The Top 3 Garage Door Styles: How to Choose the Best One

Based in Miami-Dade, FL

Carriage House Garage Door

It's All About Style

Garage doors are not something people think about regularly. In reality, garage doors can take up a large portion of a home’s exterior. Often, a garage door is one of the first things people see when they come to your home. Don’t you want your garage door style to reflect your home? No one wants to see an outdated garage door, after all!

What are the Main Garage Door Styles?

There are three garage door styles to consider when upgrading your look. Nearly every style will fall under one of these three categories. Let’s take a look at each of them.

Traditional Garage Doors

Traditional garage doors are the most popular garage door style out there. This is the most budget-friendly option on the market. This garage door style goes with just about everything and won’t look outdated anytime soon.

Features

  • Short or long panel design
  • Usually white or brown
  • Little hardware
  • Simplistic design
  • Often made of steel

These doors are very customizable, which makes them great for any home! While you’ll usually find them in white, you can get them in almost any color. You can also choose additional layers of insulation, window placement, and material.

These garage doors are typically made of lightweight steel, making them very durable; however, a lot of these doors come in a faux wood design as well.

Traditional Garage Door
Traditional Garage Door

Modern Garage Doors

Modern garage doors are becoming increasingly popular. More and more homes are showing their unique feel with a door unlike any other. “Modern” in this case doesn’t mean whatever style is newest; instead, it refers to the modern style, which has some cool features.

Features

  • Clean lines
  • Minimal hardware
  • Unique design
  • Glass or wood
  • Black colors

These doors are about as customizable as they come! You can choose a full-view glass garage door that will let in a ton of natural light, or you can opt for a real wood garage door with an asymmetrical window arrangement. The choices are endless!

Most of these doors feature darker colors, like black and brown. You can find this garage door style in almost every material out there. Whatever you imagine, this door can do it!

modern garage door
Modern Garage Door

Carriage Garage Doors

Carriage garage doors date back to the times when people used horses to get around. The style of this door mimics the barn style that held the carriages. This is a classy, elegant look that complements homes very well.

Features

  • Neutral colors
  • “X” shaped design
  • Decorative hardware
  • All materials
  • Elegant feel

These doors can be easily spotted by their characteristic “x” design. The handles on the garage door give the illusion that they can swing outwards! White and browns are the most common colors here, and just about any material can be used.

These doors are easily insulated and simple to maintain. Not to mention, it’s simple to match this style with any home.

Carriage House Garage Door
Carriage House Garage Door

Other Elements to Consider

There are a few more things to consider before choosing your perfect garage door style. Let’s look at a few of them.

Climate

Climate can play a big role in choosing a garage door style. For example, here in Florida, we deal with a lot of hurricanes and humidity. Because of this, a real wood garage door is not the best choice. The constant heat and water will cause the wood to warp quickly. Cold climates that have a lot of snow and ice will want a more insulated garage door.

Material

The material of your garage door always needs consideration. If you want a full-view glass garage door, you’ll want frames that are strong enough to hold the glass and light enough that your opener can still get the door open with all of that heavy glass.

Steel is the most-used material out there and is usually a good place to start. Consider your climate and how much maintenance you want to give.

Durability

If you live in an area that has a lot of weather damage or you have rowdy children, you’ll want a garage door that can withstand a lot. Some materials and styles dent more easily than others. A real wood garage door is about as durable as it gets, while an aluminum garage door may not last as long.

Color

The color of your house will influence the color of your garage door. In some cases, it may be more difficult to find a color that complements well. Most garage doors are very customizable when it comes to color, but some styles, like wood or glass, can’t have just any color.

Insulation

Insulation plays a key role in your garage door. The more insulated your garage door is, the better R-value and the more energy-efficient it will be. The good news is that most garage doors can withstand a lot of insulation, even full-view glass garage doors! Faux wood garage doors can have the most insulation put in, while real wood garage doors have insulation naturally.

What Should You Choose?

There are a lot of elements to consider when choosing a new garage door style! So, what should you do?

Take a look at your home’s style and view our Gallery for some inspiration. See something you like? Give us a call, and we can discuss your options.

We can also come to your home and discuss style options with you. Our team of experts knows how to pick the perfect garage door style to match your home. You’ll love your new garage door when Good Guys Garage Door Solutions is finished!

glass garage door style - garage door material
Full-View Glass Garage Door

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