8 Considerations When Choosing a Wooden Garage Door
Choosing a wooden garage door requires careful planning, as this beautiful addition to your home can last many years. The design can be traditional or contemporary. Mesa Garage Doors proudly offers a wide range of types and styles of residential garage doors. Using our knowledge and expertise, we’ll explain some of the most important considerations when choosing a new one.
1. Type of Wood
It’s one thing to know you want a wooden garage door. However, there are different species of wood used to create custom garage doors, each with unique properties. The grain pattern and color are the main differences among them. For example, Western Red Cedar has a tight, straight grain with a reddish- or pinkish-brown color and darker red and brown streaks. Douglas Fir has a straight or slightly wavy grain with a light brown color plus hints of red and yellow.
When selecting a wood type, consider traits such as strength, durability, resistance to decay or shrinking, and how well it holds paints, stains, and finishes. Our garage door professionals can help you understand the pros and cons of common wood options.
2. Garage Door Location
The more an installer knows about where the garage door will go, the more advice they can provide. Sun exposure is an important consideration and can cause issues with dark stained doors that require more maintenance. Also, consider water; if there are roof gutters or overhangs nearby, the door won’t be as protected and may require more frequent maintenance to address water damage. It may also need to be re-coated more often.
3. Quality of Garage Door Construction
The use of high-quality materials and construction techniques can impact the appearance of your garage door. A well-constructed door is less prone to warping due to temperature extremes. Insulation helps too. The more resistant to heat transfer a door is, the better it holds up in warm or cold temperatures.
Wooden garage doors typically have built-in insulation. It helps reduce wear and tear and can help make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. It also blocks the transmission of sound, so your garage is much quieter.
4. Garage Door Type
Wooden garage doors have many design options. The type you choose affects your home’s exterior aesthetics and curb appeal. Common styles include traditional raised-panel garage doors with symmetrical rectangular panels (can be long or short). Modern wood garage doors are sleek and sometimes incorporate glass and metal, while carriage house garage doors have a farmhouse-like appearance and combine a rustic design with modern lines.
5. Ease of Installation
A wood garage door’s weight makes it less easy to install than a steel one. The use of an automatic garage door opener is even more important. It can make operating a heavy wooden door safer. Also, consider how the door will be stained or painted. A stain-grade garage door uses a different wood species than a paint-grade door, and the darker the paint/stain color, the faster it will fade.
6. Add-On Hardware
Wooden garage doors provide a classic look that can be enhanced with functional and decorative hardware. Latches and strap hinges go well with carriage house-style doors, while pull handles and rings come in numerous styles to accommodate any garage door. Depending on the model, custom wood jambs and casings, unique door stops with weather seals, and specialty glass may be available.
7. Maintenance
Wood is vulnerable to the effects of sunlight, wind, and water. Even the top coat of a wooden garage door can break down with exposure to the elements. Re-coating the door each year can help protect it and avoid more significant maintenance and repairs later.
Cleaning a garage door made of wood is generally simple. Just use a mild detergent and a soft cloth or bristle brush. Once the door is wiped clean, rinse it with a garden hose or sprayer at low pressure.
8. Cost
Wood garage door installation costs more because it can be complex and time-consuming. A professional can install a steel garage door much faster. However, the actual installation cost varies depending on the type of wood, the door thickness, the use of paints or stains, and whether custom designs or accessories are selected.
Contact Mesa Garage Doors
Throughout Southern California, we provide a wide range of garage door styles, from classic to modern. Our team can accommodate single-car or multi-car garages. We also provide sectional garage doors that look like old-fashioned swing doors or custom doors with or without windows and design elements such as arched or squared tops. To understand your wooden garage door options and receive a new door estimate, contact us online or call (714) 984-0563.
