A quality garage door is essential to protecting your vehicles and valuables inside your garage. Oftentimes, a garage door will show signs that it is reaching the end of its life long before it actually fails or falls apart. These signs may include warping, opening and closing roughly, or broken parts. When you see any of these signs, it is time to consider replacing your garage door with a newer and safer door. A new door will work more smoothly and will insulate your garage much better than your old door. Today there are more garage door material choices than ever before. You need to be sure that you choose the best material for your garage so that your new garage door installation will give you the security and insulation you need for many years to come. Let’s examine how to choose which material is best for your garage.
Determine Your Needs
Consider your lifestyle when choosing your next garage door. Things to include in your consideration include how often you are home, how much maintenance you want to perform on it, whether or not you have pets or kids, and the weather. Each of these aspects of your life impact the material you should choose. For example, here in Lansing, Michigan, it gets pretty cold in the winter. With that in mind, choose a garage door that is going to have an excellent insulation factor to keep out that cold winter weather. If you have children, then you will probably want a material that is dent resistant. Some garage doors require regular maintenance while others are virtually maintenance-free.
Garage Door Material Choices
Of course, in order to make the right decision, you must know what kinds of garage door materials there are, so let’s take a look at those different materials and their advantages and disadvantages.
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Steel – Steel is the standard for garage doors today. Many people have steel doors, because they are affordable and do not require much maintenance. However, be aware that not all steel doors are created equal. Cheaper steel doors typically use a higher gauge (meaning thinner) steel that is more likely to dent. A good quality garage door should have at least 25-gauge steel to resist impacts and denting. Steel doesn’t insulate as well as other materials, so make sure the door you are considering has some form of insulation added to it.
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Wood – Wooden doors can be a great choice to set your home apart. They can be custom made to look exactly how you want. Wood doors provide more insulation than steel and will provide a better sound barrier as well. The biggest downside to wood is that it will require regular, yearly maintenance to keep it looking its best. If not cared for properly, it may rot or crack.
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Wood Composite – This type of door uses recycled wood fiber. They give the texture and feel of wood with the strength and durability of a steel door. They are usually lower maintenance than a wood door. They can usually be painted or stained as well.
Finding a Professional
The most important part of your garage door installation in Lansing is finding a professional garage door installer to help you. A professional will be able to guide you in choosing the right material for your application and will also be able to advise you on what designs and styles work best for your home.