Garage door construction varies. Rollup doors have metal frames to which is attached the coverings; steel, aluminum, fiberglass and wood. In the dry-hot southwestern United States, with a lot of direct sunshine fiberglass and especially plastic oxidize and become brittle. Fiberglass will fare better than most synthetic resinous plastics, but sun bleaching may be a problem. If the garage door is shaded, this isn’t that much of a hindrance. Plastics however don’t hold up well as they become brittle and the colors fade from direct sun exposure.
Wooden Garage Door Panels
Wood panels are beautiful when properly maintained. Wood is also expensive. Re-varnishing is a must every three to five years, particularly in the dry conditions experienced in desert regions. The problem with wood is that as it loses moisture content it shrinks. Depending the construction, engineered products hold up better that the natural product. Attachment methods vary but wood need room to move. It expands and contracts across the grain. Wood stains, varnishes and paints protect the wood as does various oil finishes. Oil finish penetrate and replace the water content preventing shrinkage. The only downsides are that they should be applied often, and will readily burn if exposed to flame.
Aluminum Garage Doors
Aluminum isn’t a bad material, but garage door panels made of aluminum accumulate dents and dings marring their surfaces. In high corrosion areas where the relative humidity is high, aluminum is a good material resisting deterioration due to corrosion and water exposure. But panels made of aluminum tend to be thin. Any impact will show as dents and dings. Being soft, a heavy impact may penetrate.
Insulated Garage Doors
Most modern garage doors are constructed with a frame of galvanized steel overlaid with stamped steel panels. The high-end doors are insulated with a EPS (expanded polystyrene) rigid foam sheets that can be up to 3 inches thick. EPS is an excellent insulator, with an R-rating of R-4.6 per inch. Foam represents the highest R value per dollar. XPS (extruded polystyrene) is even better at R-5 per inch. This stuff is permeable and considered a water retarder, not a barrier as is EPS, however a facing of plastics can improve water permeability resistance. The most expensive and or course you get what you pay for, the ISO (Polyisocyanurate) has an R value of 6.5 per inch. Foil faced ISO is considered impermeable. However, it would appear that most doors use EPS. The insulation is sandwiched between two steel panels.
Steel Garage Door Panels
Steel paneled doors have the advantage of offering numerous artistic design elements. Being stamped, the steel can be had with varying impressions, wood grain being highly popular. Many of these panels may have baked enamel finish, which is very durable. Steel doors can accommodate visual appearance changes, and can be spray painted to coordinate with house color changes. A well maintain door will last indefinitely.
Garage Door Replacement & More in Aliante, Anthem, Desert Shores, Eldorado, Enterprise, Green Valley Ranch, Henderson, Inspirada, Mountain’s Edge, North LV, Paradise, Providence, Rhodes Ranch, Seven Hills, Silverado Ranch, Spring Valley, Summerlin, Sunrise Manor, The Lakes, Tuscany Village & Las Vegas Nevada
Roll-ups have become the defector standard for homes. Swing-out doors require two much room to open in crowded suburban homes, with diminutive driveways. The old mainstay were the swing-up doors, but many of these collapsed from broken springs, which became high-energy projectiles or the entire door collapsing as key components wore to the failing point. Modern roll-up garage doors offer design flexibility, improve curb appeal and provide secure and automated opening and closing. Contact Quality Garage Door Repair for all your residential garage door needs!
