Garage doors can be both beautiful and functional. It is the largest moving part of your home and acts as a giant entryway. Your garage door will affect the curb appeal, energy efficiency, and security of your home. When considering which door to buy, homeowners should first consider the style of their home, the amount of use they expect to get out of their garage door, and whether they want a single or double car door.
We’ve compiled a list of things you should know before buying a garage door:
1. What’s right for your home?
Garage doors come in various styles, including carriage-house, classic raised panels, contemporary, transitional and modern. Transoms are another style option available on some styles of garage doors. The more traditional carriages house look is characterized by its decorative moldings at the top and bottom of the door and its thick panels.
Classic raised panel garage doors feature flat and thick panels and come in a wide range of styles, sizes, and colors, including wood-grain finishes. Contemporary garage doors are characterized by their sturdy construction with angled or vertical rails. Transitional garage doors blend the aesthetics of traditional and contemporary styles. Modern garage doors use metal for the bulk of the door’s construction, giving them a sleek appearance.
2. Single or double car garage?
A single car garage is normally 9-1/2 to 10 feet wide by 14 to 16 feet long. For these smaller garages, homeowners should buy a sectional garage door, which is typically 5-feet wide. Homeowners should also take into account the size of their car when considering what size garage door to buy.
A double car garage is typically 18-1/2 feet wide by 14 to 16 feet long. For these larger garages, homeowners should buy sectional doors that are 7-feet high even though they are opening up twice as much space.
3. Consider the tracks
For a smooth and quiet operation, garage doors should run on top-quality heavy-duty steel roller tracks. Preferably these should be reinforced with an embedded metal strip or an oblique wire in the track to add strength and further reduce noise. Doors with such tracks also last much longer than those fitted on cheaper tracks.