Garage Door Buying Guide
If you’re on the hunt for a new garage door, you’d be forgiven for feeling overwhelmed by the sheer variety of styles available.
Each type of garage door carries with it its own list of benefits and drawbacks, some of which will be more important to you than others.
To help you figure out which is the right style for you, we’ve put together this quick and simple garage door buying guide.
Up & Over Garage Doors
Perhaps the most ubiquitous style of garage door in this garage door buying guide, the up and over is characterised by its simple one-piece design and, of course, the manner in which it opens (up and over – if you hadn’t guessed).
- Key Strengths: affordable and simple to operate
- Key weakness: upswing on opening makes it difficult for shorter driveways
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are often split into around 3 or 4 panels which arc back sequentially when opening and slot into place. They strike a good balance between the simplicity of an up and over door, and the complex, space-economising nature of a roller garage door.
- Key strength: They lend themselves very well to automation thanks to the balance they strike.
- Key weakness: They lose the ultra-clean aesthetic of an up and over, without being able to economise on space as well as a roller garage door.
Roller Garage Doors
Roller garage doors share an important similarity with sectional garage doors: they open vertically. This makes both of these types great for shorter driveways. However, unlike sectional garage doors, rollers are split into a number of thin strips. Ultimately, this allows the door to coil up into a cylinder at the top of the garage, rather than arcing right back.
- Key strength: roller garage doors can save on space both inside and outside the garage, making them perfect for smaller properties.
- Key weakness: Given the number of horizontal lines, the design is somewhat limited.
Insulated Roller Garage Doors
An increasingly popular choice, insulated roller garage doors maintain their space-saving coil mechanism, whilst offering a thick, insulated steel frame for extra warmth. The door can be customised to your liking, right down to the type of insulation.
- Key Strength: Saves space both inside and outside the garage. You can save on your heating bill, too
- Key weakness: Given the number of horizontal lines, the design is somewhat limited
Wooden Garage Doors
If you want to make a statement, timber is a very elegant way to do it. The huge variations in graining, shading and knots lend wooden garage doors a wonderfully natural look, one that complements modern and traditional homes alike.
- Key strength: arguably the best looking garage door in this garage door buying guide, with excellent insulative and sound-proofing properties, too.
- Key weakness: Often the most expensive garage door material.
Side-hinged Garage Doors
Side-hinged garage doors, rather than opening upwards, open much like traditional double doors. As a result, side-hinged doors tend to look their best in more traditional settings, and can look fantastic when styled correctly.
- Key strength: Great for those who regularly access their garage on foot.
- Key weakness: Not always practical for vehicle access
Steel Garage Doors
Layered with robust steel sheets, steel garage doors are perfect for the security conscious. High-quality steel can really add a premium look to your home, too.
- Key strength: Steel offers unrivalled security
- Key weakness: Not all garage door types will necessarily have a steel equivalent
Associated Garage Doors are a family-run business, providing a personal and tailored service to each of our clients throughout Kent, Tunbridge Wells, Tonbridge, Sevenoaks, Canterbury, Cranbrook, Crowborough and beyond.
Whether you’re looking for a new garage door or a new front door, Associated Garage Doors offer a free, no obligation survey and quotation, so you can be secure in the knowledge that you’re getting a fair price before you continue. We also offer a stunning range of front doors and composite doors.
We hope you found our garage door buying guide helpful, for more information, get in touch today.