Your garage takes up a lot of visual real estate and creates a very strong first impression.
If your garage doors are in poor shape, clash with the style of your home or are just uninspired, then it affects how people view your home, and by extension how they view you. By putting in new doors to replace the old doors you can greatly increase your home’s curb appeal.
Here are some questions to ask when updating your garage door.
How much of a change are you looking for?
Time gradually wears anything down. Over the years, the finish on your garage doors can dull or the doors can get worn and rusted. By replacing old and damaged garage doors, you can bring a totally new look to the front of your home.
If the doors are too far gone for paint to help, then you’ll need to look into replacing the doors, for both visual appeal and for security. If your garage doors are damaged, they could allow thieves entry to the garage and even your main home.
What kind of door do you want?
There are many different materials you can use to make a garage door. Solid wood is very versatile and performs well in most climates, but is expensive. Steel is cheaper, but could rust. Fibreglass and vinyl are very budget friendly, but they do not perform well in cold weather. You need to balance your budget against the climate you’re going to be dealing with.
Once you’ve decided on a material, you need to decide what kind of door you want. Sectional doors are the most common, running up and down on tracks, and are the best for most garages. Swing out doors are not recommended for cold climates, as snow drifts can block them. Finally, sliding or barn doors work well with large garages, but are not recommended for smaller garages. Once again, you can get these in any of the materials mentioned previously, and can be automatic or manually operated.
What styles catch your eye?
So, you have decided on what materials you want and what kind of door you want to install. Now you have to decide on the style of the door you want to best complement the rest of your house.
It’s best to match your garage door to the style of your home, so look for a door that complements the colors and materials used for the rest of your home, and any architectural quirks.
If you have a traditional home, go for an arched garage door with paned windows. A farmhouse would look wonderful with a rustic barn‑style garage door. A Craftsman home can be accented with a wooden garage door with rectilinear windows and trim. A wooden garage door with iron hinges goes with a Spanish colonial. Finally, a modern home would be best served with a sleek glass-paned garage door.
When it comes to further decorations or stylings, that really comes down to the style of the house and your own personal taste. A professional garage door installer or home designer will be able to help you out there. Be sure to look around for ideas, especially online or in your local area.
What’s your timeline?
Once you’ve decided on how you want to decorate the door and garage, it’s time to install the door. Depending on what you order, you could have the door’s delivered within 48 hours. If your garage requires custom made doors, you might be waiting a month or two for them to arrive.
When the doors arrive, a professional could have them installed in no more than a few hours, barring any unforeseen issues, like inaccurate measurements or inclement weather conditions.
It’s outdoor work, and requires a few hours, so it may be best to wait for when the weather is warm and dry, especially if you are painting. That said, unless you are painting or installing an elaborate custom feature, the weather shouldn’t matter too much. As long as it’s not in the middle of incredibly adverse conditions, your pro should be able to take care of the job in a matter of a few hours.
A new garage door is a great and inexpensive way to update your home and improve the look of it. If you’re considering an update, then make sure to get in touch with one of our garage door professionals with some of your ideas and we’ll see what we can do for you.
Need a new garage door?
Replacing your garage door is a great way to enhance the front of your house on a limited budget.
Garaga doors are the industry standard for style, durability, insulation and energy efficiency.
You can start by building your dream door here, or by getting a free quote now.
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