Garage doors are not something many people are likely to purchase often and there are many considerations to ensure the garage door you choose ends up being the right one. With technological advances and an increasing number of manufacturers in the market, the range of garage doors available is bigger than ever before.

For a purchase than can transform the street appeal and the front façade of your home, these tips explain how you can choose the right door based upon your needs, budget and style preferences. 

Materials

One of the first considerations is selecting what your garage door is made from. By far, the most common material used is steel—however timber, aluminium, fibreglass and PVC plastic garage doors are also on the market. Generally, steel is one of most affordable and robust materials available, with timber requiring more upkeep despite it's beautiful appearance.

For homeowners who live close to the coast, a powder coated finish on aluminium and steel doors may be needed to prevent rust. PVC polyethylene plastic doors are relatively new to the market, but more expensive than steel models. Compared to some steel models, plastic garage doors will also not fade from direct sunlight and will resist denting from hail and other projectiles. Despite being lighter weight, the high density plastic offers the same level of security as other materials also using reinforced cross beams on the rear side of the door. 

Insulation

Most people don't buy insulation for their garage door, but in colder climates, insulation can be an important consideration. In cold climates if the garage is adjoins to a main living area or in a two-storey home if there is a room directly above the garage, it can be worth including a separate layer of steel over the inside of the door to prevent the transfer of cold air through the steel. This 'steel sandwich' is filled with insulation materials including rubber, mineral wool or cellulose.

Colour

Colour is a major consideration when choosing a garage door. A garage is almost always on proud display from the street and a double garage door will take up several metres of square footage. Most steel garage doors are available in many different colours, including neutral shades of grey, tan, slate and cream and more vibrant heritage greens, navy blues and maroons. Remember that darker colours will transfer more heat into the home.

When it comes to colour, a colour choice should complement other colours used throughout the exterior of the home. A common solution is to match the garage door with the roofing, guttering or window trim colours.

Safety Features

Motion-controlled sensors to prevent garage doors closing if something is in its path can be an important feature for families with young children. A reversing mechanism takes this a step further by automatically reversing the closing movement if the door comes into contact with any object.

For more advice on choosing the right garage door to suit your durability, safety, style and budget requirements, a garage door installation company or manufacturer will be able to provide quotes and advice to find the best garage door possible based upon your specific needs. 

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