The question has been around since the conversion of the horse stable to the modern day garage: What is the best choice of garage door out there? Since most homes have street-facing garages, this question may be yours as well. After all, the garage doors can account for as much as 25% of a building’s front elevation. So curb appeal should really start here! There are a few things that should be considered in choosing the best, specifically longevity, structure, and beauty.
Let’s first take a look at longevity. Everybody wants a door that will last a long time. And in the last few decades, many products have come on the market claiming “maintenance-free” use. Materials like vinyl are easy to clean and naturally waterproof, but eventually, ultraviolet light will break the substance down, causing it to turn chalky and crack. Repairs? More than likely you’re looking at replacement. Metal doors seem like a long-lasting alternative, but not only does metal have a high weight-to-size ratio, it dents very easily. Its magnetic weatherstripping can fail unexpectedly, leaving your home susceptible to drafts and heat loss. One natural product that has always stood the test of time is wood. If properly finished, wood can last as long or longer than many so-called “maintenance-free” products. Ok, we agree there, so all wood garage doors are the same, right?
Perhaps we should look at structure to help us decide. Throughout history, it has often been proven to be the simplest solutions are the best ones. Yet there are doors out there that are anything but simple. Take for example the wooden carriage “style” garage door. These doors are designed to look as if they swing out, but actually are sliced horizontally in sections, and roll upward. What precedent was set that we improved on the swinging door? In actuality, these doors are forced to appear to swing. Often composed of a wood or metal frame substructure, carriage style garage doors are layered upon many times, with many fasteners, sometimes creating doors up to 3-1/2″ thick! These complex systems are then cut into sections, and treated with flashings and drip areas to help them combat the elements. And after all this, they are put on a track and pulled upward with the help of springs! In stark contrast, the solid wood garage door is the essence of simplicity. Solid wood boards are milled to thickness and joined by mortise and tenon. Panels are glued, planed, and channeled in to the legs and rails of the door. Nothing complicated there. No fasteners to corrode, no inner framework to fail.
So what of beauty, how do wood doors compare when put to the test of looks? One thing is clear; a solid white vinyl wall is nobody’s idea of a beautiful door. And with the way that metal can dent, all it takes is one neighborhood street hockey game to permanently change a door’s new look. Once again, we find that wood garage doors stand out among the crowd. Wood is naturally repairable, an attribute that vinyl doesn’t have. And the patina of age looks stately on a wood garage door. Only true of wood, scuffs and scratches actually give it character. Wood has a natural glow that is pleasing to the eye. For this reason, it has been the choice of builders, architects, and homeowners for centuries. True craftsmen have a critical eye, and know that a solid wood door best punctuates a well-designed building. But just like people, beauty should be more than skin deep. A door should be equally beautiful on the reverse side, especially if you are using the garage as a secondary living space. Here is what truly separates the fake doors from a real door. A solid wood garage door looks just as beautiful on the inside as it does the outside, something their sectional counterparts cannot offer. And since we are talking about beauty, consider the beauty of the natural environment. Scores of replacement vinyl and fiberglass doors end up in landfills. This disposable way of thinking is compounding our environmental problems. A natural product, wood is not only biodegradable; it can be easily recycled by a skilled craftsman into other products.
A wooden garage door is the only door that remains beautiful with age, and has a construction simple enough to last, ensuring a door that will maintain its visual and structural integrity. By purchasing a wood garage door, you are purchasing a product that will provide generations of beauty and enjoyment.
About the Author
Jeremy Broderick, resident architect at Real Carriage Door Company, balances his time between door drafting, woodworking projects, and life at home with his wife Mardie.