If you want to maximize the value of your home, you'll find garage doors are an easy and affordable method to increase your home's curb appeal. A good garage door will distinguish it from the rest of the neighborhood. For something extra special, custom made garage doors can be designed to your specifications.
The most common types of garage doors are: Retractable, Canopy Side, and Hinged Sectional Retractable. Where limited space in your driveway is an issue, sectional garage doors are the right choice. They open and shut vertically, allowing cars to park very close to the door without keeping it from opening. Among the wide variety of designs, the most popular garage doors are sectional, upward acting, and self storing.
The Types of Garage Doors
Gone are the old manual doors. Today you'll find that remote controlled and motorized garage doors have produced a more usable garage. The most popular style is the overhead garage door.
The primary concern in planning your garage door is the material used. Selecting the best garage door materials for your needs will depend on a few things like the style of your home, and how warm you want your garage to be. There are 3 main materials for garage door construction: Wood, Steel and Fiberglass (GRP).
When you're planning to install a garage door, you must consider door type and materials. You can also incorporate into your plan such things as heated garages or unique window options.
The Most Popular Style is the Overhead Garage Door
Overhead garage doors are by far the most popular type of garage door available to homeowners. With automatic stop and begin features, people find overhead garage doors easy to use, with wonderful options and safety features.
Overhead garage doors work with a rolling system. The door rolls up and stores along the roof of the garage. Overhead door features to look for are that they are smooth, quiet and compact. Installing an overhead garage door is simple; do it yourself, or get help from the manufacturer. Popular garage door manufacturers include Garaga, Liftmaster, Raynor or DBCI.
The Appeal of Wood
Wood garage doors are preferred more for their appearance and affordability than for their durability.
You can select wood types like solid cedar for a durable garage door, which will last for years and look wonderful. Sections of roll-up wood doors may have either panel or flush construction. For panel doors, manufacturers fit several separate, rectangular panels into a wooden frame. Flush sections are made by fastening a plywood panel on top of a wooden frame.
The main disadvantage to a wooden garage door is that wood expands and contracts and can warp or crack as it weathers. It demands re-painting or refinishing every couple of years to keep it looking good and in top condition.
Steel Garage Doors Have Many Advantages
The main advantage to steel garage doors is that they won't warp, crack, or fall apart because of weather. With no painting or refinishing requirements, steel doors are a low maintenance possibility that will keep your home looking stylish. Nowadays most steel garage doors are made of hot-dipped galvanized steel that is vinyl clad or given a baked on polyester finish. They will not rust or require repainting like wooden doors.
Another important advantage of steel garage doors is that they achieve the look of wood without the maintenance. Some have grained steel skins that can be stained to look just like wood. A design mimicking carriage house doors has become quite popular for nearly a decade. Some manufacturers use composite or vinyl boards on the exterior of a steel door to make it look like an outward swinging door.
The only disadvantage to steel doors is that they dent and can be difficult to repair. A premium door is often 2 inches thick, filled with insulation, and clad in 24-gauge steel. Less-expensive doors are usually thinner and made of 28 gauge steel. So steel offers real benefits over wood; it costs less and it needs much less maintenance and with can look just like wood.
The Assets of Fiberglass
Fiberglass, sometimes called GRP, garage doors are chosen for locations where light is important or in salty ocean climates. GRP garage doors need only mild exterior cleaning to retain their quality finish. They generally they do not need to be stained or finished. The most popular style for a GRP garage door is the retractable garage door. Fiberglass is a tough and durable material which will keep looking good for years.
Conclusions
Each of garage door material has its own benefits: Steel up and over doors are sturdy and give great value for money; wood doors are insulated and have an appealing look, and fiberglass up and over garage doors are extremely low maintenance offering a timber effect without the maintenance of real wood. Which ever you pick you'll be sure that it will elevate the curb appeal and the value of your home, and increase your feeling of security.
Choosing a garage door needn't be painful, but as with any other home improvement project you should keep your wits about you and take all the advice that is available. In that spirit, I suggest you keep an eye on the following five secrets of choosing the right garage door. They're particularly applicable to garage doors in Perth, but the same principles apply just about anywhere in the world.
#Secret 1: Thinking about space
The space within your garage is a valuable asset. Land use costs in the Perth can get pretty steep, and Perth's garage doors often waste more real estate than they need to. Be wary of garage doors that rob you of that space - it is usually not worth saving money on cheaper doors, if they will rob you of valuable cubic feet of usable space. Hinged doors opening inwards tend to take up more space inside. The standard sectional design is best - most of the space sectional garage doors need to operate is above your head, where it is not used much anyway. These sectional doors take up hardly any space inside our outside, and as such they can justify a higher price-tag. If you house is in a high-density area of Perth, sectional garage doors are therefore the ideal choice for you.
#Secret 2: Let there be light
A second secret: you should be thinking about your garage door not just as a door, but as a window. So many of Perth's garages end up as needlessly dingy rooms, lit by bare light bulbs - but there is no reason for it to be that way. If you're ever going to work in your garage, you'll really benefit from getting some natural light in there. Adding windows to your garage door doesn't add much expense, but it will make your garage a much more pleasant place to spend time. So garage tinkerers should get windows in their garage doors: Perth's sunlight is far easier on the eyes than mediocre garage lighting.
#Secret 3: Keeping safe
'Badly installed garage doors can injure your children'. Yes, it sounds like I'm trying to scare you - but I'm afraid it's true. I don't know of anybody who has been injured by garage doors in Perth, but if the city has escaped so far, it's only a matter of time. The risk is reduced enormously if you take sensible basic precautions. Employ a trustworthy, safety-conscious firm to install your garage door, and get them to explain what precautions they are taking. Demand that the doors meet appropriate safety standards. For instance, they must reverse if they hit an obstacle in their path - because that obstacle could be you.
Then once you have the garage door, you will need to keep them safe by checking and maintaining them properly. Keep your garage doors well-oiled and clean, and above all well-balanced. Have them serviced regularly (once a year is appropriate): it won't take long or cost much, and easily justifies itself through your increased peace of mind.
#Secret 4: Locks and keys
Garage doors need to be just as secure as every other entry point to your home. If you are installing a remote-controlled set of automatic garage doors, you need to be sure that the security mechanisms in the remote control are at least as reliable as the physical bolts protecting your front door. The security of electronic devices is an area where it is notoriously easy to be hoodwinked by impressive-sounding jargon, so I would advise you against trying to understand the ins and outs of the system yourself. Instead, look for a reliable business selling garage doors, one which has been in business for some time and has satisfied customers. Check out the models of doors they suggest on the Internet or with knowledgeable friends, looking to see if there have been reports of security problems with them.
#Secret 5: Know your friends
The success of your garage door installation project will depend not just on what you choose but, crucially, on who you choose. Doing it all yourself isn't a good decision unless you're a skilled handyman with a lot of time on your hands. In the business of installing garage doors, experience counts for a lot, and getting your garage door installed by somebody with a lot of experience will save you from many of the errors people make first time round.
Both Stephen Dolan & Bob Kirkright are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Stephen Dolan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Acupuncture Chiropractor, Gardening and Ideas for Remodeling. Steve Dolan is a homeowner and DIY enthusiast. Click for articles and resources for all your garage door needs. For more on home. Stephen Dolan's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
Bob Kirkright has sinced written about articles on various topics from Home Improvement. Custom Garage Doors - Perth's specialist in automatic garage doors.Bob Kirkright has designed and installed some of the finest and most-admired automatic garage doors in Perth. Years of experience give his business, Custom Garage Door. Bob Kirkright's top article generates over 5400 views. to your Favourites.