The garage door style that you’re vying for can sometimes be determined by the material used to create it. For instance, if ultra sleek is your goal, this likely means choosing glass Luminous Garage Doors and not natural wood grain. Or the practicality of the material decides the style—for strength and heavy-duty insulation, 24-guage steel is what you need.
But who says you have to choose one or the other? With our variety of garage doors and customizable options, you can easily find common ground. Here are some things to consider.
The Materials
Steel, copper, wood, vinyl, fiberglass, all-glass—these are some of the materials used to make garage door panels. They each have their benefits and drawbacks and come with their inherent personalities. Steel is the strong silent type, but you have to be specific with them as some are stronger than others; wood has a lovely character, but can be high maintenance; copper exudes charm but also has a higher price tag; vinyl is the sensible one where durability meets affordability; fiberglass is flexible with its ability to mimic wood grain; and glass is sophisticated but delicate.
All this aside, some materials are more suitable for your climate than others depending on where you live, which really should be the primary deciding factor.
The Styles
There are hundreds of panel styles to choose from. Our Carriage House Doors offer dozens of patterns and designs for trim overlays—Wayne Dalton’s Model 8670 alone includes 30 panel designs. Add to this, the thousands of paint colour options (6,000 actually) available on any Wayne Dalton garage door.
The Richards-Wilcox Contemporary Rockwood Series lets your choose from three rich natural woods and offers the freedom to design your own custom overlay pattern. Or choose from Richards-Wilcox’s eight most popular configurations, including Bracebridge and Waterloo.
Fiberglass panels can be constructed in a chic slatted Horizontal V-Groove pattern. Glass panels, such as those on our Modern Glass Garage Doors 8800, can be etched, tinted, or even laminated for privacy. And pretty much any garage door can be adorned with windows, or embellished with wrought iron and hammered hardware.
But choosing a panel style is not as daunting as it sounds. Once you’ve decided between a raised panel and a flat panel, you’re already halfway there. And ultimately, the style of your home will guide the way.
The Verdict
You don’t need to choose between functional and stylish—you can have both. What’s more, it’s not a question of ‘either-or’—it’s about what best suits your home and climate and choosing a style that you like within those parameters.
TIP: Take the guesswork out of garage door design by visiting our virtual Design Centre. It’s an online visualization tool that lets you select from a number of styles including door panel options and configurations. You can even upload a photo of your own home for a realistic view.
We’re here to help you find the right balance between looks and practicality. Contact one of our experts today at any of our eight locations.