specializes in garage doors from the following companies. Each company offers varying aesthetics, construction specifications, materials, window configurations, etc. The garage door specialists at Door Systems, Inc. can help you choose the perfect garage door to complement the style of your home.
- Ankmar Garage Doors
- CHI Garage Doors
- Cloplay
- Delden Garage Doors
- Wayne Dalton
Custom or Standard Styles?
You may have a very specific style in mind or maybe you have a unique opening that needs a garage door. If you are looking for something that is outside of standard garage door sizes or are wanting a style that you do not see offered by any of the manufacturers we work with Door Systems, Inc. also offers custom garage doors, our experienced professionals can help you create the exact garage door you want and need.
Types of Garage Door Materials
When it comes to the material for your new garage door you have a number of options available, each with their own pros and cons.
- Wood and Wood Composite: Wood garage doors have a high aesthetic value and also have the benefit of being a natural material. They do stand up to wear well, but need frequent refinishing and in the long run don’t typically last as long as other materials. They are often one of the most expensive options available for a garage door. Wood composite gives you the same warm and natural feel as wood, but they are not as heavy and not as expensive.
- Steel: Steel garage doors are typically made from two layers of galvanized steel. They are easier to maintain than wood garage doors, but they do carry the potential to dent or rust.
- Aluminum: Aluminum is extremely lightweight, which makes this an excellent material for large double car garage doors.
- Fiberglass: Fiberglass garage doors are highly versatile and can be manufactured to mimic any type of material, such as wood grain. The versatility of fiberglass makes it an excellent choice when you are creating custom garage doors. However, fiberglass is not a great choice for a cold climate, as it can yellow with age and exposure to cold temperatures.
- Vinyl: Vinyl garage doors are incredibly durable and resistant to denting or cracking. They are similar to fiberglass in the way they are constructed and require very little maintenance.
Garage Door Installation
When you are making an investment in your home, such as new garage doors, you also want to make sure that investment is properly installed. Before you purchase a new garage door it is a good idea to have an installer visit your home. This gives them the opportunity to ensure proper measurements have been taken so that the correct size of garage door is purchased, they can check side clearance and headroom. If you are unsure on the design, they often can help you choose a design that matches the style of your home and increases your curb appeal.
You may be tempted to try to install your garage door yourself. This is not advised, as garage door installation also requires the installation of the large springs on your garage door. Garage springs require special tools for installation and can be very dangerous. An added benefit to using a garage door installer is that they haul away and dispose of your old garage door.
Garage Door Opener Purchase Tips
When you purchase a new garage door this is a great time to also replace your garage door opener. This gives you the opportunity to upgrade to a new model that is quieter or has more features than your existing garage door opener. When you are purchasing a new garage door you may find that garage door opener installation prices can be negotiated.
There are multiple different type of drive options available on modern garage door openers. Chain-drive openers are a popular, cost-effective, and reliable option. Screw-drive openers are a quieter option that offer some faster opening speeds. Belt-drive openers operate with a rubber or rubber-type belt, which makes them one of the quietest options available.
Another choice you have with a garage door opener is horsepower size. ½-HP is adequate for most standard garage doors. A ¾-HP model may be necessary for heavier doors, such as wooden doors, two-car garage doors, or heavily insulated doors. 1-HP models are used on oversized and industrial sized garage doors.
And finally, garage door openers come with the option of an AC or DC motor. DC, or direct current, is usually more expensive, but offers soft starts and stops, which leads to quieter operation of your garage door.
As you can see, there is a lot to consider when choosing a new garage door for you home. The experienced professionals at Door Systems, Inc. would love to help you find the perfect garage door to complement the style of your home.
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507 SW Lea Dr
Lee’s Summit, MO 64081
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