Best Garage Door Styles and Materials

There are a variety of unique garage door styles available and with so many options to choose from it’s important to understand certain aspects of the garage door design that you’re considering to purchase as all have different grades of build-quality in addition to design features and functionality.

In this “Garage Door Styles” guide we’ll be covering and reviewing not only different types of garage doors but the kind of material used as well that the doors are built from. Make sure to check out also our massive gallery with 54 Cool Garage Door Designs if you want to get more ideas.

Since you’ll want a garage door that’s durable and will last for years, taking into consideration the material used to build the garage door is an aspect you’ll not want to overlook.

So, let’s get to the garage door styles review guide where you’ll be able to find the perfect style that will fit and serve your home well.

Traditional Style Garage Door

The appeal of traditional garage style doors are the years of use you can have from them which in part is due to the high-quality steel used to construct them while also providing an elegant classic design.  Accommodating nearly any exterior style of home, traditional style garage doors will offer your residence either a settled, bold or neutral tone making it the perfect choice for indecisive buyers.

Typically, traditional garage door styles are  available in a couple of different styles which include raised classic panels and long panels although we’ll provide an image below showing all of the most commonly available styles of traditional garage doors.

Carriage Style Garage Door

Typically constructed using either faux wood composite, high-quality durable steel or natural wood, Carriage garage style doors will instill a beautiful, historic, elegant and classic element to your home giving your residence a unique appearance.

Depending on the manufacturer of the carriage garage door and the features and functionalities that you choose, the Carriage garage door can come with the ability to swing, slide and fold which are features not found in other styles of garage doors.

If you’re looking for a unique garage door with functionalities not found in other styles of doors and want to stand out from traditional styles of garage doors we definitely recommend that you consider purchasing a Carriage style door.

Raised-Panel Style Garage Door

Raised Panel garage doors are great for homeowners seeking a style where panels are placed across the top portion of the door providing a sleek and unique profile.  Typically crafted from high-quality steel, Raised Panel garage doors provide the homeowner with the convenience of a low-maintenance solution with a unique and modernized design.

Depending on the manufacturer, customization options will be available where you’ll be able to customize the size (height and length) of the windows/panels allowing you to have the exact desired appearance that you’re aiming for.

Contemporary Style Garage Door

If you’re seeking clean lines, a settled, softened and modern garage styled door then a Contemporary garage door is the choice for your home as it’ll also bring the modernized design element to your home.

Constructed from a variety of materials such as aluminum and glass or frosted polycarbonate to name a few, a Contemporary designed garage door will be sleek in appearance offering you many customization options for both the glass/panels (allowing you to choose the amount of transparency the windows have) and the color of the door itself.

Depending on the manufacturer that you order your Contemporary garage door from, you may also have the option of having the panels insulated in addition to an exchangeable vinyl bottom weather seal which will help to protect the door from outside elements.

These are features primarily used by northern residents to protect the door and the interior of the garage from cold weather although this can be taken advantage of in tropical locations as well such as Florida where hurricanes are prominent.

Types of Material used to Construct Garage Doors

Aside from choosing a garage door based on its style, understanding and taking in to consideration the material used to build the garage door is quite important as you want to choose a style that will not only fit the architectural exterior design of your home but one that will also provide you with durability, reliability and years of use.

Steel Garage Door Benefits

Steel garage doors provide some of the highest dependability and longevity in terms of the life-span of the door/material.  While wood garage doors require maintenance and on-going attention to prevent decay and rotting, with steel garage doors you can avoid warping, rotting or repainting.

Steel garage doors also tend to be more cost-friendly, energy efficient (since many will come insulated) and customizable.

Wood Garage Door Benefits

What’s great about garage doors constructed of wood (other than the fact that they’re beautiful in design/appearance) is that you have the option of choosing which kind of wood is used to build the door while also being able to stain the door to the shade of desired color (which in many cases can be done by the manufacturer).

When it comes to wood garage doors, prices vary quite drastically and the material used for constructing the door will dictate the price.  The cheaper, more inexpensive wood doors will typically be constructed from a wooden frame which will be filled with insulation (wrapped in plywood/hardboard skin).

If your budget permits it, your garage door can be constructed from premium wood in which case your door would be built using redwood, cedar, hemlock or mahogany wood.

Keep in mind though that wood garage doors do require high maintenance and will typically require a new stain or coat of paint once every couple of years.  For some, this isn’t an issue but it’s something that’s worth keeping in mind in case upkeep and on-going maintenance isn’t something you want to deal with.

Aluminum Garage Door Benefits

Aluminum garage doors are probably the best option for those intending on installing the door themselves as it’s lightweight and much easier to position compared to other types of door constructed from heavier material.

Aluminum garage doors don’t rust and are great for residents in tropical locations because of this.  Furthermore, since they’re not heavy, the lifespan of Aluminum built garage doors are quite long as less stress is put on the garage door opener and the torsion spring.

Aluminum garage doors are also very easy to customize with a surface that’s easy to coat with paint.

Fiberglass Garage Door Benefits

Fiberglass garage doors are best suited for residents living on coastal shorelines or tropical regions due to the corrosion-resistant material used for constructing the door.  Generally, Fiberglass doors tend to be on the cheaper end of the spectrum for garage doors and perform better than any other door in coastal environments (beach houses for example).

Lightweight, corrosion-resistant, affordable and customizable explains the characteristics of Fiberglass garage doors.

If you live near the coast/ocean and are seeking a solution that can withstand the environment and provide years of use then a Fiberglass door is the best garage door for your home!