Did you know that replacing your garage door is one of the easiest ways to increase the value of your home while simultaneously adding some major curb-appeal? In fact, replacing your garage door has the best return on investment for home renovation and remodeling projects; Remodeling Magazine’s Cost vs Value report listed a 91.5% return on investment for garage door replacements in 2016.
Considering the fact that garage doors can make up as much as 30% of the front exterior of your home, you want to make sure you take into account the style of your house, the color scheme, and your budget. Ultimately, this means finding the right material for your garage door that checks all of the boxes. Here are the top four options for garage door materials:
1. Fiberglass
Fiberglass garage doors have panels that are wrapped in aluminum frames. They can be painted and are easily malleable, making it easy for them to resemble many types of material. This means you can let in plenty of light with transparent doors, or instead go with a rustic, wood aesthetic.
Unfortunately, fiberglass can break down and yellow over time. It is also prone to early fading due to weather exposure and is not the best insulator. However, if you are looking for a garage door that is low-maintenance, lightweight, and not prone to rust, then fiberglass is the way to go.
2. Steel
There are many reasons why steel is the most popular material for residential garage doors. For starters, it is available in a multitude of styles, is affordable, and is low maintenance. It is very easy to paint and comes in many types of textures.
Steel is also one of the top options for garage door materials because it will not crack, delaminate, or warp. It offers superior design flexibility that lets you easily draw attention to the exterior of your home. For example, if you love the look of wood but don’t love the upkeep that comes with it, you can choose to install carriage style garage doors with steel that is made to look like wood.
3. Wood
If a traditional and authentic look is what you are going for, then wood has your name all over it. The original material used for garage doors, wood comes with a large selection of colors, finishes, and panel styles.
While wood garage doors are durable, they require regular maintenance in the form of refinishing, and will not last nearly as long garage doors made out of other materials. On the other hand, wood offers better insulation than steel, but steel garage doors provide much better energy conservation.
4. Aluminum
Aluminum is best-suited for wide double doors because of how light the material is. It can be painted almost any color you want, and comes in many glass options such as translucent, tinted, and clear panels.
Garage doors made from aluminum are much more fragile and need to be well taken care of. Otherwise, the aluminum can easily dent, which translates into frequent garage door repair services and a shorter lifespan.
There is a reason why 24 Garage Doors has a 100% customer satisfaction rating. Find out why by giving us a call at (888) 266-2870 for all your garage door needs.
