Is your current overhead garage door showing signs of sagging, rotting, or warping? Does it shudder and shake when opening and closing? Is the paint starting to peel or crack in the topcoat?
If you answered yes to any of the above, it sounds like it’s time to upgrade to a new garage door.
With so many different types of garage doors and materials, the choice can seem overwhelming. But have you considered fiberglass garage doors?
While wood garage doors are a popular choice, they don’t match fiberglass garage doors’ energy efficiency, durability, and affordability.
Find out why you should consider installing a fiberglass door here.
What Is Fiberglass?
Fiberglass is a reinforced plastic material using glass fiber. It is strong, lightweight, versatile, and is considered a foundation of the composites industry.
The best part about fiberglass is its ability to get molded into various shapes, regardless of complexity. Today, fiberglass is widely used in housing and building insulation, but it can also be used in many other applications. These include:
- Beverage industry
- Car washes
- Chemical industry
- Cooling towers
- Docks and marinas
- Food processing
- Manufacturing
- Metals and mining
- Power generation
- Pulp and paper industry
- Automotive industry
- Aerospace and defense
- Garage doors
The special evaluations of fiberglass give it many great advantages over other materials. Some of the major benefits include high resistance to bending, non-flammable, and resistance to chemical and biological effects.
What Is a Fiberglass Garage Door?
Fiberglass garage doors are high quality and low-maintenance. They offer a variety of architectural styles that capture the beauty of natural wood without the maintenance that comes with it.
Surprisingly, homeowners often overlook fiberglass garage doors when choosing garage door materials. Fiberglass, however, is designed to mimic the defined grain texture of authentic wood.
Unlike wood, fiberglass doesn’t shrink, warp, or crack. Because they can withstand corrosive environments, fiberglass garage doors are best suited for coastal locations and warmer climates.
Fiberglass garage doors are an affordable and highly customizable material. As a result, customers can select color, glass, and insulation to keep heating and cooling costs down.
Types of Fibreglass Garage Doors
Fiberglass garage doors are highly versatile, energy-efficient, and are lightweight and economical. There are three different types of fiberglass garage doors: single–layer, double-layer, and triple-layer.
Single-Layer Fiberglass Garage Doors
Single-layer fiberglass comprises a single fiberglass layer fitted between a steel or aluminum frame. While they offer very little insulation, they are ideal for detached garages or for homeowners looking to protect their vehicles.
Double-Layer Fiberglass Garage Doors
This type of garage door has a layer of insulation between two layers of fiberglass. The result is a robust, energy-efficient, and noise-reducing garage door.
Triple-Layer Fiberglass Garage Doors
The triple-layer fiberglass garage door is the gold standard of doors. In this premium door, insulation is added between the fiberglass layers. This option will give you the highest level of strength and energy efficiency.
Benefits of Fibreglass Garage Doors
One of the most important considerations when choosing the best garage door is material. While many know about wood and steel garage doors, few people know much about fiberglass and its advantages.
Here are some of the significant benefits of owning a fiberglass garage door.
Appearance
Many homeowners like the natural charm and finish of wood garage doors, but not the price. If you like the visual appearance of wood but don’t have extra room in the budget, you might like to try fiberglass.
Fiberglass garage doors are engineered to have the timeless look of wood minus the cost and maintenance requirements. Wood garage doors must be regularly maintained; otherwise, they tend to change over time due to weather which can cause fading, cracking, and warping.
Fiberglass garage doors feature a molded wood-grain fiberglass surface that closely resembles the texture and graining of natural wood. These garage doors are some of the closest you’ll get to the look and feel of authentic wood.
While you can paint garage doors to get a wood-like look and feel, it is more affordable and less time-consuming to install a fiberglass door that mimics wood without touching it with a paintbrush.
Durability
Garage door durability includes longevity, damage resistance, and the ability to withstand the elements. A sturdy, insulated garage door will ensure that it will last longer and resist extreme weather conditions.
Fiberglass on its own breaks very easily. However, when you have a core of something between it – for example, installation or steel – it becomes solid. Since fiberglass is durable, it is highly resistant to denting and never warps.
Durability lends itself to security, too. A less durable door decreases home security. But a door that can resist damage may help keep would-be intruders from entering.
Plus, a door that can withstand the elements will save you money in repairs.
Rust-Resistance
While steel is prone to rusting after long bouts of rain, fiberglass is entirely rust-proof. Fiberglass composite is highly resistant to most acids, bases, oxidizing agents, metal salts, and sulfur gases.
Unlike steel, it won’t rust when exposed to chemicals or harsh weather. For this reason, fiberglass is the best material for garage doors in coastal areas.
Rust is a common problem for seaside homes due to the salt in the air. Salty air can cause corrosion and rust to materials like untreated timber, aluminum, and steel.
You can clean rust off a garage door with a white vinegar-soaked cloth, depending on the extent of the damage. But you could spend more time on the beach and less time cleaning with a fiberglass garage door.
Options for Customization
Fiberglass garage doors can be easily customized to capture the beauty and texture of wood without the arduous maintenance that comes with it. The clean, sleek appearance gives a warm, welcoming look to the facade of any home.
You can choose your own garage door design. Options include:
- Vertical raised
- Horizontal raised
- Vertical slat
- Horizontal groove
As for color, you choose from a range of aesthetically-pleasing stain finishes. Colors include:
- White
- Clay
- Gray
- Oak
- Red Oak
- Cherry
- Walnut
- Mahogany
- Green
The idea behind fiberglass garage doors is that they are designed to suit every home and lifestyle, from traditional to contemporary.
Lightweight
Fiberglass is lightweight, strong, and less brittle than other garage door materials. While it isn’t as light as aluminum, it is lighter than wood and steel.
Heavier garage doors can create hazards for cars and people walking under them. Plus, they cause more wear and tear on the operating system. Over time, this can reduce its ability to function at 100 percent.
Due to the lightweight material of fiberglass doors, the operating system will enjoy a longer lifespan as less pressure and tension are put on it.
Fiberglass is your best option if you have an extra-wide garage door and want to avoid putting too much strain on your opener and tracks.
Energy-Efficiency
While many homeowners strive to make their homes more energy-efficient, few consider energy-efficient garage doors. An eco-friendly garage door will help maintain a comfortable temperature and lower your energy bills.
A poorly insulated garage door provides no heat resistance. As a result, it lets your heating and air conditioning escape outdoors. The heat loss will make your HVAC system work harder and push your electricity bills up.
Triple-layer fiberglass garage doors provide the highest level of energy efficiency. They seal up some of the largest gaps in your home’s thermal envelope.
By keeping the heat in during the winter and out during the summer, your HVAC system won’t have to work harder to make up for any air loss.
Low Maintenance
Fiberglass garage doors are ideal for homeowners living in extreme climates as they are highly durable. They do not rust, contract, warp, or rot from weather changes.
On the other hand, wood requires regular maintenance to prevent damage, improve longevity, and enhance appearance. Homeowners will need to constantly look for signs of rot, pests, and paint chips. Because wood can warp and bend over time, you will also need to clean your garage door often.
Unlike wood, fiberglass won’t expand or contract. This means there are little to no maintenance requirements.
Unless you decide to change the paint color, the only maintenance you will need is to clean your door every once in a while. You can do this with a solution of warm water and vinegar. This will cut through any dirt or grease on the door.
Affordability
Fiberglass is one of the most affordable garage door materials currently on the market. It typically runs in the same price range as aluminum but provides better insulation. While fiberglass is generally pricier than steel, it’s less expensive than wood.
Because it is man-made, lighter, and less durable than wood, fiberglass is a popular choice for homeowners with a tight budget and those looking to upgrade the exterior before selling their home.
In fact, a recent study suggests that garage door replacement has a 94 percent return on investment. With curb appeal valued more than ever, installing a fiberglass garage door might just attract more prospective buyers and lead to higher bids.
Transparency
Your garage doesn’t have to be a dark hole on the side of your home. Good lighting will make your garage feel like a part of your home, not just a storage space.
Since fiberglass is semi-transparent, it will allow more natural light into your garage. Natural light creates a space to enjoy, reduces shadowing caused by artificial light, and makes operating power tools safer.
Furthermore, because the light source is natural, you can help cut energy costs and reduce your utility bills. Natural light also provides many health benefits, including:
- Boosts vitamin D
- Wards of seasonal depression
- Improves sleep
- Reduces health risks associated with fluorescent lighting
While a fiberglass garage door won’t solve all your problems, it solves a lot more than wood and steel doors do.
Insulation Options
Fiberglass garage doors are constructed with layers of insulating material to help improve energy efficiency.
Standard fiberglass doors are poor insulators compared to other materials. In fact, fiberglass has the lowest R-value of any garage door material, but it is also the easiest the insulate.
Double and triple-layer models have added insulation layers sandwiched between fiberglass layers, making them more energy-efficient than a single-layer garage door.
The benefits of insulating your garage door are second to none, especially if you live in an extreme climate. Benefits include:
- Increased energy-efficiency
- Quieter operation
- Increased door strength
- Maintains moderate temperatures
- More outside noise control
- Enhanced curb appeal
- Improved durability
If you plan to put your house on the market within the next ten years, it is wise to invest in an insulated garage door.
Prospective buyers look for insulated spaces where they can reduce annual energy costs, maximize garage usability, and boost overall curb appeal. With an insulated fiberglass garage door, they can enjoy all that.
Ready to Upgrade Your Garage Door?
With unmatched benefits, installing a fiberglass garage door might just be the best decision you make.
Replacing your garage door is one investment you can’t put a price on. Not only will you improve the curb appeal of your home, but you will reduce your home’s heating and cooling bills and lower your maintenance costs.
At OGD™, we offer a wide range of fiberglass garage doors that meet the design needs of wood with the strength and durability of steel. In other words, it’s the best of both worlds.
Our services include Door Repair, Replacement and Installation, Door Spring and Motor Installation, and Door Maintenance.
Have a question about our fiberglass garage door products? Get in touch with us today.
