A garage is generally purely utilitarian space in every house, it’s as clear as crystal. However, because it often claims prominent placement on the house facade, it highly defines the outward appearance of your home. As a garage door can say a lot about your house, its choice should not be random and careless. On the contrary, we should treat it as an important addition to our home that we’ll use daily for years to come. From such a point of view, it makes much sense to spend a little extra time and effort before buying garage doors, doesn’t it?
If you are wondering how to choose garage doors, remember to take into account several aspects, such as durability, insulation parameters and safety of use, as well as the method of protection against burglary. The aesthetics of the garage doors and matching it to the appearance of the building and its surroundings are also important – as well as garage door prices! There are many types of garage doors and depending on the needs or garage architecture, you can choose the right model. If you are about to buy a new garage door, read our article to know what factors to pay attention to in order to ensure the comfort of use – not only of the garage door itself, but also the entire garage.
Roller garage doors vs sectional garage doors
First things first, let’s start with describing the most popular modern garage door solutions. These include roller doors and sectional doors. Both types of garage doors look very aesthetically pleasing and open vertically, the latter meaning they do not take up any external space in front of the garage. Nonetheless, there are some crucial differences regarding their construction and aesthetics.
Roller garage doors are especially recommended for small and low garages – unlike sectional doors, they do not need space under the ceiling for the installation of guides. They are formed of interlinked, individual slats, locking together to form a ‘curtain’, which rolls up neatly when opened. Roll up garage doors work similarly to external roller shutters (and resemble them visually), where the rolled up door curtain is placed in a special box. When it comes to the aesthetics, roller garage door design options are limited. Of course, you can choose either narrow slats or wider slats, but the basic horizontal slat design is the only possible solution. The latter may be considered a disadvantage, as well as the fact that roller garage doors do not generally guarantee high levels of thermal insulation – which may influence the way roller door prices are set.
High-quality sectional doors, on the contrary, provide the best thermal insulation parameters and guarantee the greatest comfort of door operation. They are extremely durable and resistant to weather conditions, and additionally – they are considered the most aesthetic garage door solution. In their case, you have a large range of design differences you can select from. Customers generally go for a sectional door with clean, straight lines, spaced far apart to provide a more sleek, contemporary style. When buying sectional garage doors, it is worth looking for those whose panel is made of an appropriately thick polyurethane foam filling and galvanised steel sheet. These materials guarantee the durability of the door and reduce heat losses.
What to pay attention to when buying garage doors
When buying garage doors, you should obviously take into account factors such as durability of the product, ease of use, available space in the garage and the size of the driveway. The type of garage in which the door is to be installed is also important, as well as the purpose and frequency of use of the garage. If you plan to park a car in it every day or even a few times a day, comfortable gate operation is far more important than when you take your car out, for example, once or twice a week. Generally speaking, choosing the best garage doors for your home will likely come down to your personal preference. But to help make the decision easier for you, we have chosen the five most important points you should keep in mind when choosing garage doors. Here they are!
Material
The first thing you need to consider when buying a garage door is the right material selection. There are various options when it comes to garage door material: you can choose among wooden, steel and aluminium garage doors. The smartest decision would be to opt for a durable, low-maintenance garage door that is easy to clean – and in this case it would mean doors made of aluminium.
Security
Safety is surely another crucial feature to consider when you decide to buy a new garage door. This feature is strongly associated with the quality of the above mentioned door material. For your peace of mind, select garage doors made of sturdy and durable material that will withstand a considerable amount of force. At this point, you should also consider how to choose the right garage door opener. Generally, garage door openers lock the garage door when in the down position. However, as such a mechanism won’t always stop a forceful intruder, it is worth considering a smart garage door opener which will keep you alerted whenever the garage door is open. If the garage door at your home opens manually, you might install a locking handle for extra security.
Automation
The most important garage door equipment, ensuring quiet operation and comfort of use, is the drive. It often comes with additional options, such as a remote control and a battery, thanks to which even in the absence of electricity, the garage door will work properly with the previously mentioned remote. For your convenience, you can also equip your garage door drive with: photocells, additional key controllers, code controllers and even fingerprint readers. A photocell protects users from colliding with a closed gate, while ensuring comfort and ease of use. When you choose e.g. radio code controllers, you will be able to open the gate by entering a numerical code. It is also very useful to equip the garage door panels with the finger protection function, which protects against pinching of fingers when closing the doors (when the panel is folding during closing).
Style
Obviously, the chosen garage door style should go with the overall theme of your home. For this reason, pay attention to the style of your entrance door and window shutters, as well as exterior features of your home. When all of these elements match one another, you will be able to effectively boost your home’s curb appeal. Additionally, you should consider how to choose the right garage door colour. Just like with style, find a colour that either matches or complements your home unique features and enhances the overall appearance of your property. A trusted garage door supplier will enable you to customise your garage door according to your needs and current trends. At Fenbro, we offer numerous options of panel personalisation: they can be varnished or laminated in different colours from the RAL colour palette, with various stainless steel (INOX) applications on them.
Cost
When comparing shutter or roller door prices, remember that the costs can be very different depending on the manufacturer, door model and selected accessories. Always pay special attention to whether the price includes the cost of the electric drive or not. Delivery and installation costs are also important, so definitely ask about them beforehand. What is more, bear in mind that the cost of the same garage door model may vary depending on the colour chosen! And now an important tip: it is always worth choosing garage doors from proven manufacturers, even if it means paying more. Only such products guarantee high quality, ease of use and quiet and smooth garage door operation.
INFINITI garage doors in the Fenbro offer
The choice of garage doors depends primarily on the needs and expectations of garage users. But if you are prepared to pay more for much better quality, then sectional doors are usually the best and most universal of all the available options. At Fenbro, we offer INFINITI sectional garage doors characterised by safety, stylish workmanship and technological solutions. Made from powder coated aluminium, they are a synonym of not only comfort and functionality, but also great aesthetics and personalisation possibilities.
Sectional garage doors offered by Fenbro take up little space and allow you to make the most of your garage area. In addition, a wide range of structures and RAL colours creates a huge number of combinations that will satisfy the most demanding customers. The garage doors can also be refined by adding a pass door on a low or high threshold, an aluminium section or glazings (in the uPVC frames), which will positively affect the aesthetic and original appearance of the garage.
INFINITI gates are distinguished by excellent thermal insulation, which effectively protects the house against heat loss. As standard, the doors are equipped with seals that help maintain proper thermal insulation. INFINITI sectional doors are offered in three different guiding systems. The F system, in which torsion springs are mounted at the front, is ideal for large door dimensions, with a minimum required lintel of 200 mm. The R system, also using torsion springs but mounted at the rear, allows for a minimum lintel of just 120 mm. In the X system, extension springs are used. This system is the most visually aesthetic and ensures easy and quick assembly thanks to the unique suspension system based on innovative components. In this system, the minimum lintel is 120 mm.
What garage doors to choose
There’s no doubt that a garage door is not only a functional element of your home but also a visible one. By considering our above mentioned tips, you are sure to get a door that’s durable, beautiful, practical and well-functioning. But that’s not all! Now that you know how to choose garage doors, you’ll need some professional help to install them properly. At Fenbro, we specialise in garage door installation and replacement, too. Interested? Contact us today or get a free quote!
