Some homeowners focus on making a grand entrance with their front entry doors as the entryway is an important part of curb appeal. However, slowly over the last several decades, choosing a garage door has becomes just as important for your residence, if not more so. Why? Unlike trends from 50 years ago and longer, most homes now have attached garages that are part of a home’s overall footprint. Even if your garage is on the side of your residence or detached yet nearby, It’s often one of the first elements about your home that people notice. As the most cost-efficient home improvement project you can undertake, learning about the types of garage doors is more than important.
In this guide, we will explain the different types of garage doors, which are different from garage door styles. At the same time, you’ll learn if the type of garage door you have is available in the style you want, if you can use an electric opener with your door, what garage door brands sell these doors and much more. Who thought buying a new garage door would be so complicated? It’s not, though, as we have sorted all the details for you.
Types of Garage Doors
The following 6 images show the 6 main types of garage doors available to buy today.
- Sectional Garage Doors
- Roll-up Garage Doors
- Slide to the Side Garage Doors
- Barn-Style Garage Doors/Side-Hinged Garage Doors
- Tilt-Up/Up and Over Canopy Garage Doors
- Bi-Fold Garage Doors
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are the most popular type in the United States and are made of panel sections connected with hinges, as the name implies. The horizontally hinged sections roll straight up and then back along a track toward the garage ceiling. The hinges allow the sections to roll and bend inside a vertical track on each side of the door, which allows the door to sit completely parallel to the ceiling when fully open or flush with exterior walls when closed. High-tension springs attached to cables above the door opening operate the door and prevent it from drifting down when only partially opened. Spring-balanced garage door openers typically aid in raising the door.
These doors are low maintenance and come in non-insulated and insulated varieties and typically have weather stripping at the bottom to keep out the elements. One reason for their popularity is that sectional doors are easily customized for textures, colors, hardware and window inserts.
Brands
Virtually every single manufacturer sells this type of residential garage door:
- Clopay Garage Doors
- The Overhead Door Company
- Wayne Dalton Doors
- Amarr Garage Doors
- CHI Garage Doors
- Raynor Garage Doors
- Hormann Garage Doors
Popular Styles
- Classic
- Neo-colonial, with fluted columns, divided-light windows, and other colonial elements
- Traditional, often with a Victorian-style appearance
- Modern, many of which have a glass overlay on aluminum
- Carriage, note that sectional doors are faux carriage style as they open overhead.
Materials
The most commonly used material for sectional doors is steel, but you can also find sectional garage doors in a variety of materials, including:
Price Range
Basic, one-car garage doors with no insulation are among the least expensive on the market, starting at about $400. Because homeowners can buy them in many different types of materials with many different options and R-values, they can range to $4,000 and even much higher.
Roll-Up Garage Doors
These doors are more common in commercial applications, although you will find them as a no-frills option for garages with limited ceiling space. Also called coiling doors, they are built to withstand heavy usage and can be built without springs or enclosed to prevent rust and corrosion. These doors have steel slats of two to three inches that curve and bend to roll around a drum above the garage door opening.
Brands
- Clopay Garage Doors
- The Overhead Door Company
- Wayne Dalton Doors
- Amarr Garage Doors
- CHI Garage Doors
- Raynor Garage Doors
Popular Styles
- Modern/industrial
- Traditional
Materials
Roll-up doors are generally only made of galvanized steel. However, if you want a more traditional look, you may be able to find them in wood. The main difference you’ll find here is in the gauge size and construction reinforcement to withstand high wind loads in stormy areas.
Price Range
Roll-up garage doors fall into the middle of the range that consumers will pay. Prices start at about $800 and range to around $2,500. Homeowners should note, though, that roll-up doors typically need more maintenance than sectional garage doors.
Slide to the Side Garage Doors
Slide to the side, also known as round the corner garage doors, operates just as its name implies. The door opens by opening to one side of the garage and remaining parallel to the wall. This method was one of the earliest for opening and closing garages. These doors work via flexible low trolleys that can work with minor changes in the floor or ceiling of the garages where they are located. Originally placed in garages where there was little headroom, side to the side doors do not require balancing springs but usually have a built-in motor that opens and closes the door and can be paired with openers. These types of garage doors are rarely seen now. However, one of the biggest advantages of sliding garage doors is that you’ll have more overhead space no matter how wide you open them. They also have lower operating costs and are easier to maintain.
Brands
None of the major brands in our garage door types and prices guide carry slide-to-the side doors. However, buyers can find them from manufacturers like Ryterna, Rundum and Trido.
Popular Styles
Many manufacturers of slide-to-the-side garage doors manufacture only custom orders, so homeowners can find them in virtually any style desired to match a home’s architecture.
Materials
Price Range
Custom construction commands custom prices. Expect prices to start somewhere between $1,500 and $2,000 and go up from there, depending on how unique your design is and the type of materials used.
Barn-Style Garage Doors/Side-Hinged Garage Doors
Similar to large barn doors, side-hinged garage doors are an old-fashioned type that resembles large barn doors. Similar to barn doors, some versions of side-hinged garage doors have horizontally hinged sections that roll up and then back along a track the garage ceiling. Another version allows the doors to swing outward instead of inward and upward. These doors can be made to fit into existing openings, or you can purchase them with pre-hung steel frames. Some manufacturers allow you to customize if your hinges swing inward or outward. As many of these doors are massive, spring-balanced motorized door openers, which can be paired with remote automatic garage door openers, are needed to open the doors. Homeowners can also automate these doors with special conversion arms. Built-in weather stripping seals out weather, although this type of door is usually the least weathertight door.
Brands
- Clopay Garage Doors
- The Overhead Door Company
- Wayne Dalton Doors
- Amarr Garage Doors
- CHI Garage Doors
Popular Styles
- Craftsman
- Mission
- Rustic
- Carriage
Materials
Price Range
Residential barn-style garage doors and side-hinged garage doors are among the most expensive in the industry. They generally start at around $3,000 and can go up to $10,000. Large size explains some of the reasons behind the high prices. However, many homeowners who want the traditional look that these doors bring opt for expensive woods and custom construction, which also drives up prices.
Tilt-Up/Up and Over Canopy Garage Doors
Like side-hinged styles, tilt-up canopy doors do not have sections but are made with one solid piece. They work via a pivoting hinge that silts the door up toward the garage door ceiling. When open, these doors extend past the front of the garage. A variation on this type is tilt-up retractable garage doors, which lift up and into the garage. This variation is suspended independently from the frame, which allows them to retract into the garage. However, tilt-up retractable doors require more space inside your garage. Nevertheless, you can still equip your door with an automatic opener and remote if you wish.
Brands
Popular Styles
- Traditional
- Modern
Materials
Price Range
The starting prices for tilt-up and up and over canopy doors are generally cheaper than for other types, with prices starting at $400 to $700. Homeowners should realize that these doors are more difficult to operate and more expensive to maintain than other garage door types.
Bi-Fold Garage Doors
A less common residential garage door type is the bi-fold garage door. Think of closet doors that fold back against the side of the opening, and you have the idea of how these operate. Lighter than swing-out doors, bi-fold garage doors don’t open as far. If you like the look of these, note that a buildup of snow could prevent these doors from opening properly. They also cannot be sealed as tightly from the elements as sectional or swing-out doors. Additionally, you cannot use these doors with an automatic opener, so you’ll have to manually open and close them every time you pull a vehicle in or out of the garage.
Brands
The Overhead Garage Door company makes bi-fold garage doors that lift overhead, similar to up and over canopy doors. However, if you want one that folds to the sides, you’ll need to find offerings from companies such as Doorwall Systems or SingCore.
Popular Styles
- Carriage
- Panel
- Modern
Materials
Price Range
No matter what material you choose, bi-fold garage doors will generally be one of the most expensive options because they are much larger than other options. These doors can run from approximately $4,000 to $6,000.
