Garage Door Material & Sizes

If you are considering installing a new garage door you should consider which of the many materials available best suits your requirements. Table 1 provides some insight into the materials available, their advantages and disadvantages. Installing a new garage door is a home improvement project that should be well within the capabilities of most home handymen.

Most garage doors are available in standard sizes with custom widths available on special order.
Standard garage door widths are: 8', 9' 10', 12', 15', 16', 18' and 20'.
Standard garage door height is 7'

Table 1 - Garage Door Materials
Material	Comment	Advantages	Disadvantages
Steel	One of the most popular materials for garage doors.	Economical Paints well Long lasting Textured panels mimic wood grains.	Poor thermal insulation (can be purchased with insulation panels) Many quality levels (thickness/gauge of the steel) Relative to other materials steel dents easily (from ball, bicycle and other impacts)
Aluminum	Similar characteristics to steel	Lighter weight than steel Less expensive than steel (primarily due to shipping costs)	Dents easily Poor thermal qualities Can be purchased with insulating panels.
Wood	Wood garage doors provide a level of elegance that cannot be duplicated	Appearance - many styles and configurations Better insulator than metal	High maintenance Heavy Better insulator than metal Harder to add extra insulation
Wood Composite	Expensive, but lower maintenance costs. Looks like natural wood but at much lower cost.	Can be stained Elegant appearance Resists cracks, splits, separation, shrinkage, expansion, rot, and will not rust.	Different composite qualities (plastics and wood fiber, wood / resin) Expensive
Fiberglass	Limited availability	High corrosion resistance Opaque quality allows for light transmission	Can crack due to cold temperatures Yellows with age
Vinyl	Lower cost, but looks like an inexpensive product.	No denting, peeling, mildewing or rusting	Difficult to replace individual panels Color can fade

Also see: Glossary of Garage Door Terms

Table 1 - Garage Door Materials

Material

Comment

Advantages

Disadvantages