Your garage door is something you see nearly every day, and it’s a gateway of sorts that most families use to enter their homes. It’s also one of the very first things visitors see when they visit.
When it comes to garage doors, plenty of options exist—including many that add style and performance to an area of the home that is too often overlooked. If you think it might be time to upgrade your garage door as you embark on an existing home renovation or if you’re beginning to consider garage door options for your custom-built home, finding one that is suitable for your purpose and that adds to the attractiveness of your home is easily in reach.
The following is a sampling of the best options for modern, attractive, and high-quality residential garage door styles.
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are the most common garage doors used in the United States for residential homes. Panel sections that are connected with hinges make up the sectional garage door. As the door opens and closes, wheels at the edge of each panel roll inside a vertical track on each side of the door opening.
The hinges between each panel section bend over a curved portion of the track. This feature allows the door to sit parallel to the ceiling when completely open or in line with the walls when completely closed.
A pair of high-tension springs above the opening are attached to cables that operate the door and hold it from drifting down when only partially open.
These doors are typically made from steel, are low maintenance, and can be customized to include window inserts, hardware, textures, and colors. They come in both insulated and non-insulated models.
Carriage-Style Doors
The carriage-style garage door was influenced by the elites of the 19th century who needed a place to keep their horses after exhausting daytime rides. Those carriage doors featured large wooden doors that swung open to allow an estate owner’s horses and carriage to enter. Obviously, we do not need to keep horses anymore, at least not typically and not at home.
The carriage-door design, however, has been ingrained in many modern designs. While traditional carriage doors were made with woods or steel and hinges to allow the doors to swing outward, today, the construction of carriage doors includes modern features that permit the doors to be rolled up. Modern carriage doors are frequently constructed with wood or steel overlays to mimic a traditional look.
Tilt-Up
Moving forward from 19th-century garage door style to that of the 20th century: Tilt-up garage doors gained prominence in the 1960s and 1970s. Despite being somewhat out of vogue, many homeowners still prefer tilt-up garage doors.
It should be noted that as design tastes evolve, many older garage-door styles become more dangerous and less appealing.
Tilt-up garage door options include over the canopy garage doors and the tilt-up over retractable garage doors. They extend past the front of the house when they are open.
Roll-up Garage Doors
Roll-up garage doors are more often used in commercial applications than residential, but they are a well-constructed design option for areas with limited ceiling space.
This garage door style is made with steel slats that measure 2 to 3 inches each and roll around a drum above the door opening. Roll-up (or coiling doors as they are sometimes called) can withstand heavy usage. They are often built without springs or with an enclosure the protects the mechanicals. Both of these options result in a better functioning, longer-lasting garage door,
Sliding Garage Doors
Sliding garage doors may also be called slide to the side garage doors. They are relatively fashionable and unique, and they can be constructed exclusively of glass. They do not need balancing springs, and they often include an automated control system for opening and closing. Sliding garage doors bend to one side of the wall and are positioned parallel to the wall when controlled.
Canopy Garage Door
Canopy garage doors are a creative option that utilizes more common garage door mechanicals. An adaptation of a fully opened garage door panel, this style protrudes about a third of the way forward from the subframe to form a canopy. It provides the maximum width possible to drive through when open, and it is the easiest of all garage doors to install.
The garage door of your house matters—as much as what is in the garage. When you need a new garage door as part of an existing home renovation or if you are choosing garage doors for your new custom home, together we can determine which option is best for your home and your needs.
For more information, call us or click here to schedule your complimentary, no-obligation consultation.
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