What Should I Look For When Buying a Garage Door?

When it comes time to Replace the Old Garage Door, ideally, a High-Quality Garage Door shouldn’t cost a lot but last you a few decades, maybe even a lifetime. That’s why it might make sense to spend some time researching what types of garage doors are available and which offer the best value for money. If anything, we always advise that you steer clear of so-called Cheap Garage Doors.

Avoid Wooden Garage Doors

Well, for one, you shouldn’t buy real wood garage doors, even though they may look fantastic. Unless you have the time and money needed to keep, them looking good. Natural finishes at best last a few years at best before they require recoating. If you don’t get them recoated in time, things can get worse.

Alternatively, if you enjoy having a wooden garage door but don’t have time or the money, why not invest in a wood composite overlay or one with a fiberglass skin. Composites look a lot like natural wood, and they tend to last long too.

Avoid Wooden Garage Doors

Buy A Garage Door with Durable Springs

The Springs Are One Of The Most Important Parts of your garage door because they help it go up and down. Many garage doors use torsion springs. The standard torsion spring can last for 10k cycles. Now it may sound like a lot, but in reality, it, on average, may last around 5 years if you open the garage door six times a day.

However, by spending a few extra dollars, it would be worth buying a garage door with torsion springs rated at 20k cycles which double the service life but only costs a few bucks more.

Buy A Garage Door with Durable Springs

Choose a Design from the Manufacturer’s Website

When shopping for a garage door, the last thing you want to do is guess how a particular color or style of door will look on the house. The good news is that many top manufacturers have software that allows you to upload a photo of the garage, i.e. your garage and add any style of door to it. It makes choosing a garage door style easier.

Plus, you can pick features like color, windows and hardware. Play around with various styles until you find one that looks the best. Then print out the specs to get a price quote from the nearest dealer.

Choose a Design from the Manufacturer’s Website

Want a Quiet Garage Door?

Many Americans have attached a garage, and the racket from the garage door can be insufferable. That’s why you’d want to choose one with polyurethane insulation along with nylon rollers.

The insulation will help dampen the vibrations, which are otherwise amplified by what’s often uninsulated steel. Nylon rollers are quieter than their steel counterparts. The same goes for the opener; the quietest ones have a belt drive.

A Quiet Garage Door

24-Gauge Steel Garage Doors

Now, if you are going to buy a garage door that’s uninsulated, ensure it is made from steel that’s 24-gauge think if not thicker. Many economy garage doors are around 25-gauge or possibly thinner. The rule of thumb is that the greater the number, the thinner the gauge. It would help if you had a thick gauge so that the garage door does not easily dent.

24-Gauge Steel Garage Doors

Conclusion

Finally, once you have purchased a garage door, make sure that you hire top-shelf experts to install it. Professional installation may cost money, but it is safer and better than trying to do it yourself.