Types of Residential Garage Doors

Carriage / Swing-Style

A more traditional type of residential garage door, tried-and-true carriage or swing-style garage doors operate like a pair of very big French doors. More often than not, these doors are made of wood and hang from jambs on hinges. Swing-style doors create an architectural focal point, adding strong vertical lines to the facade of your home. It’s also important to note that, swinging garage doors tend to be more energy-efficient due to the sealant at the header and side jambs and the fact that they only have one joint.

However, carriage and swing-style garage doors do require more clearance. Also, if homeowners park too close to their swinging doors, they won’t have room to fully open. Typically, these types of garage doors are best suited for spaces dedicated to storage rather than parking because they are more time-consuming to manually open and lock. They can also be quite expensive to automate.

Wood Composite

A more modern material, composite garage doors are typically made with a wood frame covered in sheets of fiberboard. Top-shelf composite garage door models offer higher-density fiberboard skins and also incorporate realistic details that mimic actual wood, including overlays and grooves. Also, oftentimes cores in composite doors are filled with polystyrene insulation.

Wood

One of the most popular residential options are wooden garage doors, which are built with layers, or plies, to prevent warping. At Door Ace, we offer a bevy of wood types, including cedar, redwood, fir, and meranti (luan). Homeowners should keep in mind that wooden garage doors can be factory-stained, painted, or finished on-site according to custom specifications.

Aluminum

The perfect metal garage door for houses in areas with higher humidity, aluminum panels eliminate the problem and possibility of corrosion, but are actually far easier to dent than steel doors even. Aluminum garage doors in residential homes are available in contemporary brushed finishes, as well as a wide array of colors. Another popular alternative is translucent glass panels, which may be used instead of aluminum, and they let in daylight without sacrificing your privacy, security, or protection.

Fiberglass

More and more homeowners are opting for fiberglass garage doors because they are less subject to denting or cracking. However, even though these doors don’t rust, they can still break upon impact. Garage doors made from this material are typically comprised of two layers of fiberglass, which are bonded to a steel frame and then filled with polyurethane insulation–optional end caps help improve rigidity and overall strength.

Vinyl

Perfect for families, vinyl garage doors are promoted as ‘kid-proof,’ because they are very difficult to dent or break. Typically, mounted on steel frames, vinyl garage doors are also filled with polyurethane insulation. They also look quite similar to fiberglass variants but are available in fewer colors. Growing in popularity, vinyl garage doors are very durable requiring very little maintenance besides the occasional hose-down.

Hinges

Integral to the motion of opening and closing your garage door, these are the joints that allow for sections to fold and collapse. We recommend double hinges for larger garage doors for added reinforcement while open.

Rollers

Rollers are just the wheels that guide your garage door up and down. There are three types of rollers that homeowners can choose from for their residential doors, including: steel, nylon, and reinforced nylon. Both nylon options provide more quiet operation, while steel rollers remain the most common and cost-effective. When you opt for steel rollers, the bearings are the most important factor to consider for durability and performance. The more bearings you incorporate, the better. Rollers with less bearings tend to slide rather than roll, which only increases wear and tear for both your garage door and garage door opener.

Tracks

Tracks are integral to guiding the rollers when opening or closing your garage door. When installing a new residential garage door, it’s crucial to consider your tracks’ thickness. Tracks made with a thicker, lower gauge steel are more resistant to twisting and bending.

Struts

Because of their increased weight, double garage doors need reinforcement struts for added support when left open for extended periods of time.

Spring System

Also known as the counterweight system, spring systems help homeowners open their garage doors manually without throwing out their backs. Springs are responsible for reducing the weight of your door to roughly 10 lbs. When it comes to choosing springs, there are two main types: torsion and extension. Torsion spring systems are installed above your garage door, while extension spring systems are mounted over the horizontal tracks. An extension system saves a little space for tighter clearances, but both systems are comparable quality with 5-7 year service lives.

Lift Cables

 When servicing or installing a residential garage door, it’s important to consider that your lift cable has the load capacity to hold the weight of your door.

Weatherstripping

On residential garage doors, weather stripping is applied in 3 places, including the sides of the door on the exterior, the bottom of the door, and between the door sections. More often than not, weatherstripping is manufactured using PVC or thermoplastic elastomer. Be sure to ask your garage door specialist to check the flexibility of the weatherstripping on your garage door. If you live in an area with a colder climate, you might want to invest in a premium weatherstripping to avoid future repairs due to colder temperatures, or even frost.

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