A blend of functionality and style, garage doors play an integral role in your home’s overall appearance and day-to-day life. With the stake so high, it’s important to consider all aspects when considering the best garage door for your home. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the best options for your next garage door, including style, material, and more!
By material:
Wood Garage Door
Wood garage doors are an excellent option for versatility with a wide range of styles and shapes. With their natural beauty and resilience, they are a great addition to any home. You will even find that most wood garage doors are used from recycled or reclaimed wood, making for a sustainable option.
Pros
- Versatile
- Fitted for decorative hardware
- Insulated
Cons
- Requires most maintenance
- Costly, upward of $10,000
- Difficult to operate manually
- Easy to rot
Steel Garage Door
Tried and true, metal garage doors are known for their durability, reliability, and low-maintenance nature. Ideal in most situations, there are only a few areas metal garage doors should not be considered, such as beach towns where the chance of rust is increased.
Pros
- Relatively cheap for basic options
- Standard/universal, easy to find replacement parts and maintenance options
- Many styles
- Low-maintenance
Cons
- Dent easily
- Rust easily
- Might require insulation (Read on: Why and how to insulate your garage door?)
Fiberglass & Vinyl Garage Doors
Fiberglass garage doors are cost-effective options for the practical homeowner who is most concerned with functionality rather than style. Fiberglass doors are lightweight, have a long lifespan, and resist issues commonly faced by metal doors like rust and denting.
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Versatile
- Unaffected by weather and moisture
- Low-maintenance
Cons
- Colors fade easily
- Prone to cracking in cold weather
- Vulnerable to wind damage
Glass Garage Doors
Glass garage doors are an option most often considered for modern and contemporary homes. These garage doors can be frosted or completely clear and allow light to pour into the garage space. The fitted glass panels will be surrounded by aluminum or wood, which provides a frame for the glass.
Pros
- Attractive, elevated curb appeal
- Affordable
- Options more glass pane opaqueness
Cons
- Glass is easy to shatter, less durable
- Requires a specific spring, not as readily available as standard springs
- Not weatherproof, but rustproof
- Privacy concern
Composite Garage Doors
A bit of an “artificial” option, composite garage doors are a manufactured option, typically made when various materials are combined. In the case of most composite doors, cellulose fibers and resins are mixed to form a rigid material that doesn’t crack, dent, or rust as easily as other materials
Pros
- Inexpensive
- Reliant and durable
- Low maintenance
Cons
- Lack natural beauty
- Prone to chipped paint
By style:
Ranch Style Garages
Ranch-style garages follow the traditional values and classification for a ranch-style home. The ranch-style garage is typically a neutral color and design, and often woody or natural elements, such as a wood-colored stain. Because ranch homes are singles-story, the garage plays a significant role in the overall appearance!
Pros
- Complimentary to the overall design
- Material can vary
Cons
- Singular, monotone to stay within “ranch-style” guidelines
Tudor Style Garages
Tudor is a fun style that we don’t see much of these days. Known for its medieval and Renaissance-like style, Tudor homes typically have a stucco exterior, brick elements, and timber decals. Very cottage-like, you can expect an overlay-styled garage door with real or faux wood to look amazing!
Pros
- Diverse style, can use faux or real wood
- Attractive universal style to compliment home
Cons
- Typically one “look” accepted, not much room for creativity
- Wood fixtures are prone to degradation, such as rot
Contemporary Style Garages
Contemporary homes are on the rise, and thus, so are contemporary-styled garage doors! These garage doors encourage a pop of fun and individuality, all in the name of the theme. Your garage door can definitely be a stand-out here with it added a pop of color and excitement to an otherwise bleak exterior.
Pros
- Encourages individuality & use of imagination
- No wrong choice
Cons
- Your out-of-the-box style may require frequent touch-ups
- Style may outgrow today’s standards
Craftsman Style Garages
The craftsman home features a covered porch brick/stone exterior. There are a few universal themes, such as trimmings (typically white) and multi-leveled roof, but for the most part, the colors, materials, and structure can be tinkered with while staying true to the craftsman’s touch. With that being said, the garage can be a shade of white, grey, or black and depending on the issuer, may or may not have windows.
Pros
- Room for experimentation with color
- Usually has a trim for extra décor
Cons
- No natural light if windows are absent
Modern Farmhouse Style Garage
Modern farmhouse décor has been all of the rage the last few years. When it comes to these homes, the exterior is typically white with black trim and decals. The same translates to the garage, which will be white with dark decals, or a dark garage with dark decals. You can also use faux or natural wood to give it more of a rustic farmhouse feel.
Pros
- Compliments overall home exterior
- Simple design, ability to invert the color scheme
Cons
- Not much room for experimentation
- Requires hardware for accent pieces
- May absorb heat if darker color selected
Carriage Garage Doors
These garage doors are a fun way to fit your home with old-fashioned features, adding a bit of charm not typically seen with today’s typical garage doors. These carriage doors and their respective barns were created long ago for the specific purpose of housing carriages pulled around by horses back in the day! No horses today, just a tribute to the thought and style of long ago.
Pros
- Historical aspect
- Character & charm
Cons
- Basic design and color scheme, no room for experimentation
By features:
Swing-Out Garage Doors
Swing-out garage doors are exactly as they seem, with two doors on either side of the garage space to swing out rather than sliding open like a traditional garage door. Much like a door, you would find inside your home, these garage doors rest on hinges opposite one another and close or latch in the center of the garage door frame.
Pros
- Unique
- Keeps weather out
- Operated manually or automatically
Cons
- Prone to sagging
- Adverse weather conditions such as snow may keep from opening
Sliding Garage Doors
Sliding garage doors are a fun option paying tribute to barn doors. Able to be controlled by remote or manually, the versatility of these doors is hard to beat. Rolling along the track above the garage door frame, you can move these heavy doors with ease manually too.
Pros
- Trendy barn door aesthetic
- Manual and remote operation
Cons
- Not weather resistant
- Heavy, if falls of the roller, it may be impossible to reattach without professional help
Bifold Garage Doors
An interesting style of garage door, the bifold opening method resembles a closet door. The vertical panels group together as they are pulled to the left and right, bunching and sectioning where hinges meet between panels.
Pros
- Unique
- Lightweight, no mechanical parts
Cons
- Only manual operation
- Not weatherproof
- Not ideal for adverse weather climates where doors can be blocked from opening
Sectional Garage Doors
When you picture a standard garage door, it is most likely the sectional or the most common type of garage door. When opening and closing, these doors slide straight up along the tracks in horizontal segments and along the garage ceiling.
Pros
- Universal, easy to find parts and maintenance
- Can support heavy doors of all sizes
Cons
- Most common design, not much individuality
- Need weather stripping to protect from elements
- Many moving parts to help garage door slide
Dark Colored Garage Doors
Painting your garage door is a little step that can make a massive difference in overall appearance. Traditionally, painted doors stick to light colors such as creams or whites, but dark colors can significantly up your home’s appearance and style factors! Consider adding a dark brown or black to adjust style without breaking the bank.
Pros
- Boost curb appeal
- Set home apart from neighbors
Cons
- Need to keep up with the paint job
· Darker colors absorb heat rather than reflect it
Arched Top Garage Doors
Arched-top garage doors are a fun way to bring character to your home, with roots tracing back to ancient times. In opting for a shape that is arched at the top rather than a square, you set your home apart from neighbors while adding a hint of historical charm.
Pros
- Trendy aesthetic
- Durable, resilient
Cons
- Costly addition
