Facts About Overhead Garage Doors
In the old days, garage doors were awkward conventional double doors swinging on hinges. Virtually all garage doors these days are the sliding overhead type, either manual or motorized. Within this category are several subtypes. When you're comparing these types and trying to choose a new garage door for your home or business, you should consider the advantages of the various materials and any additional features you might want.
Types of Overhead Garage Doors
Overhead garage doors come in three main types.
- Tilt-up doors: Tilt-up garage doors have been around the longest. They are a simple one piece panel that slides up into a track or pivot mounted in the ceiling.
- Roll-up doors: Comprised of a lot of smaller strips joined together, roll-up garage doors work like roll-up bamboo blinds. When these doors are opened, they roll up to form a small cylinder shape.
- Sectional doors: Sectional units are usually made of three or four large panels. These panels are connected by hinges that allow the door to fold up into a large coil.
Materials Used
Overhead garage doors are made out of a variety of materials, including fiberglass, aluminum, wood and steel.
Steel doors: Steel is the material most commonly used for overhead garage doors, in part because it provides much greater security and is relatively simple to install.
- Wood doors: Although wood is more aesthetically pleasing, it is not nearly as durable and reliable as the other three materials.
- Aluminum doors: Aluminum garage doors are often used in locations near saltwater, since aluminum is much more resistant to rusting than steel.
- Fiberglass doors: Fiberglass is extremely lightweight and generally very durable. However, in colder climates fiberglass has a tendency to crack.
Additional Features
You can get paneled and smooth finishes for all three types of overhead garage doors. They also come in a variety of colors and can be equipped with glass vision lites. If you want to avoid having to repaint an overhead garage door, then fiberglass units might be a good choice (since the pigments are integrated into the fiberglass). Most overhead units can be operated manually using a track system or a chain system. Usually, owners prefer to install motorized controls.
The garage door you use for your home or business is more important than it might seem. For a business person, a reliable garage door is essential for an efficient operation. For a homeowner, the appearance of your garage door can affect the value of your home. It's important to choose the right one for your particular needs and location. Take your needs to a local service such as All Kind Door Services Ltd to design and install your new overhead doors.
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