Shopping for a new garage door but don't know what to look for? Narrowing down your options is easier than you might think. With the most extensive garage door product catalogues in Canada, we'll help you get an dynamic garage door on time and on budget.
1. Select a Style
Style, colour, hardware, windows, oh my! With so many garage door options to consider, if you don’t have a specific look in mind, our team is here with a few tips to help get you started.
Modern/Contemporary
For newer more modern style homes, try out the Wayne Dalton Classic Steel Garage Door 8300 which is made of double-layered steel and has an impressively high insulation value. Not only do these garage doors improve your home’s thermal efficiency—which is great for Canada’s harsh winters—they’re quite beautiful, too. When creating a masterpiece, it’s all about the details. Try adding a custom black finish—which is the trendy new garage door colour—contemporary panels, and vertical windows to really bring your design to life.
Rustic
Older homes have a comforting sense of warmth and elegance which comes from their use of natural materials like brick and wood. The Wayne Dalton 9100-9605 series of garage doors, with taupe or gray ranch panels, certainly create a cozy look. Available with a variety of window designs, these doors keep the warmth in and the noise out and can be dressed up with custom classic hardware—just like cufflinks on a tailored suit or a matching set of earrings.
Traditional
Sometimes mastering the remarkable can mean finding that perfect match in a traditional way. If you have a popular carriage home design, you may want to consider the elegant, swing-open look of a Wayne Dalton Carriage House Garage Doors 6600 which perfectly complements craftsmen homes. Custom-paint adds a pop of colour which will help set your home apart in suburban neighbourhoods.
Designer
If you’re looking to make a statement that makes your neighbours slow down and admire your bold sense of style, then you’ll love Martin Door’s Elite Series Copper Garage Doors. Guaranteed to turn heads, the copper garage door model blends the unique beauty of pure copper with classic garage door design elements. And, over time, your copper door will naturally patina for an enduring and sophisticated look of luxury.
Raised panels
Raise your home's profile with the Wayne Dalton 300 Series wood garage doors. The raised panel style doors not only accent your home with a sense of classic charm, but they’re also built to endure Canada’s sometimes erratic weather conditions. Raised panel style doors come in both fiberglass and wood which are masterfully crafted to blend the beauty of authentic wood with the perks of modern technology.
Window styles
Windows not only invite light into your garage, but they’ll also add an impressive architectural element to the front of your home. For a modern look, mix things up a bit by offsetting or aligning your windows to one side. Play with the window textures themselves by choosing a satin glass which not only offers privacy, but also a sleek addition to your design. Some garage door models, such as the Briarcrest Landmark Series by Richards-Wilcox, have wrought-iron inserts that add an elegant and classic touch to the windows. Get ready to add the light into your garage today!
Colour
No matter which material or style of garage door you choose, there are still options to customize your design even further. Say goodbye to the standard white garage door and hello to wow with colour! Most manufacturers offer numerous colour options, like Wayne Dalton’s TruChoice system, which gives you access to over 6,000 colour options for your garage door. Consider complementing your window trim with your new door colour to achieve a consistent look or add flair with a bolder shade instead.
Decorative Hardware and Accessories
A true work of art is judged by the details. Our manufacturers’ decorative hardware captures the rich nostalgia of time when hand-craftsmanship became a valued counterpoint to industrialization. Most Wayne Dalton hardware is made of black-powder-coated steel with a hand-hammered-look, whereas the hardware on the Richards-Wilcox Carriage House Doors is cast iron made to look like hand-forged wrought iron. Clearly, these styles of hardware and Carriage House Doors go together like—well, a horse and carriage. But these accents—even just a set of door pulls—can lend a traditional touch to our standard Classic Steel and Designer Fiberglass doors.
2. Choose a Material
The material you choose sets the tone for the rest of your door's design and should combine both style and function. For most homeowners, curb appeal is top-of-mind but durability, maintenance, and insulation value should also be considered to make sure you'll get the most out of your garage door.
Steel
Low maintenance and long lasting, steel garage doors are a popular choice among today's busy homeowners. While there are a variety of style and price options to choose from, steel doors made with two layers of galvanized steel can't be beat. Be aware that steel dents easily.
Aluminum
A lighter alternative to steel, aluminum is easy to maintain and comes with a variety of finish and colour options to suit your style. Budget conscious? Aluminum is an affordable solution.
Fiberglass
Love the look of natural wood but could do without the maintenance? Fiberglass can mimic nearly any material and is less likely to peel, dent or crack, helping you to cut down on costs in the long run.
Glass
Available in a variety of unique designs including tinted and etched, glass panelled doors create a modern look while flooding interior spaces with natural light. Depending on your door's design, glass panels vary in price.
Vinyl
Long-lasting and family-friendly, vinyl can withstand the wear and tear of everyday life. It's also one of the most affordable options and can be customized with an array of colour options. Take your time picking the right one for you—vinyl doors typically can't be re-painted.
Wood
Whether you prefer contemporary or classic, wood doors add warmth and character to any style of home. Made of solid wood or steel-backed with a wood facade, this is often a more expensive option and requires more maintenance but creates a luxurious look that no other door can offer.
3. Determine an Insulation Level
Remember to consider insulation value when buying your new garage door. You can find this out by looking at the R-value of your door: a measurement that determines how efficient it'll be at regulating the temperature inside your garage.
The most commonly used insulations are:
- Polyurethane (spray foam)
- Polystyrene (styrofoam)
A favourite among homeowners, polyurethane provides a better seal than polystyrene and also helps to increase the structural integrity of your door.
4. Add Safety Features
Safety features come standard with most new garage door models, and you'll want to make sure your door is no different. Sensing edges, photo optics, and safety reverse systems will all stop your door from closing when a person or object is in it's path, preventing accidents before they happen.
Come meet the team at any of our eight Western Canada branches, and we'll help find the ideal door for you. Not only that, we'll also expertly install and service it for you.
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