What is a Custom Garage Door?
Customization is a great way to elevate design and create a project that truly stands out in Jacksonville, Florida. When it comes to your home, customizing your garage door is a wonderful way to create an eye-catching, cohesive house exterior. Customized garage doors differ from the standard, mass-produced doors in many ways—including how they are built, the materials that are used, and how durable they are.
With customized options, homeowners have the freedom to choose the materials, styles, colors, and other features that they desire. In many cases, a custom-built garage door may align better with a homeowner’s overall aesthetic vision and their home’s architecture.
Read this article to learn more about custom garage doors, the different options that are available to you as a homeowner, and how to pick the perfect design. We’ll also go over the various elements of garage doors that can be customized, including materials and styles.
Why Choose Custom Garage Doors?
If you think the color of your garage door is the only element of it that you can customize, think again! When it comes to the design of your garage door, the customization possibilities are nearly needless. Let’s take a closer look at the different ways you can make your garage door your own:
Styles
One of the most common ways of customizing your home’s exterior appearance is with a customized garage door. With a custom door, you have significantly more freedom and control over the style. A custom-styled door can be an especially great option for older or more unique homes, whose appearances can sometimes be difficult to match. They’re also a good choice for people who have particular lifestyle needs (such as living in a cold area) that their door’s design needs to align with.
Insulation
If you live in an area where there are temperate extremes, such as very hot summers or very cold winters, high-quality insulation is crucial. This is true not only for your home but also for your garage door! Proper insulation helps keep your garage at a more stable temperature, which can be especially important since many people also use their garages for storage. When your garage is a stable temperature, it can help you save money on heating and cooling, as well as ensure the temperature inside your home is not negatively affected.
Stain and Finish
Besides the actual color and style of your door, you can also further customize its appearance by having a stain or finish applied to it. There are all sorts of different stains and finishes available on the market which can provide you with various effects and appearance depending on your preference. Possible options typically include:
- Gloss finishes
- Matte finishes
- Oil-based stains
- Weather protection finishes
Windows
Windows are another great way of customizing your garage door. Adding window panels, a unique window shape, or fogged glass for privacy can help you create a garage door that is perfectly suited to your style.
Hardware
Your customization options aren’t just limited to the appearance of your garage door either. Hardware is another way homeowners can further customize their garage to their needs and wants. Smart door openers are the most popular way of doing so, and can add much convenience to your daily life.
Materials
You can also customize the actual materials that your garage door is built with, which can be helpful if you want to control the cost of the project, or if you have a particular look in mind.
What are the Different Styles of Custom Garage Doors?
As you can see, you can customize as much or as little as you like when it comes to your next garage door. It all boils down to preference. However, one of the easiest ways to get a new look that you can further customize is to first decide on the style of door that you’re interested in. Here are some of the different kinds of styles of custom doors below:
Raised Panel Garage Doors
Raised panel garage doors are one of the most common designs and are thus sometimes simply just called traditional doors. Panel garage doors can come in a variety of different materials, such as:
- Wood
- Steel
- Fiberglass
The simple appearance of panel garage doors means that they can easily match a variety of different house styles. It also provides a plain slate that can be further customized according to your desires.
Sectional Garage Doors
Another good option is a sectional garage door. This particular style of door closes and opens via a track, making it simple and easy to operate. The garage door consists of different sections that connect with hinges. Like a raised panel door, it’s a relatively plain design that provides an excellent backdrop for customization.
Roll-up Garage Doors
There’s also roll-up garage doors. This design works by rolling the door upward into a coil when it is opened. The door is made up of various sections and metal slats or sections, which add extra durability and security. They offer a more contemporary and practical design than many garage doors, thanks to their space-saving design and efficiency.
Carriage House Garage Doors
Carriage house doors are more traditional compared to many of the other door options out there. Borrowing both their name and look from the style of old carriage houses, they typically include a swing-out operation, wood panels, and iron. In some cases, faux wood and other more modernized elements may be included. Carriage house doors are a great choice for any home that wants to add or maintain a classic appearance to its house exterior.
Tips for Designing a Custom Garage Door
Now let’s talk about design tips for Jacksonville, Florida! Here are three helpful tips for designing a custom garage door:
1. Match Your Door to the Rest of Your House
One of the best ways to create a cohesive feel to your home is to match your garage door to the rest of it. Most home designers recommend matching the color of your home’s trim with your garage door.
2. Consider Your Lifestyle and Design Preferences
Your lifestyle and design preferences should also factor into your design decisions. For example, if your garage is small or you’re storing items in it, you’ll likely want to choose a style of door that conserves space.
3. Enhance Your Door’s Appearance With a Finish or Stain
You can also further enhance the appearance of your door with a finish or stain. A semi-gloss finish can help preserve your paint color, while a stain can bring out the wood grain on unpainted doors.
Custom Garage Doors by OGD®
Whether you’re searching for a classic, traditional look or want to customize your garage door each step of the way, our friendly installation professionals at OGD® are here to help.
