Which type of home garage door is best for you?

If you're looking to buy a new home garage door, there are now a number of types to choose from, and the best thing is that many of them are not just functional, but also aesthetically appealing.

There are four types of home garage door, the most well known of which is perhaps the roller door. "Garage roller doors are made from ribbed steel and basically roll up into a drum above the door opening," explains Amanda from B&D Doors & Openers.

Sectional home garage doors

The sectional home garage door is comprised of a number of hinged panels that move vertically into the opening and horizontally along the ceiling. "They can be made from steel, or we've got something called Design-A-Door, which is an aluminium frame that has acrylic or wood inserts that click into it," says Amanda. "You can also get a sectional door that's made of wood - usually cedar."

Tilt home garage doors

The tilt home garage door is a one-piece panel that pivots on arms at both sides of the opening. It moves from a vertical position up into a horizontal position, balanced by springs. Tilting doors allow for a range of designs and colour panels to suit almost any home exterior. However, there have been some safety concerns with older models, as their springs can break.

They are also not suited to all spaces, Amanda reveals. "When tilting garage doors open, they protrude beyond the garage space, so you can't park your car right next to them and, if you have a door right on a property boundary, you have to ensure it doesn't protrude over the footpath," she says.

Advanced home garage doors

To overcome such issues, a new type of home garage door that B&D calls the Flex-A-Door® has been developed. "These garage doors have a roller door 'curtain', but instead of rolling into a drum at the top of the opening it moves along the ceiling horizontally," says Amanda. "So it sort of operates like a sectional door but with a rolling-door curtain, and needs only minimal headroom."

If you don't fancy having to get out of your car to open and close your home garage door, most can be easily fitted with a remote control system. These not only close the door, but can lock it too.

For more information on home garage doors and what might best suit your home, contact a door specialist in your area.