Security is among the most crucial factors a homeowner considers when developing or purchasing a property. A garage door is one of the many features in a house that enhance the security and safety of your home, protecting your most valued assets.
A garage door provides you with the convenience of getting into your home at the push of a button. In addition, garage doors ensure your vehicle’s safety and also enhance your home’s curb appeal.
We’ll review some types of garage materials you should be aware of, the tips for choosing the most suitable garage door for your home, a comparison review for the best garage doors, and the qualities to look for in a garage door company.
Types of Garage Door Materials
The type of garage door you shall settle on will have a major impact on the overall appearance of your house. Therefore, it’s crucial to select one that complements your home’s exterior look. There are various considerations you should take into account when choosing a garage door and one of them is the material.
1. Steel
It’s the most common material as it’s firmly built and cost-effective. However, if not insulated, it can inflate your energy bills.
2. Vinyl
Vinyl garage doors have a wood-like appearance that makes them beautiful. Additionally, the doors are easy to maintain, lightweight, and inexpensive. Their downside is that they are susceptible to high temperatures, making them a poor option for areas that experience extreme weather conditions.
3. Fibreglass
Although it can crack if installed in areas with extreme weather conditions, fibreglass garage doors are lightweight and don’t easily dent or rust.
4. Aluminium
An aluminium door is the most preferred choice for manual garage doors, as they are lightweight. However, compared to other materials, aluminium easily gets damaged.
5. Glass
They are expensive to install but enhance your garage’s appeal and allow natural light to flow right into your garage.
6. Wood Composite
Wood composite material has a natural wood look grain. The material is low maintenance but not customizable due to the limited options available to choose from.
7. Wood
Unlike wood composite material, wood has various styles, making the door have customizable options. As a result, this material is popular and versatile despite its high maintenance cost.
Tips for Choosing the Best Garage Door
Because of the huge impact a garage door has on the exterior appearance of your home, consider some of the following features in a garage door before choosing a new door.
1. Style
Garage doors come in different styles, and they include:
- Swing-out – They have a hinged frame that creates the look of a modem farmhouse. The doors open like French doors and are perfect for homes with limited entrance headroom.
- Roll-up garage door – The doors are made up of two to three inches of stats that roll up around a drum when opening or closing. This type of door can withstand heavy use and be built without springs.
- Slide to the side – This type of door opens parallel to your garage door, making it the ideal option for garages with small ceiling spaces.
- Sectional – It’s the most popular, and it’s made up of several horizontal panels which roll up and down on the track. Often, they are connected to a remote system.
2. Material
When settling for a garage door, the material of the door should be an important factor to consider as not all materials will blend in well with your environment. The different types of materials include:
- Aluminium or steel
- Wood
- Composite
- Glass or Vinyl
3. Insulation
Insulate your garage door if you live in areas with extreme temperatures. This prevents external weather conditions from drastically affecting your home’s temperature and thereby conserving energy that would’ve been used to heat your house.
4. Climate
When choosing a door, consider your all-year climatic conditions as the door you choose will be affected. For instance, if you live in areas prone to termite attacks, a wooden door is not ideal, or if you live in snowy or icy areas, a metallic door will easily rust due to exposure to salt, which can lead to the door jamming.
5. Budget
Different garage doors in the market easily fit your budget, from deluxe to economy garage doors. If you are under a tight budget but want a luxury-looking garage door, consider settling on a wooden canopy as it allows you to paint over it.
6. Safety
If you opt for an automatic garage door, you need to know how to use an emergency release pull cord if you need to head out and there are no lights.
Additionally, you should add extra accessories like a sensor to help you know when an object is on the door’s path to prevent accidents.
Top UK Companies for New Garage Doors
Below are some of the top-rated companies in the UK that offer various options to choose from.
1. Carador
Carador is a UK manufacturing company with an ultra-modern production facility for garage and front doors. Their doors are durable and reliable. Also, some of their garage doors, such as the sectional garage door, come with a 10-year limited warranty.
The different types of Carador garage doors include:
- Complete range
- Roller doors
- Sectional doors
- Side-hinged doors
- Up and over doors
Their price ranges from £698 to £3,240 depending on the type of door and the material used to fabricate the door. Some of the most common materials used by the company for their doors include:
- Steel panel
- Steel guardian
- Steel timber effect panel
- Timber
Garage door accessories include:
- Hand transmitters
- Electric operators
- Wall consoles, key switches, and keypads
- Light beam devices
2. Hormann
Hormann is a family-owned business that manufactures garage doors and other accompanying accessories. The types of garage doors they deal with include:
- Sectional garage doors
- Up and over garage doors
- Roller garage doors
- Side-sliding sectional garage doors
- Aluminium frame doors
- Hinged garage doors
The different garage doors have unique features that set each door apart. For instance, the aluminium frame door is sustainable in garages that require ventilation or more natural light. In addition, the glazing frames are uniform, ensuring a harmonious door appearance.
Their price ranges between £924 to £3,404 as each door differs. Hormann garage doors are made with aluminium, steel, or wood.
3. Cardale
Cardale prides itself on having a reputation built on safety, security, reliability, and affordability. The company has been around for fifty years, offering a broad range of different garage doors, including:
- Up and over doors
- Roller doors
- Personnel garage doors
- Bespoke garage doors
- Sectional garage doors
All their garage doors have a 10-year warranty, and the price ranges between £678 to £3,240. The material used on the various types of doors include:
- Steeline
- Rosewood steel
- Oakwood steel
- Coloured steel
- White powder-coated steel
- Thermaglide
- Glass Reinforced Plastic(GRP)
- Steel
- Timber Futura and Heritage
4. Henderson
Henderson gate automation and garage doors centre provide its customers with premier quality doors. The doors are custom fit by the staff, who are trained and vetted by Cheshire Constabulary.
The different garage door options they offer include:
- Personnel doors
- One-piece up and over doors
- Roller garage
- Insulated sectional doors
The materials used on the garage doors include wrought iron, timber, and aluminium. Their prices range from around £423 to £3,380. The garage door accessories are:
- Security plantation shutters
- Security roller shutters
- Security grilles
- Barrier control
5. Wessex
Wessex provides specialists in automatic installation, as well as providing a 12-month warranty. You can visit their Surrey showroom to have a glimpse of the various garage doors they offer. They include:
- Steel garage
- Glass Reinforced Plastic
- Wooden
- Up and over
- Sectional
The price range for the garage doors is between £1,039 to £3,306 and the materials vary from timber, aluminium, steel and wood.
Qualities to Look out for in a Garage Door Company
A garage door is an excellent addition to your property. Besides selecting a great garage door option for your home, a reputable company with a good track record is as important as the door that you shall settle on. Therefore, it’s essential to consider a few factors that a garage door company should have. This will help you to obtain quality services.
- Specialization – the company must be highly specialized in the field and should provide previous work experience to enhance their credibility.
- Equipment – all garage door companies should have the standard equipment to ensure the doors are high quality as substandard equipment will lead to less stellar service, which could lead to damage or injury.
- Warranty – a reputable company will offer a warranty as it indicates their confidence and trust in the products they offer.
- Customer service – A good garage company should treat all prospective clients with the utmost respect, whether in-person, email, or via calls.
There are different types of garage doors in the market and the price varies from product to product. Before buying a garage door, ensure to do thorough market research as a poor-quality garage door can be the beginning of your troubles – an easy leeway for burglaries or accidents and injuries.
