Your garage door is a significant part of your house. It is one of the first things people see when visiting your home and is essential for your safety. Consider getting a steel garage door if you want to replace or upgrade your current door. Steel garage doors are versatile and come in a range of styles to suit the look of your house. They are also a low-maintenance, heavy-duty garage door option that offers additional home protection.
What Are Steel Garage Doors?
As the name suggests, steel garage doors are made of heavy-duty, real-gauge steel, which is hot-dip galvanized in zinc to protect against rust. Steel garage doors can have multiple layers that each add strength. The layers often include insulation, cladding, steel and a composite overlay. The composite overlay will determine the look of your door.
Single or double-layer steel doors are typically just steel or steel and insulation. These doors can be painted in the color of your choice.
Advantages of Steel Garage Doors
Metal garage doors have become increasingly popular as they are durable, versatile and secure. In addition, composite overlays mean steel overhead can be designed to fit any aesthetic. Some of the benefits of commercial steel doors include the following:
1. Durability
As steel garage doors are made from heavy-duty steel, they are typically more durable than other materials such as wood, vinyl, fiberglass or aluminum. Steel doors are resistant to warping, severe weather, cracking and fire, making them ideal for most homes.
2. Low-Maintenance
Steel overhead doors require less maintenance than most other materials. Their high durability means they won’t peel, splinter, split or get damaged by insects. Steel garage doors also need to be repainted less often and can be washed a few times a year to maintain their color.
3. Cost-Effectiveness
The low maintenance needs and durability of steel garage doors make them cost-effective. Adding extra insulation layers to an overhead door can help lower your energy costs.
4. Versatility
You can customize a commercial steel door to suit your home’s styles and needs. Steel doors can be painted in nearly any color. Composite overlays offer a range of wood finishes, giving you the benefits of a steel door with the attractive look of wood. You can also add windows or extra insulation to your steel door.
5. Extra Protection
There are a few ways that steel garage doors offer extra protection to your home. Steel doors are more robust and heavier than most garage door materials. As a result, they are harder to force open, providing your home with additional security, especially if they are remote-operated.
Insulation layers on a steel garage door protect your house from extreme heat and cold. The extra insulation can help regulate your home’s temperature if you have an attached garage. The additional insulation can protect your car and tools from severe weather conditions, even if you have a detached garage. The extra padding can help block outside noise, reducing the noise levels in your garage and house.
Disadvantages of Steel Garage Doors
While there are many benefits to steel doors, there are a couple of disadvantages to be aware of. They are:
- Prone to denting: While steel is durable, garage doors are still vulnerable to denting and other impact damage. The thinner the steel, the more likely it is to get dented.
- Vulnerable to rust: As with any metal, steel is susceptible to rust over time, particularly in salty environments that get a lot of rain. Thicker, galvanized steel doors are more resistant to rust but are more expensive.
- Poor insulators: A single-layer steel garage door is a poor insulator and requires insulation which can increase its cost.
How Much Does a Steel Garage Door Cost?
Metal garage doors cost less than solid wood doors as they are easier to manufacture. Steel garage door prices can range from $250 to $2,000. Steel doors with a lot of customization can cost up to $4,000. The cost of a steel door will depend on several factors, including:
- Size: The bigger the overhead door, the more expensive it may be. More material is needed for a two-door garage than a single-door garage, especially if there are extras such as insulation.
- Layers: The more layers a steel garage door has, the stronger they are. They will also be more expensive.
- Insulation: Polystyrene and polyurethane are the two main types of insulation used in garage doors. Polystyrene is cheaper than polyurethane but is a less effective insulator.
- Door style and features: A plain steel door without windows or additional features will be cheaper than a carriage house door with multiple windows.
Different Types of Steel Garage Doors
You can choose a range of styles when looking for steel garage doors. Whether you want a classic steel garage door or a more elaborate carriage house garage door, we have a collection of steel garage doors for you to choose from. Our Gallery® Steel garage doors have added a vintage feel to the iconic raised panel steel door by adding grooved panels, optional windows and wrought iron hardware.
If you’re looking for a more contemporary look, consider the Modern Steel overhead doors. They are available with or without grooves that complement modern and contemporary homes. The Bridgeport Steel collection combines the aesthetics of wood and the durability of steel to provide numerous design options for homeowners. Each collection has several factory finishes you can choose from, including Ultra-Grain® wood-look finishes.
With the steel garage door collections, you can choose from one- to four-layer construction based on how durable and insulated you want your garage doors to be. The more layers, the stronger the door and the better the insulation.
Windows for Steel Garage Doors
Adding windows to your overhead doors can enhance the door’s look and provide additional lighting for your garage. When choosing windows for your garage door, consider the type of glass you want, the size, shape and position. You can even add wrought iron window panels in different styles to match the style of your door and home.
What’s the Best Garage Door Opener for Steel Garage Doors?
Once you have chosen your steel garage door, you will need a garage door opener for ease of use and safety. Use one of our LiftMaster® Elite Series® openers for complete control. These openers come with built-in Wi-Fi and are myQ® compatible, allowing you to control your overhead door from your phone.
Browse Steel Garage Doors With AAA Garage Door
Steel overhead doors are one of the best options you can choose for your garage. If you are interested in replacing your garage door, you can rely on AAA Garage Door for quality doors and professional service. We offer a wide range of Clopay® steel garage doors and LiftMaster® door openers that can suit any home.
Request an estimate from us today!
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