Consider these Ideas before Buying your New Garage Door

August 19, 2015 Guest Post

Having the perfect garage door is important for many reasons, no matter what the design of the house. There are obvious aesthetic reasons, as a stylish and clean looking garage door can really give a lift to the front of your house, but there are also other factors to consider.

An important factor is security, especially if you are keeping valuable items in your garage, or if it gives access to the main part of your property. Another factor to consider when you are thinking about getting a new garage door is that it is easy to operate.

Controlled Access

Why have automatic garage doors have become increasingly popular?
They take away the need to get out of your car, as well as not having to physically open a heavy door.

For security reasons and convenience, an automatic garage door is a popular way forward. Inversely they can be a pain to open if you do not have a control to do the work for you. Obtaining more than one garage door remote for the house, (of which are many types including aftermarket brands), can prevent this type of problem, however there are ways around it.

They can easily be found and this gives you the option of various household members having easy access, as well as having a replacement if one breaks or goes missing.

Almost all garage doors are now available with remote controls or remote opening mechanisms to make it easier for their owners to use.

When you are looking into buying a new garage door, think about how much space you want to use up, what you want the overall look to be, how much security you need and any other individual factors that are important to you specifically – such as insulation and the need for remote controlled access to get the perfect garage door for you.

Materials

There are various advantages and disadvantages to using certain materials for the garage door.

Most garage doors can be found to be made from wood, steel or fibreglass. A lot of people choose wooden garage doors because they look good and are easy to customise. The downside is that they require a bit more care than the other materials and also don’t usually last as long.

A steel garage door is a popular choice and it usually strong, and therefore great for security, durable as well as being low maintenance. Wood imitation steel garage doors are also available, which give the look of wood, with the benefits of being made from steel.

Other materials are not so common, but can be made from lighter materials such as aluminium or fibreglass, and garage doors with great insulation properties, or hurricane proof doors can also be found.

Styles

There are four main garage door styles to choose from. Your decision to choose which one should be based on both the look that you prefer, as well as practical reasons.

• Up and Over – These consist of one panel which swings up and over to move from a vertical position to a horizontal position when it is open. The only space that it takes up is in the roof of the garage when it is open. You can get remote controls for this type of garage door to avoid the need of getting out of the car when you arrive home. It does, however need an area to swing out when opening.
• Sectional – This door is split into four or more sections and opens by each section rising and being stored horizontally inside the garage when it is open. The main advantages that it has over the up and over style is that it has no swing out area and can be found often with additional qualities such as insulation. It can be easily fitted with a remote control.
• Roller Shutter – Made from a number of slats, this door rolls up and is stored in a roll behind the ´curtain`. It also has no swing out area, and is usually mechanically controlled via remote control, making it ideal for the elderly or athose with physical disabilities.
• Side Hinged – These doors are typical, side hinged doors, usually consisting of pair, but which operate like a ´normal` door. They look a little more rustic, but have the obvious swing out area which should be taken into account. These doors can be a little fiddly for car owners, but for anyone who doesn’t keep a car in their garage, these are a good option.