Vintage Carriage Style Garage Doors

Custom garage doors are becoming increasingly popular; especially the vintage-look styles. You don’t have to opt for the “normal” designs if you like things to be unconventional and eye-catching. Your home décor reflects your distinctive style and personality, and garage doors are the first indication of what people will see once inside your home.

Types of carriage style custom garage doors

Actual carriage doors, the type that swing open, are quite expensive and typically custom made. A lot of people don’t think of them as practical options to install in their homes. But if you’re a lover of unique, vintage style design, this could be the highlight of your home décor!

It is possible to achieve an old-world charm while enjoying the convenience offered by a contemporary overhead door. How? Homeowners now have the option to upgrade to a “carriage-style” garage door. Here are some of the most popular options for these doors:

1. Steel-finished carriage doors

The steel-finished carriage garage doors are considered to be a very practical option. They are the least costly option, and require minimal maintenance. You can find a large range of options in steel-finished carriage style custom garage doors.

This option may not appear as authentic as some of the others. They typically have decorative elements that create the look of swing-out doors. Though these doors may all look similar, there could be a lot of variation in their quality, so be aware when choosing yours.

2. Wooden custom carriage doors

The wooden custom carriage doors are the most costly option among other vintage garage doors. However, you can enjoy an unlimited number of designs in this type door. There will be variations in composition and construction of wooden carriage doors. These doors are generally bulkier and thicker, with a high insulation value.

Since wooden custom carriage doors come in a wooden frame, it is possible to build the door’s surface using a variety of different materials. Like all other wooden doors, these demand a reasonable amount of maintenance. Homeowners should take all factors into consideration, and ask any questions they may have, to help make their final decision.

3. Semi-custom wood garage doors

This type of custom garage doors can be seen as a variation to paneled doors, which have been used for decades in all kinds of homes. They can be stain grade or paint grade wood doors, and have several different kind of panels. However, these doors will typically have one rail that runs across the bottom and top of every section, so the design options are limited. These doors can only offer a minimal amount of insulation. Again, there can be many variations in the cost of these doors, but it is vital to do your research in order to steer clear of unreliable wood species.

Vintage style custom garage doors will greatly uplift the appearance of your home exterior. It is a good idea to research the different kinds of carriage style garage doors before making a final choice.

Types of Wood Used for Building Garage Doors

A garage door made of wood boasts of superior aesthetic appeal, while also complements some specific architectural style homes. Such doors are typically seen in overhead or carriage style to match the features of the home as well as the neighborhood. But what kind of wood is suitable for constructing a durable and beautiful looking garage door? The kind of wood used for constructing a garage door will usually vary in thickness, quality and weight.

Varieties of wood for garage doors

Here is a brief description on certain categories of wood that can be used for making a wooden garage door. Depending on your personal taste, budget and purpose, you could get a wooden garage door made for your home.

Cedar

Cedar is one of the most popular and premium quality woods available in the market. It is naturally resistant to rot, moisture, insects and decay. Cedar is also a highly porous wood, which means that it does an excellent job of absorbing noise. Your cedar wood doors, even when painted or stained, will keep their beautiful grainy appearance. If you decide to opt for a cedar wood garage door, you will have to get it sealed almost every alternative year in order to ensure durability.

Redwood

Redwood is considered to be the high-end wood used for constructing wooden garage doors. This type of wood features an open-cell structure, containing minimal or no resins or pitch. Therefore, redwood is excellent at absorbing and retaining a variety of different finishes. Redwood garage doors are made with several wood layers for minimizing warping risk from water and heat. The doors can be stained or painted as liked.

Plywood

A garage door made of plywood is the most inexpensive, basic kind of wooden garage door. It might have a hardwood skin on the exterior to enhance its outward appearance. Plywood doors could be quite thin and therefore insulated using a foam core layer for strength and durability.

Plywood is known for its versatility and used extensively in the furniture-making, woodcrafts and construction industries. This material also comes in a variety of shapes and dimensions. You can find plywood made in both hardwood and softwood. This basically depends on the way in which the plywood was constructed or treated.

Mahogany

Mahogany is among the expensive or high-end options for making a wooden garage door. However, you will also get a very attractive final effect with a mahogany garage door. This is a type of hardwood which is very solid, heavy, durable and expensive. For this reason, mahogany doors do not make use of a solid wooden piece. Rather, a frame made of a lighter and slightly inexpensive softwood (like Douglas-fir) is used with a mahogany panel insertion.

Douglas-fir is popular as a kind of softwood that is generally utilized as the framework material in garage doors. It could also offer a beautiful effect when used on the door’s exterior panels. There is no match to a beautiful wooden garage door, whether you have a modern or traditional styled home!

Your Guide to Choosing Custom Garage Doors

Your Guide to Choosing Custom Garage Doors

A garage door is perhaps one of the most prominent features of a house and the one that is used quite often. So you want to be careful while choosing it. The garage door you pick could either add to or take away from your curb’s aesthetic appeal. This is especially true for homes that have the garage right in the center or front. For such homes, the garage door has to be well-maintained and good looking.

The amount you spend on a new garage door would be worth the value it will add to the overall appeal of your house. Standard garage doors are made of wood, steel, copper or other metal, with a single or double door. However, if you wish to install an aluminum heavy-duty garage door or a customized, designer garage door, then you must be willing to spend some extra money. But custom garage doors are absolutely worth the investment!

Garage door styles

When you are looking for custom garage doors, you will find that there are four basic styles that you can pick from:

• Garage doors that swing out
• Garage doors that swing up
• Garage doors that roll up
• Garage doors that are side-sliding

If you want the ceiling to stay clear, then sliding or swing-out garage doors is a good option. They also lend a distinctive look to the garage. Besides that, roll-up garage doors are also very popular among home owners.

Before you buy a roll-up garage door, measuring the space between the ceiling and the top of your garage door is important. With standard tracks, you will require about fourteen inches of headroom. Besides the standard tracks, you can also find tracks that are especially made for custom garages or those that have cathedral ceilings or very high walls.

Common materials used for garage doors

Here are some typical materials used for making garage doors, both standard and customized.

Wood: With wooden garage doors, you can enjoy the authenticity and charm that is rarely matched by any other material. It is possible to make wooden garage doors locally in different sizes. Wooden doors could be decently priced (mid-range) or could be very expensive. This depends on the frame used, whether it’s lightweight and foam insulation filled or set in hardboard skin. There are also frame-and-panel garage doors which are made with durable mahogany, cedar or redwood.

Steel: If you wish to avoid too much maintenance, then metal, such as steel, would be a better option. Steel is comparatively cheaper and yet quite tough. Steel could rust upon exposure and might require touch ups and repairing of dents. You could consider steel garage doors with fiberglass overlays. These are resistant to rusting and dents. Fiberglass requires periodic repainting as the color might fade over a period of time.

Copper: Copper is considered to be among the most efficient and resourceful building materials in the market today. Copper garage doors look aesthetically appealing, are durable and resistant to corrosion.

It is important to do an adequate amount of research before finally selecting your custom garage door.

Choosing the Right Material for your Garage Door

Garage doors are an important part of your house. For starters, they keep your garage secure and they can even raise the value of your property in the future. That’s why choosing the right material for your garage door is very important.

When it comes to choosing the right material for your garage door, the final decision is always based on personal preference. However, there are considerations that you need to make when choosing the kind of material you need for your garage door. The right material can make things easy by reducing the need for maintenance and also, by increasing the durability of the garage door.

So, here are the pros and cons of some popular materials used for garage doors. This should give you an idea about what you’re are looking for and hopefully, help you make the right decision

Wood

Wood is a very popular choice because it looks extremely attractive. Wooden garage doors lend a very sophisticated touch to many homes and they also make houses develop a classy appeal. Many buyers opt for wood because it reminds them of old vintage homes. Plus, wood can take a beating as well and they are customizable. You can have a wood garage door of any size and shape.

On the other hand, wood does have its fair share of problems. To begin with, wood maybe tough, but if the impact is significant enough, you could end up splitting or breaking the wood. Also, moisture can cause wood to swell, which means humid weather conditions may not go very well with wood. Wood garage doors are also relatively more expensive.

Steel

Steel garage doors are a very modern choice.  They look good and they are very easy to keep clean as well. Steel garage doors are also available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. They are also quite solid in terms of maintenance as they are resistant to extreme temperatures and they do not break like wood.

Steel garage doors are also easy to insulate, unlike wood.

However, Steel garage doors can get dented with impact, even if they cannot break.  They are simple in appearance and do not have the sophisticated appeal that wood garage doors have.

Synthetic

The long term expenses associated with synthetic wood garage door maintenance are extremely minimal. Speaking of maintenance, faux wood garage doors hardly need any kind of maintenance. They do not need painting as they are made from a single color composite resin and they are natural rust proof.

They are also resistant in to all weather and temperature conditions. They are also extremely durable and strong. You will never have to worry about denting or breaking.

But, there are disadvantages as well. For instance, synthetic wood garage doors are limited in terms of look and color. You will have to settle for what is available. Painting is an option, but they rarely improve things. Plus, insulation with vinyl garage doors is poor, unless you buy built-in insulation features, which will cost extra.

Benefits of Copper and Stainless Steel Garage Doors

Garage doors crafted with copper metal add a distinctive style to the aesthetics of your contemporary home. They are simple in design and high in quality, made using robust material. This is why coppergarage doors are fast becoming the preferred choice of modern homeowners. Copper doors are unique and chic, turning around the look of any style of home, whether a custom-built French estate, a classic wood cabin or a stone carriage house.

Advantages of copper garage doors

The primary advantage of copper garage doors is their longevity. They also require minimal maintenance. Copper garage doors have the ability to withstand long term wear and tear owing to the metal’s own protective patina. This oxidation film is formed when copper gets exposure to sun, air, wind and water. There might be minimal color changes and these allow copper to age naturally over a period of time. Here is a list of some other benefits of installing a copper garage door in your home:

• Energy Efficient: Good quality copper reduces the air condition and heat that escapes out of the garage.
• Corrosion-resistant: Copper doors do not require updating or re-painting because the natural patina ages beautifully over a period of time.
• Adds Elegance to the Home: Almost all kinds of homes look aesthetically appealing when fitted with copper garage doors.
• Works with Different Specifications: These include wood grain and smooth textures as well as insulation.

Benefits of Stainless Steel Garage Doors

Garage doors made out of stainless steel are smooth and sleek and a brilliant option for those who are on the lookout for a modern, clean, contemporary style garage door, which still has a classic touch to it.

Steel garage doors like copper garage doors have several benefits including strong durability and low maintenance. But you need to ensure that the contractor you employ makes use of high-grade, good quality stainless steel to make the garage door. This way it will look good and last for a long period of time.

Here are some more advantages of stainless steel garage doors:

• Versatile: As a material, steel is extremely light in weight and this is one of its key advantages. In general, garage doors made out of steel put minimal strain or stress on the opening system of the garage door. The opening comprises torsion springs as well as various other components). It helps to increase the longevity of the door and results in reduced maintenance issues in the long run.
• Stylish: Besides being strong, garage doors made from steel also very stylish and the ideal fit for modern contemporary homes. These doors can be easily painted/re-painted in several different colors and they never rust!
• Environment friendly: Steel doors are energy-efficient and also environment friendly. When you need to replace the steel garage door, you don’t have to create pollution or throw it in landfill. Steel can be recycled and used again.

Install a copper or steel garage door to enjoy long-term benefits of a style and durability.

Benefits Of a Wooden Garage Door

Garage doors are highly practical and today there are so many different options to choose from, that you can actually make it a decorative element of your home décor.

This holds true especially for those considering getting a wooden garage door. There are numerous advantages of installing a wooden garage door. These can be easily customized to suit your specific requirements.

Not all homes have a standard garage door size. Also, if somebody has added fresh dimensions to their garage space or made improvements, then a fixed-size door which once got fitted into the garage might not be feasible anymore. You may be in need of a custom garage door now.  Irrespective of the size of the door required, customized wooden garage doors might be the perfect option for you.

Why install wooden garage doors

Here is a quick look at some of the major advantages of wood garage doors:

·         Wooden garage doors can be custom built in order to meet the specifications and taste of the homeowner.

·         It is possible to build these doors to fit all sizes and shapes of garages.

·         These doors can be built (or adjusted) for accommodating flat garage floors.

·         You can give your garage a distinctive look owing to the custom-built nature of the wooden garage doors.

·         Wooden garage doors are popular for enhancing the appearance of homes with a natural exterior finish by using elements such as logs, cedar shingles, stone etc.

·          These doors will not dent or crack like aluminum, steel and vinyl doors.

·         Since wood is considered to be a renewable resource, these wooden garage doors will be eco-friendly too.

·         You will find natural substance treatments to enhance the life of your wooden garage door. They will help to protect the door from rotting, bending etc.

·         It is possible to replace garage doors if they get damaged. The damaged part/panel can be easily replaced and you don’t need to replace the entire door.

·         You can use automatic operation for wooden garage doors or operate them manually.

·         Wood has the advantage of being a natural barrier to sound, so it helps in cutting down on all kinds of noise pollution. This is especially beneficial if you live on a busy street or have a noisy neighborhood.

Construction of wooden garage doors

When considering the installation of a wooden garage door, you might be confused with the different options, particularly with regards to their construction.

Most of the wooden garage doors will have a nice, solid, ornamental appearance, but there is more that goes into the making of these doors. They are not merely big wooden panels. Some wood garage doors could have several layers and some of the layers contain steel frames. This adds to the rigidity of the doors.

Other wooden garage doors might incorporate insulation areas. This allows the doors to provide increased protection against the weather. It also boosts sound absorption.

The type of wooden garage door you pick will depend mostly upon your specific needs and also on your budget.

Enjoy Beauty and Function with Custom Garage Doors

Whether you are planning to build a garage for your property or you are looking to replace your current garage door with one that has some personality, custom garage doors are an excellent choice.

While prefab garage doors are functional for some homes, they do limit your choices. Fortunately, you can maximize both beauty and function by getting a custom garage door made for your home.

Wood Allows for Intricate Detail

If you choose to go for wood, you will find that the complex designs that can be created an incredible. For a classic look, you cannot go wrong with a wooden garage door, especially when you take part in the design process and get to have your visions turn into reality.

Add Windows to Improve Looks

In addition to a beautifully designed garage door, adding windows makes it even better. Another benefit that windows provides is that they bring natural lighting into your garage. Although the difference may not be substantial, the light that comes in naturally may be enough to avoid using artificial lighting, which saves you money on your utilities. Also, since the light comes in through the windows, you do not have to open the garage door and lose the insulation it provides.

Paint or Stain Finish

A wooden garage door is ideal because it can look so different with how many paint and stain options are available. Regardless of how many neighbors you have with wooden garage doors, yours can be unique, not just in design, but in the finish, as well.

Contact us to learn more about custom garage doors.