A garage door in disrepair is a sad sight. It’s depressing to be welcomed home by a sagging, damaged or malfunctioning door. If your door is beyond repair, or if it’s more than about 20 years old, consider buying a new door.
Garage doors have improved over the last few decades. They’re safe, secure and available with insulation. Today’s doors also require few tuneups and less maintenance. Doors come in many different styles and colors.
A new garage door adds to the beauty and appearance of your home. If you’ll be selling your home, a properly functioning, new door improves curb appeal and value. More importantly, an attractive door that opens and closes properly makes your life pleasant and convenient.
Garage Doors Are Available in Various Materials
The best door for you depends on the weather where you live, your budget and your home’s style. Here in Vancouver and most of Southwest Washington, moisture is a concern.
You can choose a door made of steel, wood or a composite material. Steel and wood doors are the most popular garage doors for Pacific Northwest homes and buildings.
Steel and Wood Are Top Choices
Steel and wood doors are the most commonly chosen materials for doors. Let’s take a closer look at these two options:
Wood: Those who love natural materials value wood doors for their beauty and style. Wood can be painted or stained to match your home. While wood is durable, it doesn’t last as long as steel.
Wood requires regular maintenance such as refinishing, repainting and restaining. Wood can swell and rot. Moisture and temperature change natural materials, causing expansion and contraction. The motion of the door can be affected if the wood changes size or shape.
Steel: This is the material of choice for the majority of homes in Washington and Oregon. Why? It’s inexpensive and durable. The initial installation is affordable and repairs and maintenance are minimal.
If you’re picturing a cold, metal door, you’ll be happy to know that steel can be manufactured to look like lumber. Aesthetically, steel doors can look as good as wood doors. Because they are low maintenance, in practice steel doors often look better than wood ones. Unless you’re diligent, it’s easy to fall behind with home upkeep.
Recent Advances in Garage Doors
Along with just about everything else under the sun, garage doors have become marvels of technology. We’ve discussed “smart garages” that use WiFi enabled garage-door openers. You can read more these systems here.
But it’s not just openers that are smart these days. High-performance materials that don’t weigh a lot insulate today’s doors. Some manufacturers apply energy-saving glazes. The inside of a door can be attractively finished and baked-on exterior coatings offer lasting beauty.
Perhaps the biggest change in garage doors is the large selection of faux looks available. A steel door can appear like polished or rough wood. It can mimic a traditional wooden carriage door or boast a sleek modern look. It can recreate the grain in lumber and some can even be stained.
How Much Should I Pay for a Garage Door?
Doors come in a range of prices. Amounts depend on many things, including your location. You can pay as little as $400 for a low-end model that you install yourself. On the high end, costs can be as much as $10,000.
For most homes around Vancouver and Portland, the typical cost ranges from around $700 to $2000 for a 16-by-7-foot door. This price includes installation. A garage door opener starts at around $200.
For a more accurate idea of the price of installing a garage door in your home, please call Ponderosa for an estimate.
Where Should I Buy a Garage Door?
You can purchase a garage door through Ponderosa. We install nearly any style door, from classic raised panel sectional doors to stylish carriage doors.
Our professional and courteous staff help you find the door you want. We can help you assess the pros and cons of various materials and recommend a door that suits your home and lifestyle. We’ll go through your choices to ensure you get the door you want.
We use high-quality doors from major manufacturers. For most homeowners, the safest and easiest route to a new door is to hire a full-service local garage door company.
Professionals handle all the nitty gritty, from measuring and configuring to assembly and installation. When you choose Ponderosa, you’ll have the option of purchasing lifetime warranty springs. Torsion springs are among the most critical components of a door. When they fail, both the spring and door can be dangerous.
Home improvement stores sell garage doors. If you choose one of these, you’ll have to install it yourself or hire someone to do the work for you. For most, this isn’t a realistic choice.
Garage doors are dangerous. The powerful springs, weighty doors and multiple moving parts require skill and tools beyond what most homeowners possess. If you find a door at a home improvement store, professional installation will run from $200 to $500.
A Locally Owned Garage Door Company in Vancouver
Please contact Ponderosa Garage Doors for purchasing and installing a new door.