Getting a garage door is an investment that will last for decades. Even though colour, design and style are important considerations to assess, there are other crucial factors you should consider during your selection. 

How to Choose the Right Garage Door

Choosing the right garage door for your home, cottage or commercial building starts with understanding a few key factors that affect performance, appearance and long-term value, including:

1. Assess Your Requirements

Consider how you’ll use your garage to determine the right door for your needs:

• If your garage is a workshop, living area or entertaining space, prioritize insulation and heat. 
• A garage with living space above it should have a highly insulated door. 
• If you plan to install a car lift, a high-lift system will be required. 
• For storing valuables, consider privacy windows, tempered glass or no windows. 
• Seasonal or vacation properties need a sturdy door to protect your belongings. 
• Commercial buildings should have dependable, energy-efficient overhead doors. 
• Automotive shops with frequent door use require upgraded springs and hardware to handle wear and tear.

2. Set Your Budget

Even though budget is typically one of the major deciding factors when purchasing a garage door, it is important to find the perfect balance between the door’s durability and reliability and how much you are willing to invest. Here are some things to think about before purchasing:

• Curb Appeal: When selling a home, first impressions matter — and with the garage door as a major curb-appeal feature, upgrading it can deliver an average 194% return nationwide while boosting overall property value. 
• Energy Efficiency: If you plan to heat your garage, an insulated door will minimize heat transfer and increase energy efficiency. This results in lower water and gas bills, offsetting the initial higher cost. 
• Durable Components: Upgrading hardware when you initially purchase a garage door is far more cost-effective than adding or replacing it later.

3. Measure Your Doorway

Taking accurate initial measurements is crucial for determining your garage door’s features, including size, type, motor requirements and other essential considerations.

Measure the width and height of the opening and the headroom or the floor-to-ceiling height. These measurements determine the door size and hardware you’ll need. If the floor-to-ceiling height is much greater than the door height, we recommend a high-lift system, which opens the door closer to the ceiling and uses the extra headroom for a car lift, storage or other needs. Alternatively, if there is limited headroom, you will require a low-headroom track system.

4. Define Style and Colour

When deciding on your garage door’s style, consider your property’s architecture and colour palette. Full-view doors are a modern option that suits contemporary-style homes better, while carriage house garage doors are ideal for period or traditional houses, like Victorian or ranch-style properties.

Here are some tips to consider when choosing the colour and style of your new garage door:

• Choose the Colour First: Garage doors have fewer colour options than entry doors, trim or siding. Plus, custom painting or staining can be expensive.
• Find the Right Match: We offer colour chips to help match your garage door to other areas of your home, and we can also provide a digital mock-up to show how the door style and colour will look before you purchase.
• Consider the Opening: If your door opening has a custom arch, keep in mind that standard garage door windows may not match the radius, but we can provide suggestions to find the best-fitting door.
• Select Suitable Windows: The style of a garage door can be influenced by the windows you choose. For example, a traditional door can take on modern accents when paired with the right window style and finish.

5. Choose Glass Options

Windows in a garage door come in various sizes with multiple inserts and glass types, and finishes. When deciding to add windows to your garage door, you should ask yourself the following questions:

• How is my garage going to be used?
• What will I be keeping in my garage?
• Would I like a source of natural light in my garage?
• Do I want privacy glass or windows that allow me to see outside?
• How overlooked or close to a sidewalk is my garage door?
• Do I want to match the style of my house or entry door window to my garage door windows?
• What size windows do I need?

6. Consider How Your Door Should Open

Tracks influence how garage doors open. The type of track you choose is typically based on available space and how you plan to use your garage door. Options include:

• Standard Radius Track: This track is the most common option for homes with a standard ceiling height, lifting the door up and back along the ceiling.
• Low-Headroom Track: If you have limited space, this track is the ideal choice. It allows the door to open with minimal clearance above the opening.
• High-Lift Track: Used in garages with extra ceiling height, the track raises the door higher before it turns overhead. It is perfect for car lifts or added storage.
• Vertical-Lift Track: This system runs straight up the wall and is typically used in commercial or very tall residential garages, requiring little backroom but significant height.
• Follow Roof Pitch Track: Designed for sloped or vaulted ceilings, this track allows the door to follow the roof angle and sit parallel to the pitch.
• 25-Degree Track: The 25-degree track is a specialized option that increases the opening angle to clear handles, windows or other door features that interfere with standard tracks.

7. Select a Suitable Material

Choosing the right garage door material means balancing curb appeal, durability, energy efficiency and style. Here’s a look at the different materials to help you make the best choice for your home:

• Steel: Low maintenance and durable with multiple styles and finish options, steel doors are an excellent and relatively affordable choice. They can dent, especially thinner steel, and scratches can rust if not repaired. These doors also have poor natural insulation, so it’s best to buy models with added insulation.
• Natural Wood: These stunning doors have a warm, natural aesthetic with design flexibility. You can also enhance their appeal with stains and customization. The material makes them heavy and harder to operate manually. Plus, they require frequent upkeep to prevent warping, swelling or rot. 
• Aluminum and Glass: When you’re looking for rust-resistant, lightweight doors that let in natural light, consider aluminum and glass models. While they are highly customizable, they have a lower insulation value with glass options that may reduce privacy. 
• Composite Overlay: Moisture-resistant and durable, composite overlay doors mimic the natural beauty of wood with less maintenance need. However, they can be harder to repair and may need to be replaced when damaged. 

8. Think About the Insulation Level Needed

A garage may serve many purposes, but regardless of how it’s used, a well-insulated garage door plays a key role in comfort and energy efficiency. Insulation helps regulate temperatures, lower energy costs, reduce noise, protect stored items, extend door lifespan and add value to your home — making it a smart upgrade for almost any property. 

These factors influence how much insulation you need:

• Your Climate: Do you face harsh winters or scorching summers?
• Garage Location: Is your garage attached to the house, affecting the temperature in your main living areas?
• Garage Use: Will it store vehicles, serve as a recreational or living space or function mainly for storage?
• Noise Level: Will you use noisy equipment, play instruments or want to block outside noise?

9. Don’t Forget About Security

All residential garage doors offer some protection from criminal activity, which is why your family’s and your belongings’ safety is a key factor when deciding on your door’s durability, reliability and sturdiness. Here are some ways to enhance garage door security:

• Eliminate Common Vulnerabilities: Assess and address vulnerabilities in and around your home, such as weak doors or springs, older openers and side doors with weak locks or windows. 
• Choose Secure Door Types: Some garage doors offer increased security. For example, steel doors have inherent strength and durability that make them resistant to forced entry. Roller doors are hard to pry, wood doors are heavy to lift and hide valuables well and sectional doors have a multi-panel, interlocking design and tight seals that offer added security.  
• Install Smart Security Systems: Consider adding smart openers for remote garage door control or cameras with night vision and motion detection to make your space more secure. You can also get professional 24/7 monitoring with video verifications and real-time alerts. 
• Add Access Control: Access control systems are excellent for preventing unauthorized entry. Choose between keyless entry pads, remote apps or biometrics depending on your security needs. 

Investing in advanced and smart features protects your home, offers convenience and may reduce insurance costs.

Transform Your Property With Stouffville Garage Doors

Stouffville Garage Doors has been serving residents with local, trusted garage door services since 1988 and has a team of qualified experts who will walk you through the entire process of choosing your new garage door, while providing the best service and excellent support. 

Revitalize your property by requesting your new garage door estimate today!