What are Garage Doors Made out of? What Is The Best Garage Door Material?
Garage doors come in various styles and materials. The type of garage door materials will affect the cost. The different styles and colors will affect how much a garage door will cost.
Most garage doors are made of steel. There are also fiberglass, aluminum, and wood. On top of that, many garage doors have glass windows. There are also different types of insulation to consider when buying a new garage door.
Types of garage door materials
Steel Garage Doors
The vast majority of garage doors are made of steel. These doors usually come in either insulated or non-insulated versions.
Non-Insulated Steel Garage Doors
A non-insulated steel garage door is probably the most inexpensive type of door you can buy. This type of door is made of a metal skin that is formed into the shape of the garage door panel. This is a very light and flimsy type of garage door. Many people use non-insulated doors for buildings that are not heated or attached to any heated rooms. If you’re not worried about R-value, this might not be a bad option for you.
Insulated Steel Garage Door
Insulated metal garage doors a the most popular in the industry. They are affordable and provide excellent return on investment. They are the best garage door material and give you the best “bang for your buck”. The two most popular steel doors come in 1 3/8 inches and 2 inch thick panels.
These doors come in many designs and colors that will satisfy most people’s tastes. Steel doors are fairly durable but can dent when hit hard enough.
Steel insulated garage doors are the most affordable, good quality, and are maintenance-free. This is the reason steel doors are the most cost-efficient.
Types of Garage Door Materials
Fiberglass Garage Doors
Fiberglass garage doors are similar to steel doors. These doors are only made with polyurethane insulation. The skin (outer shell) of the door is made with fiberglass rather than steel. Fiberglass garage doors are hard but flexible compared to steel or wood. This allows them to take a hit from a ball for example, and not dent as easily. Fiberglass doesn’t rust like steel garage doors or warp like wood does. Fiberglass doors cost more than steel doors. This is mainly the reason why they are not as popular as other types.
Aluminium Garage Doors
Aluminum garage doors are generally used with contemporary style in mind. Modern aluminum garage doors are known for their straight lines and sleek design. They are built using extremely durable, corrosion-resistant aluminum and light-filtering glass, making them highly functional as well as stylish. These garage doors cost a bit more than the other materials do. Mainly the reason they cost more is because aluminum is more expensive. Also, the glass generally costs more because many people opt for insulated glass.
Wood Garage Doors
Wood garage doors are not as popular now as they once were. Many garage door manufacturers stopped making wood garage doors. The reason for this is the high cost to produce a wood door. This, plus the fact that most homeowners don’t want to maintain a wooden door. A wood garage door needs to be properly sanded and re-finished every so many years. There are however a few manufacturers around still producing wood doors.
The two most common types of wood are pine and cedar. Pine is the entry-level price for the wooden door. Cedar is considerably more money but will last longer than pine.
Garage door insulation
Garage doors offer a barrier between the climate between your home and the outside. The type of insulation used can affect the R-value of the insulated panels.
Polystyrene Insulation
This type of insulation is made of Styrofoam pieces that are laid into the panel. These pieces of foam can be exposed or covered with any type of backing including steel sheeting. The R-Value of these doors is less than polyurethane insulation.
Polyurethane Insulation
This type of insulation is a spray-in foam. When the foam is sprayed into the garage door panel it makes the panel heavier and stronger. This type of insulation is the best option for any situation. It is also a bit more expensive but well worth the money.
Conclusion
First, knowing what type of function the door will have will affect what the garage door will cost. That coupled with what you want your garage door to look like allows a garage door expert to properly suggest the best options for you. Prices start out from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars. This is one of the reasons why knowing what your budget is and what you want at the beginning is so important.