A huge part of our outside visual real estate is taken by your garage doors, especially if you have a larger two car garage. Garage doors that face the street contribute to your home’s overall look and if they’re old, damaged or if their appearance clashes with the rest of the home they can significantly lower your home’s curb appeal.

Renovating your garage door or even replacing it entirely can make a huge difference, both visually as well as increasing you home’s security if you have an attached garage. These are the 4 main things to consider before replacing or reviving your garage door

1.      Timing

The best time to work on your garage door is during warm and dry weather as you will be spending a lot of time outside during the process. This is especially true if you’re painting or sealing the doors or if you’re installing any features like pergolas. However, if you’re only doing some basic updates, the weather doesn’t matter very much as long as it’s raining or extremely cold as most basic tasks will only take a few hours, especially if you are using the services of a professional. It’s recommended to hire a professional if you’re installing a new garage door because it requires expertise and precision. Safety should always be your first priority and a poorly installed garage door can pose significant danger to you, your loved ones and your property.

2.      Permits

Since the garage door could be considered an exterior wall there are some cities where a permit is required when you are replacing your garage door and opener. Most contractors will be able to tell you whether the permit is needed for the work being done, but if you’re still uncertain contacting your city or county’s agency is the best way to access this information. It’s better to do your due diligence ahead of time than to be slapped with a hefty fine later on down the line.

3.      Materials

There are several popular materials to choose for your new garage door, each with their pros and cons. Wood and steel are the most common materials used. Wood is a very sturdy and versatile material and it will offer you a lot of freedom for the design of your door in addition to being a great fit for nearly all climates provided it is sealed and protected properly. However, it’s also one of the more expensive options. On the other hand, steel is cheaper than wood and is nearly ubiquitous in garage door design. Its biggest drawback is that it can rust which makes it not ideal for coastal areas or areas that get a lot of rain and snow.

A good alternative to steel is aluminum, which, although more expensive, doesn’t rust. If your home has a modern and contemporary look, you should consider using tempered glass in either an aluminum or glass frame to create a garage door that suits the overall style of your home. Other popular choices are vinyl and fiberglass, both of which won’t rust and are budget-friendly choices. However, they may crack in cold weather and your design choices could be limited when using these materials.

4.      Door Type

There are three main garage door types: sectional, sliding and swing-out, all of which can be made manual or automatic. The sectional door rolls up and down on tracks and it is the most common type of garage door. The sliding door can also be described as barn-style. Since they slide open to the side they need more space to accommodate them when they’re open making a wider garage wall a necessity. Finally the swing-out types of garage doors are double doors which swing outwards. If you live in an area that gets a lot of snow, this may not be the best door for you as snow drift can prevent the doors from opening in the colder months.