Complete Guide For Aluminum Garage Doors – Prices, Pros, Cons And Manufacturers

When choosing a new garage door, aluminum may not be the first material that comes to mind, but aluminum provides enough advantages to make it a garage door material worth considering. 

*Note that garage doors made from this material are uncommon and probably hard to find. As a result, cost is significantly higher than the cost of a steel garage door.

Aluminum garage door cost is $1,500 to $8,000, but most homeowners pay $3,000 to $4,500 for a quality aluminum door installed on their garage. 

Aluminum garage doors are available in a variety of architectural styles, from classic and traditional to ultra-modern. They are lightweight, won’t rust, and are available in a wide range of prices.

In this post we’ll give you all of the details on aluminum garage doors including how much they cost, what you’ll get for your money, who makes them, and how they compare to other garage door materials.

What are my Options for Types of Aluminum Garage Doors?

Aluminum garage doors are available in classic architectural styles like carriage house and traditional with recessed or raised panels, but they are also available in many contemporary styles. The contemporary options include garage doors with aluminum frames and large glass panels covering the door. These doors are called “full-view” garage doors, and they’re generally more expensive than solid aluminum garage doors.

Hormann’s Infinity Classic 7800 is an example of an aluminum traditional carriage house garage door. This Hormann garage door is available in a large selection of door panel and window designs and a realistic faux-wood finish.

A contemporary full-view aluminum garage door is typically constructed of a commercial-grade aluminum grid-type frame filled with large glass panels. An example of a full-view garage door is Wayne Dalton’s 8800 featuring either a wide or standard frame with glass panels.

How Are Aluminum Garage Doors Constructed?

The classic styles of aluminum doors are typically constructed of an interior and an exterior layer of aluminum. Insulated doors include polyurethane foam insulation between the layers of aluminum. Insulated aluminum doors can provide an R-16 or higher R-Value.

Full – View aluminum garage doors are usually made with commercial-grade extruded aluminum and tempered glass panels that are very tough and won’t shatter. The frame can be insulated with polyurethane and insulated glass is available if temperature control is needed. Some manufacturers provide an option to substitute some of the glass panels with aluminum panels to save around $15% to 25% of the cost.

How Much Does an Aluminum Garage Door Cost?

Aluminum garage door prices start as low as $1,000 for a basic panel, non-insulated door, and go above $5,000 for a full-view garage door. Installation ranges from $500 to $1,000 more depending on the door size and complexity of installation. 

Here we provide a quick look at what you can expect in various price ranges.

Low Price Range: In the $750 – $1,500 price range you get a single-car, sectional, non-insulated aluminum garage door in a standard color, most likely, without windows.

Mid-Price Range: The mid-level price range of $1,500 – $3,000 retail – not installed – can get most people what they want. An aluminum garage door at this price will include either insulation, windows, or both, and possibly a custom color or faux- wood finish. This price range is also the starting point for the full-view style aluminum doors, although your design choices won’t be as wide as they will be in the high price range.

High Price Range: In the $3,000 – $5,000 price range you’ll get an aluminum garage door constructed to look like an authentic wood carriage house door, with or without windows and insulation, and finished with a faux-wood paint.

You can also find a variety of full-view garage doors with either a framed or frameless look, a wide choice of glass options including frosted, tinted, or mirrored, and finishes like custom or anodized colors.

With full-view doors, the type of glass used can increase the price substantially. For instance, insulated, laminated, and low-E glass will cost more than standard clear or tinted glass and can take the cost to $6,500 or above.

Aluminum Garage Door Features Explained

Let’s explore some key options to consider as you design an aluminum garage door that feels like a custom fit for your home. 

Door Designs

Aluminum garage doors are available with numerous door panel design choices. The classic sectional doors include recessed and raised short and long panels. The contemporary panel doors also come in various designs such as wide or narrow flush or grooved panels.

The full-view aluminum doors are available with wide or narrow aluminum frames as well as doors where the frame is on the interior making them look frameless from the exterior like the Envy profile by the Overhead Door Company.