Though the look of your garage door may seem secondary to other aspects of your home, garages are often one of the first things people see when they drive up to your home. It is important to choose the ideal material. There are a handful of materials that are most commonly used for residential garage doors.

Steel

The most popular material for garage doors across the country, steel doors are reasonably priced, extremely durable, and low maintenance. They are also available in a wide array of styles and colors, so you can customize the door to whatever works best with your home. Consider getting an insulated door to retain heat and reduce noise. If you are expecting to take out the basketball in the oncoming warm weather or think your garage door will deal with impact of some sort, try to purchase one of the thicker steel doors so it will hold up.

Aluminum

Aluminum has a lot of the same advantages and disadvantages that steel has. With an aluminum garage door, you have the option of styling it to have the texture and finish of natural wood. It is lighter than steel, but will dent more easily.

Wood

Wood garage doors provide a traditional, natural look. They can also include windows. There are various types of wood doors that you can choose from, depending on your budget and preferences. Wood is also a better insulator than steel and aluminum. The main disadvantage of a wood garage door is that it will need more maintenance than other materials.

Wood Composite

Made of recycled wood fibers, wood composite garage doors can be painted or stained to match your style, and have the strength of steel doors while retaining the traditional and natural look of wood. Composite doors are also more resistant to rot than regular wood, so heavy Oregon rains are less likely to significantly impact the material.

Fiberglass

The final main material for residential garage doors is fiberglass. It is significantly less common than steel, aluminum, wood, and wood composite. The panels come in a color of your choosing and are less likely to dent than thin steel doors. However, they can fade from weather exposure, so spring and summer storms could damage the aesthetic value.