A Complete Garage Door Material Guide

Selecting a garage door material is an important decision that impacts your home’s curb appeal, energy efficiency and overall property value. With so many options available, it can be a challenge to choose the best material for garage doors. This garage door material guide explores the most popular options, including their pros and ideal applications to help you make an informed choice. 

Garage Door Material Types

By exploring various garage door materials and weighing their design properties and pros and cons, you can select a suitable material for your garage door and home. Here are common garage door materials to choose from.

1. Steel Garage Doors 

Steel is a widely used garage door material option due to its durability and affordability. Steel doors also require minimal maintenance, making them an economical choice for most homeowners. They can be insulated or uninsulated. They also come in several styles and finishes, including wood grain textures for a classic appeal. 

One of the most significant drawbacks of both insulated and uninsulated steel is that it can corrode and rust easily, especially in climates that experience heavy rain and snowfall. Clopay® has a range of steel garage doors to choose from, such as the Modern Steel™ and  Classic™ Steel designs, with doors that feature a tough, layered coating system for added protection. 

Here are some steel garage door pros:

  • Solid and durable: Steel can make your garage door stable and reliable. You can use your steel door for many years before requiring replacement.
  • Low maintenance: Galvanized or insulated steel doors can be more resistant to warping and cracking, requiring less maintenance.
  • More economical: Steel garage materials are lightweight and can be more affordable than other options. 
  • Come in multiple design and style options: Steel garage doors come in numerous classic and modern designs that can match and enhance your house’s design.

2. Aluminum Garage Doors

Aluminum is one of the most popular garage door material types for homeowners seeking a modern, rust-resistant and lightweight option. You can pair these garage doors with glass panels to create a sleek and contemporary look that lets in lots of natural light into your space.

One of the drawbacks of aluminum garage doors is that they’re lightweight, making them more susceptible to wear and damage from adverse weather conditions. Fortunately, you can add insulation to your aluminum doors to boost their strength.

Here are some aluminum garage door pros:

  • Corrosion- and rust-resistance: Aluminum garage door panels can withstand rust and corrosion, making them ideal for wet and coastal climates.
  • Customization: Aluminum is easy to shape and customize to match your design vision. You can add various eye-catching finishes and coat colors to your aluminum glass door to enhance the exterior of your home.
  • Low maintenance needs: Without the risk of rust and corrosion, aluminum doors require minimal maintenance.

3. Natural Wood Garage Doors

Natural woods like cedar, fir and redwood offer natural insulation and attractive designs. Wood is also an eco-friendly and renewable garage door material option. It can be easily customized, offering various styles to match your home’s exterior and enhance its curb appeal.

Warm wood tones and overlays can also give your home an elegant, timeless garage door design. Wood garage door designs are eye-catching and can be an excellent option for boosting your property value. With care, a natural wood garage door can serve you well and add beauty to your home.

One of the drawbacks of wood is that it can cost more upfront than other garage door materials. You may also spend more on maintenance to keep your wooden garage door from chipping, fading, rotting, or warping. Wood doors are also heavy and can be challenging to lift or open manually without an opener.

Here are several wood garage door pros:

  • Increase curb appeal: Natural wood garage doors can offer classic and beautiful designs to enhance your curb appeal.
  • Offer natural insulation: Wood is a natural insulator, providing your home with natural insulation, especially in winter. 
  • Customizable: You can choose between various color oil-based wood stains to enhance your door’s appearance and protect it from moisture and rot. 
  • Come in unique overlay designs: You can customize your wooden garage door with steel or wood panels for a memorable and sophisticated appearance. 

4. Wood Composite Garage Doors

Wood composite is a durable and affordable garage door material. Manufacturers use recycled materials like reclaimed wood and plastic fiber to create wood composite doors.

Wood composite garage doors have a wood frame situated behind layers of fiberboard. Various wood composite materials can resemble natural or genuine wood. These garage doors can have natural wood details like grooves, overlays and stains. Manufacturers can fill wood composite cores with polystyrene to enhance the material’s temperature-regulating properties. These garage door materials can be suitable for various climates.

One of the drawbacks of wood composite garage doors is that they can be less durable than natural wood and can crack or chip easily. Wood composite can also require some maintenance, like waxing and washing, to keep up with your garage door’s appearance.

Here are some key wood composite garage door pros:

  • Affordable natural wood alternative: Wood composite is a type of faux wood and can offer all the benefits of natural timber at affordable prices.
  • Natural wood appearance: High-quality composite wood can resemble the visual features of real wood.
  • Temperature regulation: Wood composite garage doors can have added insulation like polystyrene that helps regulate temperatures.
  • Rot-resistant: Unlike natural wood, composite wood can be resistant to rot.

5. Fiberglass

Fiberglass is a corrosion-resistant garage door material that looks and feels like natural wood. These doors can connect to a steel frame for a more rigid design. Manufacturers can also fill fiberglass garage door materials with polyurethane insulation to help strengthen the door and enhance insulation.

Fiberglass doors are available in a variety of styles, including raised panel, carriage house and modern designs. These garage door materials can also be more transparent, enhancing your home’s natural light. 

One of the main drawbacks of fiberglass is that it makes it challenging to repair minor damages and can require replacement. Fiberglass is also better suited for less windy and coastal climates. Strong winds can damage fiberglass and create a distracting rattling noise against fiberglass doors.

Some fiberglass garage door pros include:

  • Mimics natural wood: Fiberglass materials can closely mimic natural wood, offering an elegant appearance.
  • Affordable: Fiberglass can be substantially cheaper than natural wood, with many of the same benefits.
  • Withstand extreme heat: Your fiberglass garage door is less likely to contract or swell in drastic temperature changes.
  • Corrosion resistant: Fiberglass can resist rust, rot and decay and requires less maintenance than natural wood. 
  • Natural light: A semi-transparent fiberglass material can improve the natural lighting in your garage.

6. Vinyl

Vinyl garage doors are rigid and damage-resistant. These garage door materials can be secured against a metal frame, giving them a rigid core and structure. Vinyl garage door materials also contain polystyrene insulation to reinforce the door’s strength and damage resistance.

They can be an excellent addition to your home, especially if your concern is preventing damage like dents from balls, bicycles and other impacts. Vinyl’s insulation also makes it an energy-efficient garage door material and can save you on heating bills in winter.

Vinyl garage doors come in various sophisticated designs to enhance your home’s visual appeal. However, one of the main drawbacks of vinyl is that once you pick a design and color, you’re stuck with it. Repainting a vinyl garage door is challenging, so settling on a timeless color and design is essential.

Some key vinyl garage door pros are: 

  • Rigid and durable: Vinyl is a rigid, sturdy material offering you a tough and robust garage door. 
  • Damage-resistantVinyl garage doors have a steel frame, reinforcing their strength. Your garage door can withstand wear better as a result.
  • Affordable material: Vinyl garage door materials are readily available, making them more affordable.
  • Rust resistant: Vinyl can resist rust and corrosion and requires less maintenance.
  • Energy-efficient: Polyurethane-insulated vinyl garage doors can save you on heating bills.

Install Your Garage Door With Help From Viking Overhead

Are you ready to upgrade your garage door? Connect with the experts at Viking Overhead. Our experienced team will help you select the best material for your garage doors, enhancing your curb appeal and security. With decades of experience and an outstanding selection of high-quality doors, you can count on us to help you make the right choice. Contact our team to get started. 

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