Your garage door is integral to your home’s security and functionality, but it can be frustrating when it doesn’t work correctly. As a local garage door repair company in Scarborough, Dortech Garage Doors has seen more than our fair share of garage door issues in our customer’s homes. 

There are endless garage styles, which can get even more intricate as you start incorporating minor details. It’s an exciting journey to find a custom garage door in Scarborough so that it fits perfectly into your home, but where do you start?

This post will confer some of the most common garage door styles and how to troubleshoot them.

Ready; Come On! 

What Is A Garage Door Style?

Before you find out what garage style is best for you, you must know your options and their differences. Overhead carriage-style garage doors are the most common, making up most of the garage doors that Dortech offers. 

Other designs are slightly different and may slide out, fold, or roll to open. There are advantages and disadvantages to overhead and non-overhead garage doors, so your decision should be based on your design style. There are a lot of other considerations for you as you start the process of investing in a new garage door. You can even ask yourself some additional questions.

1. Is my garage attached to my home? 

If attached, you may incorporate design details from the rest of your home into your garage door. If your garage is separate, look for a more traditional shed or barn look.

2. How many windows, if any, should I incorporate into my design? 

Windows can bring in a lot of natural light to the space. So, if you’re using the space as a creative studio, or additional living area, you may want to brighten the room with more windows.

3. What’s my budget for a new garage door? 

This will help you decide on the essential design details for your new garage door.

Your Garage Door Style Options

At first, all the options can be overwhelming. But try to match directly to your preferred option. As you search through endless garage door inspiration and garage trends, you’ll start to understand what works best for your home.

When choosing a garage door, you shouldn’t have to fit it into a mold. We will help you find a combination of your style and what works realistically with your home. 

Common Styles of Garage Doors

Learning about the style of garage doors is the first step in designing your dream garage door.

• Swing-out: Although these doors would swing open as two separate doors, they roll up and down like a typical overhead carriage garage door. 

• Bifold: Just like swing-out doors, bifold doors look like they should fold into each other. However, these garage doors act like overhead doors as well. 

• Trifold: While bifold doors have a minimum of four panels, trifold doors have three panels. Similar to the door styles above, they act as overhead garage doors. 

• Barn: A standard style of garage door that isn’t an overhead style! These doors will either swing or slide and usually do not have any windows on them.

Garage Door Materials

When deciphering the different garage door materials, ask yourself what would work best with your home’s exterior. You will also want to consider the climate and temperature you live in, as some garage materials work better in extreme temperatures and humidity.

• Wood: This classic garage material will help insulate your garage in extreme temperatures and offer a sophisticated curb appeal. 

• Wood Composite: An eco-friendly option made with wood fiber, plastic, and a binding agent, this material gives you the look of natural wood but takes less effort to maintain. 

• Faux Wood: Faux wood is made by pressing wood pieces together in a mold to create the look of natural wood. Like wood composite, this material does not require much maintenance and can withstand high temperatures and sun exposure. 

• Vinyl: The most affordable choice is vinyl garage doors, which are naturally insect, moisture, and rot-resistant. 

• Glass: A glass door allows natural light to flow into your garage space and is easy to maintain because it is not painted. 

Decorative Hardware

Your decorative hardware can set you apart from other homes and help emphasize the look of your garage door. At Dortech Garage Doors, we can recommend different hardware based on your residential garage door installation in Scarborough, including series and style. 

No matter what kind of decorative hardware you choose, you should ensure your garage door looks functional. For example, you want to put decorative hardware in spots that make sense. We’ve made a list of decorative hardware you can get to enhance your garage door.

• Ring Pulls 
• Latches 
• Strap Hinges
• Clavos
• Pull Handles

Garage Maintenance Checklist

Deciding to purchase a new garage door can enhance your home but can also become costly if not properly taken care of. No garage door is entirely maintenance-free, but by following our simple garage maintenance checklist, you won’t have to spend your entire weekend or financial savings on these projects!

Signs to Look Out For

Before we get into the checklist, it’s important to point out some indicators that it may be time to perform a maintenance check. These signs are typical and can be resolved with relatively easy fixes.

• Slow Response Time: It takes more than a few seconds for your garage door to open or close. 

• Excessive Noise: As your garage door opens or closes, you notice it’s noisier than usual. Remember, garage doors will make some noise no matter what. 

• Sagging: Your garage door naturally falls close when it is open. You can test your door by opening it halfway to see if it stays in place or falls. 

• Increased Energy Bills: Seeing an increase in monthly energy bills could mean your garage door doesn’t properly seal or needs better insulation. 

• Excessive Shaking: As you operate your garage door, there is a noticeable shake, which could indicate a loose screw or broken track.

Garage Door Preventative Maintenance

• You can upgrade your flooring
• Ensure you lubricate your garage door to avoid any noise
• Put up tightening hardware to make it last

Now that you know how to choose a garage door style with materials and decorative hardware, start designing your dream door with Dortech Garage Doors. We’ll help you get the best possible experience at affordable prices. Let the conversation get started!

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