Choosing the Ideal Wooden Garage Door

Sooner or later, there is a need for garage door replacement. It is true that you will have to make a considerable investment, but in this way, you will make your home more beautiful, more secure and possibly more energy-efficient as well. If you prefer to have a wooden door for your garage rather than a steel or fiberglass unit, you should know that there are plenty of options available to you. Find out how to decide on the right one for you.

Construction, Material and Options

High-quality models have all-wood construction. This means that both the garage door panels and the frame are made from wood. This allows for greater strength and durability in addition to making the units more appealing to the eye. One of the important decisions you will have to make is whether to go for an insulated structure. Usually, polystyrene panels are set between the inside skin and the base material. Basically, the insulating material is between two layers of wood. It is not visible. You should carefully check the R-value given to the model to evaluate its level of energy efficiency. Usually, wood units have R-value up to 6, but it may be possible to get a higher one. Engineers come up with more advanced structural options all the time and more potent insulating materials may be used.

There are various types of wood to select from. Cedar and redwood are the most popular options. They are followed by fir and Cypress wood. You should choose the color in line with your preferences, but you should also pay attention to the moisture resistance, strength and durability of the wood. The higher these are the better. When deciding on the material, you should also enquire about the kind of garage door maintenance that will be required.

There are three options to pick from when it comes to the finish of the wood panels. You can have them with naturally looking stain or painted. Usually, there is a range of stain options and paint colors to pick from. You can also receive the panels untreated. In this case, you will be responsible for protecting the panels from the elements. It is best if the staining or painting is done during the garage door installation process. The addition of a bottom seal and side seals is also mandatory.