Garage doors can be an Architectural focal point

BY SARAH COLBURN STAFF WRITER

Once an after-thought as homes were built, the garage door has become an architectural focal point of the home – often taking up at least one-third of the front of the house.

“As garage doors continue to evolve, there are a lot more options available to people as to what the doors are made out of, the insulation value, the curb appeal of the doors,” said Nate Brown, sales manager for American Door Works.

In the last five years, the company has seen an uptick not only in new construction homes, but in clients who want to refresh the look of their 1990s/2000-builds with new siding, windows and garage doors. Fifteen to 20 years ago, there wasn’t much variety on the market

Garage doors page 6

Garage doors

from page 5 when it came to doors; people often had to choose from three colors of raised-panels. Now, in an era where homeowners have begun to treat their garage as an extension of their home, sometimes using it as additional relaxation space or entertaining space, improved garage doors have become part of that trend.

Nearly all the garage doors on the market today are made of steel, he said. Gone are the days of fiberglass doors. Today’s shoppers can choose from carriage-style doors, those with windows that are insulated or uninsulated and they come in a multitude of colors and looks. While a small percentage of people may opt for a true wooden garage door, homeowners are much more likely to choose a stamped steel door finished to look like wood, or what’s called an overlay door, which is a steel door with a layer of composite on the outside, finished with a wood-like grain.

The composite and steel doors, Brown said, require almost no maintenance while a true wood door not only weighs much more, it has to be maintained and re-stained every few years.

While not every style of door fits every style of home, experts can help homeowners create the perfect look. Many manufacturers offer online tools to upload a photo of a home and play around with the stylings. While today’s doors are often available in up to 10 color options, steel doors can be painted after the fact to match the house, which is usually done by a professional. While the manufacturer’s color is under warranty, paint applied to the doors is not. In cases where the garage door is in direct sun exposure for most of the day, it’s best to stick with the manufacturer colors for longevity, Brown suggested.

As important as the style of door is the function of the door and the customer’s needs when it comes to insulation.

The use of the garage space often dictates the most appropriate garage door product. For those looking for a heated

Garage doors page 7

Garage doors

from page 6 shop space, or those using the space as a hangout area, insulation and the gauge of the door are important.

Doors can be insulated with Polystyrene or Polyurethane. The Polystyrene, Brown said, is more an entry-level option for an insulated door. There’s a steel exterior and, on the inside of the door, polystyrene panels covered by a vinyl or steel backing to hold them in place. Vinyl is less costly while steel is more of an upgrade and makes the door sturdier and quieter.

Polyurethane insulation is blown in between the layers of steel at the manufacturer and fills in any and all gaps between the two panels. Polyurethane-insulated doors have a higher R-value and a higher price point. If a customer is heating their garage to 55 or 60 degrees regularly, the extra cost for a polyurethane door is worth it, Brown said.

Without proper maintenance, garage doors can simply stop working. This door has a broken cable, one of the most common repair needs. Regular garage door inspections and maintenance can prevent cable breakage, which can cause other damage.

Residential garage doors, depending on the type of insulation and materials used, can range from an R-value of six to an R-value of 25. Adding windows to the door can lower that R-value or, with insulated windows, keep the R-value roughly the same.

The gauge of steel used to craft the door is also something to consider.

“The lower the gauge of steel, the better the quality,” Brown said.

Lower-gauge steel provides for a sturdier, quieter door that is less likely to dent and scratch. Most of the doors Brown’s company sells are steelbacked and are typically 26-gauge steel. For vinyl-backed or uninsulated doors, the company uses 24- or 25-gauge steel to provide extra sturdiness. Most doors available in retail stores are 27-gauge steel, he said.

Along with the lower-gauge panels, there can also be a difference in quality of the components including rollers and hinges.

When it comes to installation of the garage doors, that is best left to the professionals. Garage doors are installed with torsion or extension springs and both have an extreme amount of load on them and are extremely dangerous. Most often, Brown

Garage doors page 8