Upgrading your garage door is a big decision. Although most people might only consider the standard aluminum overhead garage door, you actually have quite a few different styles to choose from. Before you start shopping, explore some of the traditional and nontraditional garage door styles below.
Overhead Garage Doors
As noted above, overhead garage doors are some of the most popular residential garage doors across the United States. This style typically features several sections of panels that roll up along a vertical track to open and back down to close. Hinges between each section allow the door to bend slightly for smooth operation.
Aluminum and steel tend to be the most common materials for overhead garage doors, but you might also consider fiberglass or wood depending on your needs and the aesthetic appeal. Additionally, overhead garage doors are available in many different designs, but if you’re really going for that classic look, choose between recessed panel or raised panel doors.
Carriage House Garage Doors
Carriage house garage doors are traditional in that they harken back to the days of horse-drawn buggies. Before the automobile and garages, wealthy homeowners built a separate carriage house to park their buggies. Ornate wooden doors would swing open, allowing the horse to pull the entire carriage right inside.
While you probably don’t have a horse-drawn carriage or require an entire carriage house, carriage house garage doors are a great way to boost the curb appeal of your home. This style is usually made from wood and features vertical or horizontal panels, cross sections of wood, and bold hardware. Carriage house garage doors no longer have to swing open; enjoy the unique look of this style while taking advantage of the convenience of an overhead door.
Barn Doors
If you’re into the rustic look of carriage house garage doors but searching for something even less traditional, barn doors might be the solution. Another wood option, barn doors add charm to a home’s exterior while taking up limited space. Hanging from a track above the garage opening, a barn door rolls horizontally across this track to open and close.
Barn doors are very similar to carriage house doors in appearance, from the wood paneling and cross sections to the elaborate hardware. The customization options, however, are nearly endless. Whether you’d like your door to roll from left to right or right to left, the tracks to be covered or visible, one door or two, windows or no windows, there’s likely a barn-style garage door to suit your preferences.
Side-Sliding Garage Doors
Maybe you like the idea of doors that open horizontally, but you want a more utilitarian look than barn doors offer. Consider side-sliding, or slide-to-side, garage doors. Just like overhead garage doors, side-sliding doors consist of hinged panels that bend slightly as the door rolls along two tracks to open and close. Rather than vertical tracks along the sides, however, side-sliding doors feature horizontal tracks along the top and bottom. The door then rolls side to side rather than up and down.
This does take up some wall space, but you’ll enjoy maximum overhead clearance for taller vehicles as well as added storage space on your ceiling. Side-sliding garage doors are also known to be safer to operate and repair than overhead garage doors.
Tilt-Up Garage Doors
A tilt-up garage door is made from one solid door panel. It uses a pivoting hinge mechanism to tilt the door up into an open position. The bottom portion of the door then extends beyond the garage door opening, creating a canopy, hence the alternate name canopy garage door. It’s important to note that the area in front of the door as well as the garage ceiling should be clear so there’s plenty of space for the door to tilt open.
Although popular in the 1960s-70s, tilt-up garage doors offer a sort of futuristic look. Choose a sleek aluminum, steel, vinyl, or even glass material for a contemporary style or wood or faux wood garage doors to add a rustic touch to your home’s exterior.
We know it can be difficult to choose the right garage door style, design, and material, especially with so many traditional and nontraditional options to choose from. Fortunately, Legacy Garage Doors is here to help simplify the process. We’ll walk you through your options and explain why a certain garage door type may be best for your home. In addition to residential and commercial garage doors, we offer garage door repair, spring repair, and garage door opener services. If you live in the Boise area and need help with your garage door, contact Legacy Garage Doors today.
