Buying a customized garage door doesn’t need to cost half of your savings. In fact, it’s an affordable option for various homeowners, allowing them to have the chance to create a door that is just right for their home. If you’re wondering how to choose the right garage door for your home, continue reading.
Select a Garage Door Style
The first thing a homeowner needs to do when renovating any part of it is to pick a style they admire. As for garage doors, you might think there’s only one, but there are actually three. You have the traditional style with horizontal frames, a carriage house with arched panes, and the contemporary with vertical windows.
These garage door styles are the most common, giving you more options to customize the doors to your liking. But not just to your appeal—to the home as well. Picking a garage door style is vital as it can make or break your home’s design. Before selecting one, you should review the types and compare them to your house’s architecture.
Should You Add Garage Door Windows?
Windows add more than an individualized touch—they insert a dash of modernity into the home. If there ever is something you should add to your garage door, it’s windows. You might not see it, but windows on a garage door make a home feel welcoming; they give it a sort of charm you’d expect from an old farmhouse.
Regardless of your home style, you should consider adding windows to the garage door, and we have excellent reasons why.
Garage Windows Increase Curb Appeal
Having windows does more than appease onlookers—it also increases your curb appeal. The appearance of your home’s exterior matters most before and after selling your property. Most homes may have their garage situated in the backyard, but others with front-facing garages should invest in window panes.
Your steel door appears dull and unfriendly with nothing on it. Though you could always apply coats of paint, it won’t seem as welcoming without having windows. Give your home a better appearance than the neighbor’s with windows.
Impact-Resistant Glass Help Meet Building Codes
In your area, you might have strict building codes. Luckily, the type of glass you buy could be impact-resistant, meaning it can withstand breaking from high winds, intruders, and accidental breaks from flying objects.
Picking impact-resistant glass can help meet some of the strictest local building codes. But of course, the style also matters, and impact tempered glass can, too, fix that requirement.
The Garage Door Can Match Your Entryway
You might grow apprehensive over if the garage door matches your entryway. Matching the entry is primarily concerned for those whose garages face the street. This might be something you drone over, but that’s not a terrible thing. If you have a gut feeling that the garage door might not match well, go ahead and pick again.
Look over the styles and work with a garage door company to select the windows that complement the door theme. The best way to match the entryway is to pick a window style that works for the garage door, like choosing a paint color for your front door.
How To Pick a Finisher For Your Door
After or before picking your windows, you might consider the finisher. The finisher is the protectant you’d use to protect the surface of your garage from warping, dents, scratches, and stains. There are various stains to pick to enhance the door’s durability and life span. Here is a look at some options for natural wood and steel doors.
Picking a Stain for Natural Wood
While natural wood garage doors may risk warping, applying the right finisher can prevent persistent damage. Despite its charm and warm charisma, natural wood garage doors do need consistent upkeep even after using a finish.
You should reapply the same topcoat you used the first time every one to two years to maintain the door’s integrity. The finish you choose will depend on the wood you use for your entry, as some paint stains might work on one door more than others.
The types of finishes to expect include the following:
- Cedar
- Dark oak
- Ebony wash
- Teak
Choosing a Style for Steel Doors
You also have the choice of picking steel doors. A steel door is sometimes preferred over wood because it still imitates the welcoming, warm feeling of a typical wood garage door. Additionally, steel doors are an inventive way to tailor it to your specifications.
You have many style, insulation, and color choices that fit comfortably into your budget. If you’re considering the carriage door, you’re going to enjoy the different finishing options, like walnut and medium oak.
Why Is a Paint Finish Important?
The most critical question next to what color you should paint your garage door is what’s essential about a paint finish. A paint finish isn’t just a slab of paint coated by a brush; it’s still deciding what works for your home, so the door matches the entryway and gives your home a better appearance.
A paint finish enhances and protects the door from deterioration from corrosion, warping, and splitting. Additionally, as you decide on a paint finisher, research what types to use and get a professional opinion first.
Thinking About the Budget
The budget can help you figure out an affordable option for you. If you find that there’s not much leeway in customizing more than the window styles of your new garage door, it might be time to re-evaluate some things before diving into construction.
When choosing the right garage door for your home, one thing to learn is how to budget. Budgeting should start with factors like insulation, material choice, and how many doors you need of a specific size. The cost won’t matter much about the style of your home, but it will depend on the material you use. Create a list of must-haves, and factor it into your costs; if there is something you can omit for now, do that.
One essential thing to know throughout this garage door customization process is that you’re not alone. Doors of Pontiac provides customers with professional expertise in residential garage doors. Through each part of this procedure, you have assistance in picking a door style, window type, and finisher that fits within your budget so we can efficiently replace your old garage door with something better.
