Steel garage doors are standard on many homes that were built in the 50s and 60’s and then through the 80s but as steel prices began to climb; housing designers, builders and manufactures began to experiment with other materials for garages such as wood, a fiberglass composite and aluminum. However, steel proved to be the best choice for a sturdy garage door that could withstand wind, rain and snow.
Typically, steel doors are manufactured with a high grade steel of 24 or 25 gauge which helps to insure security and durability. Many of the steel garage doors have an aluminum bottom weather-seal retainer system to help keep elements such as rain and snow out of the garage. When looking at steel garage doors, make sure the garage door has a weather-seal and it’s made of a rust-resistant aluminum.
A steel garage door could also come with galvanized steel hinges which are usually durable, reliable – you don’t want your car to be stuck in the garage – and secure. The rollers are also an important part of the garage door operation, they should be quiet and durably, some are made of nylon which provides a smooth action when lifting the door.
Many of the steel doors come in a variety of shapes and styles and are not simply regulated to the traditional ‘blocks’ or squares of older doors. Some have small window shapes; some have large half octagon and half standard square patterns or diamonds resting on their side while other steel garage doors have what could only be described as a barn-door look about them only they lift up from the bottom.
Furthermore, steel doors are now custom painted to match any color home siding and not always banished to the standard white. There are also colors that contrast and compliment a houses colors such as a light blue for a dark blue house or black for a white house with black trim and shutters. Each of these colored steel doors could also have the raised trim painted a darker color or a contrasting color to highlight the doors and bring more ‘life’ to them. It also helps to make the house look more complete, what real estate agents call ‘curb appeal.’
Some, but not all, homeowners like to put windows in their steel doors and those come in a variety of shapes and sizes as well. There are arched windows, squared windows, round or porthole windows and then each of these in smaller sizes. The windows could be tinted or insulated to help keep the elements and prying eyes from looking in.
Steel doors will traditionally be an option on track homes – the homes that are all one style or design in a neighborhood, although they could show up in any neighborhood and in an older or newer home. These doors are both functional and fashionable in many styles and colors.
