It seems like front entry doors get all the attention when it comes to curb appeal, but really, your garage door plays a big role making a big first impression too. If you have a front-facing, attached garage, people can’t help but notice the wide expansiveness of your garage door first thing when driving by or pulling into your driveway. This is why it’s important to choose carefully when considering a new garage door.
There are six common types of garage door. Here they are:
1. Sectional Garage Doors
This is the most popular type of garage door in the United States, comprised of panel sections connected by hinges. As your door opens and closes, the wheels at the edges of each panel begin rolling inside a vertical track at the sides of the door opening.
The hinges travel over a curved portion of the track, allowing the door to sit parallel to the ceiling when open or lined up with the walls when closed. These doors, usually made from steel, are low in maintenance and may be customized to include hardware, window inserts, textures, and colors.
2. Roll Up Garage Doors
You’ll find these more on commercial buildings than homes, but the roll-up doors offer a no-frills design great for areas with limited ceiling space. This style is comprised of steel slat sections rolling around a drum above the door opening. They are built to handle heavy usage, with enclosed springs to prevent rust, freezing and corrosion.
3. Slide to the Side Garage Doors
These are just what they sound like, bending to one side of the garage and resting parallel to the wall. These were the first type of garage door to be invented, originally utilized for garages with tight space and little headroom.
They operate on lower trolleys that are quite flexible, as they can work with slight slopes in the ceiling or floor. They don’t require balancing springs but do have a retractable, built-in motor with no need for an operator mounted on the ceiling.
4. Side Hinged Garage Doors
This is an old-fashioned design, with doors swinging open and closed from a hinged frame on each side of the opening. Similar to large barn doors, this type is usually made of wood, but commercial-grade galvanized steel doors are available. These are sought after for garages with obstructions or limited headroom. You can buy them in pre-hung frames of steel or fit them into existing openings, with the ability to be automated with conversion arms.
5. Tilt-Up/Up and Over Canopy Garage Doors
Just as with its side-hinged cousin, the tilt-up canopy garage doors do not have sections; rather, they are comprised of one solid piece. Featuring a pivoting hinge mechanism, they are able to tilt up into the garage. The canopy-style door, sitting parallel to the garage ceiling, extends outward past the front of the home when open.
6. Tilt-Up/Up and Over Retractable Garage Doors
Very similar to the tilt-up canopy design, these lift up and into the garage, suspended from the frame independently. This means they don’t protrude past the home’s exterior. These doors need more space to operate than canopy garage doors.
Contact M&M Garage Doors
Here at M&M Garage Doors, we install Amarr garage doors. Feel free to browse our selection and settle on the best style for your needs. Contact us today to make an appointment (586) 610-5434.
