Your garage door is important to your home’s curb appeal, and it is also a feature that is used mostly every day. If you are looking to replace your current garage door, you should carefully consider your options. Although the most commonly used garage door for residential is the sectional, there are five other choices to look into that each have certain advantages. Here we will talk a bit about each type of garage door so you are able to better decide on which would suit you and your home the best.

1. Sectional Garage Doors

As mentioned, this type of door is the most common for residential housing. It is made up of several panels that are connected with hinges. As the door opens or closes, the hinges allow the panels to bend over the curved part of the track. When fully opened the door is held parallel to the garage door ceiling. There is a wide range of options as they can come with window inserts, can be insulated or non-insulated, and have a selection of colours and textures. They can be quite affordable, easy in terms of maintenance, dependable and have a long lifespan.

2. Roll-Up Garage Doors

Roll-up doors are more commonly seen in commercial settings however, they can be used for residential garages as well. They are made of thin, 2 or 3 inch sections that roll up around a drum over the door opening. They are not as pleasing to look at, but they are extremely durable, withstand heavy usage, very secure, and take up a minimal amount of space since they open vertically. The cost of these doors however is higher than a sectional garage door since they are so heavy-duty, and the installation can be complex.

3. Side-to-Side Garage Doors

These garage doors open horizontally so that when open, the door is parallel to the wall of the garage. This type of door can be the best option if you have a garage that has low clearance or an unusual roof shape that could make vertically opening garage doors difficult to install. They can also be a great advantage to you if you need as much overhead space as possible.

4. Side-Hinged Garage Doors

Side-hinged garage doors are a traditional style that has been making a comeback recently. They swing open like French doors and can be operated either manually or automatically if special conversion arms are installed. They are an ideal style of garage door if you have obstructions in your garage or limited headspace. This type of garage door is also very customizable with many different sizes, styles, materials and colours available.

5. Canopy Tilt-Up Garage Doors

Canopy tilt-up garage doors are made of one solid piece rather than sections. They were very popular 50 to 60 years ago but have gone mostly out of style. They run solely on vertical tracks and when open about a third of the door extends past the door opening. They have few parts, are easily maintained, quick to install and affordable, however, they are usually manual as conversion to automatic can be pricey.

6. Retractable Tilt-Up Garage Doors

Just like the canopy tilt-up doors, they are made of one solid piece. Retractable tilt-up doors run on horizontal tracks and when open will not extend out from the door opening. Unlike the canopy tilt-up, they are easy to have installed with an electric opener.

There are many types of garage doors to choose from, each with their pros and cons. Our technicians at ONC Garage Door Services are always happy to help you with deciding which type of door would be optimal for your home. You can always count on ONC to provide you with an honest opinion!