Prepping for a new garage door installation seems straightforward, but in all actuality, many decisions need to be made before purchasing a new one. From choosing a garage door material, style, color, and custom features, some homeowners feel slightly overwhelmed with the process. We want to help with that, so today, we’re taking a deep dive into the pros and cons of various garage door materials.  

Steel

Pros- Steel garage doors are the most popular choice of garage door material. They’re low maintenance, budget-friendly, and durable. Steel doors will always be an option regardless of your favorite garage door style.

Cons- Steel garage doors are poor insulators. For a more energy-efficient door, you will want to consider adding insulation to a steel door. The added layer of insulation will keep energy costs and noise levels down! Steel doors are also prone to rust and denting. 24-gauge steel is thick steel that can help with this. Thinner panels of 27 or 28-gauge steel will dent easily. 

Aluminum

Pros- Aluminum garage doors are another budget-friendly option with similar traits to steel. They are lightweight, making installation and maintenance easier than some other materials.

Cons- The most significant disadvantage of aluminum garage doors is that they dent easily. 

Wood

Pros: Wood garage doors are highly customizable and are true show-stoppers! The first garage doors were made out of wood, and they’re very popular with traditional styles. Wood doors are naturally better insulators than steel doors.

Cons: The downside to choosing a wood garage door is that they’re extremely heavy. The materials are costly, and they require a lot of maintenance. Wood doors need yearly refinishing, which some homeowners find to be tedious work if taken on as a DIY project, and expensive if hiring professional help year after year. Wood garage doors are also not as durable as other materials.

Faux Wood

Pros- A garage door made of faux wood is made of either fiberglass, aluminum, or steel and is covered with wood composite. These doors look like natural wood but are less expensive than 100% wood garage doors.  

Cons- Even though they look like natural wood, their materials can still dent and show storm damage. They are more expensive than standard steel doors. 

Vinyl

Pros- Unlike some other garage door materials, vinyl garage doors are hard to dent. They are very durable, weather resistant, and long-lasting. They’re also easy to maintain and keep clean. 

Cons- There are fewer design and color options with vinyl doors. White and beige color options are typical of vinyl doors. They’re not great insulators, but like steel doors, insulation can be added to help. 

Glass

Pros- Glass garage doors are popular with contemporary and modern styles and add a high-end look to homes. They don’t require painting, and although some assume glass doors would be fragile, tempered glass doors are just as durable as wood or aluminum doors.  

Cons– These garage doors are heavy and costly to install. Due to its weight, a higher-powered garage door opener is required to operate a glass door. Single-panel glass garage doors aren’t great insulators. 

Fiberglass

Pros- Fiberglass garage doors are less popular than some of the others. They have more resistance to dents than steel garage doors. They’re very lightweight. If you live in a coastal region, fiberglass garage doors offer higher resistance to saltwater corrosion.

Cons- This type of garage door is less popular than some of the others. This material is a poor insulator. Although fiberglass garage doors can be painted in a color of your choice, exposure to extreme weather conditions can cause fading. 

Garage Door Installation: Know Who To Call!

Now that you know the pros and cons of numerous garage door materials, you’re one step closer to choosing the perfect garage door to install at your home. A properly installed garage door can last up to 30 years, so it’s worth the time and effort to make the best choice for your needs and budget. If you have additional questions about garage door materials or garage door installation, contact our skilled garage door technicians at The Garage Door Company today!