The garage was originally designed for storing vehicles. Nowadays, though, a garage may be more than its traditional purpose. Many garages are designed to store automotive and garden tools. Or as a workspace, a craft room, or as a mini-gym. There are even garages that have been converted or semi-converted into an AVR or a man-cave.
But no matter what purpose you have in mind for your garage, there’s one thing that you should not forget: keeping your garage safe. Unless you are not concerned about the possibility of your car being stolen, you may need a door to keep everything in your garage safe and secure.
We know about the practical purposes of having a garage door. But its appearance can also be important – it can make or break your home’s curb appeal. This is the reason why choosing the style of a garage door is also important – its expansiveness is the first thing that people would notice when they see your house.
While there are a lot of garage door styles, the following are the most common ones:
Sectional garage door
A sectional garage door usually consists of panel sections that are connected by hinges. Typically, there are four to five panels, and opens and closes vertically. These panels hinge back within the garage as the door rises, opening the garage. Once the door is fully retracted, the panels are suspended within the roof space are held up off horizontal tracking.
Sectional garage doors have a perfect combination of innovative design and classic aesthetic looks. It can pass off as just like any traditional door, yet the technology behind it makes it easier and more efficient to operate. No wonder this is still the most popular garage door type among most American households.
Side-hinged garage door
A side-hinged garage door works like any conventional door – it swings open and closes from a hinged frame on either side of the opening. A side-hinged garage door has the appearance of a barn door and is traditionally made of wood. However, more recent side-hinged garage doors are made of different materials, such as galvanized steel.
If your garage has a limited headroom but a lot more elbow room, you may choose this type of garage door. Side-hinged garage doors can also be remotely operated or automated.
Roll-up garage door
Roll-up garage doors may be a more familiar sight in commercial buildings than residential ones. But for homes with a limited ceiling space, this may be a good option due to its no-frills design and operation. A roll-up garage door is typically constructed with two to three inches of steel slat sections that roll around a cylinder above the opening of the doorway.
Because a roll-up garage door is meant to roll up and down, it is built to withstand heavy and repeated usage. Some high-performance units can be installed without springs to prevent corrosion, freezing, and rust. Due to the heavy-duty nature of the roll-up garage door, expect the upfront costs to be pretty steep.
Slide to the side garage door
Just like what its name implies, this type of garage door operates by sliding and bending to the side of the garage. As the door opens, it sits parallel to the wall.
This type of garage door is ideal when your garage is lacking headroom. Did you know that it’s actually one of the first garage styles?
The door runs along the trolleys, which have enough flexibility to work with the slopes of a floor or ceiling. As for the sides for the slide doors, they do not need any balancing springs. For the automated units, they feature a retractable motor, which eliminates the need for a ceiling-mounted operator.
Tilt-up or up and over canopy garage door
This type of garage door doesn’t have sections, unlike other styles – instead, it is made of one solid piece of material. It operates on a pivoting hinge mechanism, which enables this door to tilt into the garage. Once opened, the garage door “hangs” on the garage ceiling, protruding outward to the front of the house. In this position, the garage door can also function as a temporary roof, shade or canopy.
Tilt-up or up and over retractable garage door
This type of garage door works somewhat like a combination of over an canopy garage door. Once the door is opened, it suspends independently from the frame, thus never extending outward to the front of the house.
With the way how it’s operated, this type of garage door requires more interior space compared to the canopy garage door (plus, it’s also more expensive).