At a Glance
- The Best Garage Door Styles for New Garage Doors
- Traditional Garage Doors
- Carriage Style Garage Doors
- Modern Garage Doors
The Best Garage Door Styles for New Garage Doors
If you’re thinking about getting a new garage door, there are a lot of things you need to consider: style, color, budget, materials, and the list goes on! How do you choose all of these things? What should you focus on? The Garage Door Company is here to break down everything you need to know about garage door styles.
One of the first things you need to determine is the garage door style you want for your home. There is a lot to choose from, so we’ll break down the three most popular styles.
Traditional Garage Doors
Traditional garage doors are the most common garage doors you’ll see. These doors are the most versatile and budget-friendly of all styles. A traditional door can go with just about any home located anywhere. You can never go wrong with a traditional garage door!
These doors typically feature recessed or raised, short panels. A recessed panel is one that is flat and surrounded by a framework. A raised panel has a thicker edge, usually with decoration cut into the edge, also surrounded by a framework. Short panels are small and square, as opposed to rectangular long panels.
These garage doors typically have rows of square panels with no other decorations. Often they will have a small window arrangement along the top, usually either in squares or a “sunshine” pattern.
These garage doors come in every color imaginable! Most often, traditional garage doors are white or cream, but you can see black, brown, or bright colors everywhere.
Traditional garage doors are typically made of steel, as it is the most common material available. It is also easily customizable and can come in many different colors. The panels are easy to replace should they get damaged, and they’re fairly easy to keep clean.
Pros
- Budget-friendly
- Customizable
- Can be insulated
Cons
- Common
- Difficult to make unique
- Lower quality
Carriage Style Garage Doors
Carriage-style garage doors (sometimes referred to as barn-style doors or carriage house-style doors) are the classiest option out there. These doors add a touch of elegance without taking away from the home. This is a great option for an upgrade!
Carriage doors get their inspiration from–you guessed it—old carriage houses where the carriages were stored. This style makes it look like the doors swing outward instead of moving upward.
These doors feature warm, neutral colors, usually white, cream, or brown. This helps keep the classy look without becoming gaudy.
Typically, these doors will come in steel with a faux wood front. This gives the appearance of wood without the maintenance or price tag. All these layers allow this style to be insulated as well. It is also possible to get a natural wood carriage-style garage door if you want to add some real charm to your home.
These doors include a row of windows along the top, sometimes with panes. They can either be straight or slightly curved.
Carriage-style garage doors feature long panels in a wood or wood-look style, typically running vertically. These panels are crossed with the characteristic “x” shape, reminiscent of a barn. Sometimes only half of the “x” is visible, giving more of a “v” shape.
One of the most common features that carriage-style garage doors have is iron hardware. This hardware is purely decorative, but it adds to the illusion that the door opens outwards. The decorative hardware usually features faux hinges and handles.
Pros
- Elegant look
- Goes with everything
- Classy
Cons
- Pricier
- More difficult to replace panels
- Can look cluttered
Modern Garage Doors
Modern garage doors can include a variety of looks. This name doesn’t refer to whatever is new; it specifically refers to the modern style.
Modern garage doors have a lot of differences, but there are many similarities as well.
These doors feature clean lines, minimal decorations, and nothing that isn’t absolutely necessary. You won’t find any decorative hardware here! Instead, you’ll see lots of straight lines, clean seams, and a uniform look.
Material-wise, these doors can come in just about anything. Glass garage doors are becoming increasingly popular. These doors are just as strong as regular ones and can still be insulated, and they allow for a lot of natural light. Natural wood garage doors are also on the rise. They add a sense of charm that can’t be beaten. The wood can also be stained in a number of different hues. Steel is also a great option for places with rough weather conditions or for tighter budgets. The faux wood add-ons even allow for a wood-like feel.
Modern doors usually have three options when it comes to windows: all, none, or asymmetrical. Glass garage doors would be an example of all windows. A lot of wood garage doors don’t have any windows in order to keep a uniform appearance. If the garage door has a normal amount of windows, they’re usually running down now side vertically. This adds a fun asymmetrical look that the modern style loves.
These doors tend to stick to neutral and black colors. The black really stands out against the house while natural blends in more.
These garage doors tend to have long panels, but it really depends on what the materials are. The paneling will stick with the seamless, uniform look, however.
Pros
- Extremely customizable
- Very unique
- Greatly enhances curb appeal
Cons
- Pricey
- Requires more maintenance
- Heavier; requires a newer opener
There you have it! The top three garage door styles. If you have more questions about any of these styles, feel free to contact The Garage Door Company. We can answer all your questions and help you pick out the right style for your home.
If you want one of these garage doors and need a reliable company to install it, give us a call! We can install any of these styles safely and efficiently. Call us today!
