Melbourne Garage Doors

How to Choose the Right Garage Door?

 

It is not necessarily the first element that we focus on during renovations in his home ( we often think of windows for example), and yet the choice of getting the right garage door deserves attention. After all, the garage is often home to one of your most expensive items in terms of service and price, your vehicle. It is a healthy storage place which also provides access to your home.

So how do you choose your garage door to ensure safety, strength and aesthetics?

What type of garage door to choose?

In addition to the aesthetic aspect, different criteria come into play into choosing the right garage door: the layout of the garage and the presence of annoying elements such as pipes, beams or storage, the dimensions of the room, the uses made of it (living room or storage room) as well as the space available outdoors as well as indoors.

• The tilting garage door

It is arguably the most classic and economical model of garage doors. The tilting swing garage door is made up of a single panel which, when opening, which can be done manually or automatically thanks to the integration of a motor, is positioned under the ceiling.

It may be overflowing, that is to say it may protrude from the garage in the open position; or non-overhanging, completely positioned under the ceiling.

The swing garage door is a good choice in terms of durability and budget but still has the downside that it requires sufficient maneuvering volume for comfortable use.

• The sectional garage door

Composed of slats or hinged panels, the sectional garage door is a particularly popular option because of its aesthetics. Another advantage and not the least, this type of garage door is ideal for optimizing the available space. This garage door slides on side rails suspended from the ceiling in order to fit under the ceiling; or on a rail placed on the ground in order to be positioned against a wall of the garage.

It has good optimization qualities in terms of space because it does not overflow either inside or outside and therefore the right garage door model if your house is on the edge of the road. The sectional garage door with lateral sliding also offers the possibility of using one of the panels as a wicket door.

Also, sectional garage doors are known to benefit from very good thermal insulation and waterproofing, due to the manufacture of the steel panels filled with polyurethane foam as well as the presence of joints between the panels.

This type of door, however, requires its equivalent in size where the door is placed when it is opened; and can thus lead to having to do without one of its walls for the side option. Note: this type of garage door is more expensive to purchase. A strong material is also essential to ensure the durability of sectional garage doors.

• The swing garage door

This type of garage door is made up of two panels which, like a gate, opens from either side. The two panels can therefore open independently of one another. The disadvantage is the need to have sufficient space outside the garage so that the open doors do not overflow onto the sidewalk or the road, nor obstruct the passage. However, opening to the outside means preserved interior space, and this is the advantage of swing garage doors.

• Roll-up or Up-set or Roller Garage Door

This type of garage door can be likened to a roller shutter which is housed in a box fixed to the ceiling or outside, as a roller shutter, thus saving the space required for the door and its opening. It is the zero overflow solution suitable for small spaces and low ceiling heights, which can open automatically thanks to the motor.

Before installing a garage door, it is therefore important to know the measurements, the space available in and outside the room, in order to choose the model of door most suited to your project.

What material to choose for your garage door?

The choice of material for your garage door depends on aesthetic criteria, thermal performance, robustness and price:

Steel doors have the advantage of being resistant to impact and corrosion, when the material has been treated, galvanized and protected by layers of paint. However, the thinness of the material gives it less thermal and sound insulation, compared to other materials such as wood.

However, when they are composed of a double wall separated by thermal insulation, steel garage doors guarantee excellent thermal insulation.

• Steel garage door

• Aluminium garage door

Aluminium offers strength, durability and lightness to garage doors. This material is, therefore, more suitable for overhead type doors and solutions requiring the door to be motorized.

• PVC garage door

Also light, PVC doors are particularly economical. They also offer effective thermal insulation, superior to aluminium and steel. However, due to its lightness, PVC is not the best option to protect against the risk of a break-in.

• Wooden garage door

Particularly aesthetic, wooden doors offer very good thermal insulation. Frequent maintenance (especially against humidity) is nevertheless to be expected so that the material lasts as long as possible. Because wooden garage doors are much heavier than other materials, they are more suitable for side openings, which do not require suspension.

Using a high pressure or dry cleaner, the maintenance of the garage door will also depend on the wood chosen.

The right garage door motorisation system for you:

Because it is expensive, the motorization of the garage door can be considered optional. However, it is a key element in the comfort of use of your garage door, ideal for quickly parking your vehicle, as well as opening and closing remotely with remote control without having to get out of the car.

However, several criteria must be considered in order to be sure to make the best choice: opening speed, sound level, an anti-pinch system, automatic shutdown in the event of obstacles, motor configuration, and the weight of the garage door. It is therefore advisable to reserve a place for the installation of the motor in your garage while anticipating the necessary electrical installation.

• Remote motorisation

This type of motorization, which is installed on the ceiling, is particularly suitable for tilting or sectional garage doors positioned below the ceiling. The remote motorization acts like a rack that moves on the rail, but can also be fixed, the movement being affected by driving a cable.

• Integrated motorisation

For roll-up or upset or roller garage doors, such as a roller shutter, the motor is part of the door receiving box. This configuration, which is more compact than a remote motor, saves space and is suitable for garages with a reduced lintel drop.

• Articulated arm motorisation

As with automated gates, the articulated arm motorization is installed outside the garage and is therefore suitable for swing garage doors.

Regardless of the type of motorization selected, you must not neglect to anticipate power outage situations and therefore set up an unlocking system in order to be able to operate the door manually.

For a FREE Measure and Quote – call your local garage door experts! Melbourne Garage Doors!