Today’s garage doors allow you to improve your home’s appearance while also increasing your energy efficiency and security. From traditional carriage house styles to sleek modern designs, there’s a garage door to complement every architectural style. Let’s explore how this simple home improvement project can majorly impact your home’s exterior.
Authentic Craftsman Garage Door
For a unique and customized look, consider a custom wood garage door. These doors are designed and finished to your specifications, allowing you to choose the wood species and finish that suits your home’s colors and design. Natural wood is an excellent complement to other organic exterior textures, such as faux- or natural-wood siding, stone, and brick.
Handcrafted semi-custom wood doors are available in various wood species, including hemlock, redwood, and cedar. Each type of wood offers its own unique grain patterns and natural beauty. When properly maintained, these doors can last for years, developing a rich patina over time that adds character to your home’s facade. Bespoke details such as custom carvings or intricate designs can improve the overall look.
Shown: Clopay® Reserve Wood Collection Semi-Custom Series garage doors
Convincing Craftsman Garage Door
If you want the look of wood without the maintenance requirements, wood-look garage doors are an excellent alternative. These doors feature a steel construction with a stained woodgrain paint finish topped with overlays molded from actual wood pieces. This combination reproduces the texture and grain pattern of real wood with remarkable accuracy.
Wood-look garage doors come in several factory-finished stain colors, allowing you to match or complement other stained exterior woodwork. Popular finishes include walnut, medium, dark, and slate. These doors combine the look of wood with the durability and low maintenance of steel.
Many wood-look doors feature Intellicore insulation, a proprietary polyurethane foam injected into the door’s core, which helps maintain comfortable temperatures in the garage. This is a great choice if you use the garage as a workshop or have living space above it. Plus, the insulation offers soundproofing benefits, making the garage quieter and better suited for various activities.
Shown: Clopay® Canyon Ridge® Ultra-Grain® Series garage doors
Classic Farmhouse Garage Door
Carriage-house-style garage doors with crossbucks evoke the charm of classic American farmhouses. These doors are reminiscent of traditional barn doors but with modern convenience and durability. Unlike their wooden predecessors, these doors are crafted from multiple layers of durable, low-maintenance, insulated steel with composite overlays.
They’re the perfect blend of beauty and practicality. The steel core offers strength and insulation, while the composite overlays give you the authentic look of wood. These doors can be customized with various window styles, hardware options, and paint colors to complement your home’s exterior. The versatile design allows for varied panel configurations.
Shown: Clopay® Coachman® Collection garage doors
Garage Door With Modern Farmhouse Flair
The modern farmhouse style has gained popularity in recent years, blending traditional elements with contemporary design. This example shows how a single contemporary element can transform the look and feel of a classic farmhouse. While the garage features the same traditional white board-and-batten siding as the main house, the aluminum-frame doors add a modern touch.
These doors echo the windows of the main house in shape and color, creating a cohesive look that complements rather than competes with the overall design. Aluminum garage doors are available in various frame and panel combinations, so you can customize your door to suit your needs and preferences.
When selecting an aluminum garage door, consider the following factors:
- Panel materials: Choose between glass, acrylic, polygal, or solid aluminum, depending on your preference for durability, appearance, and light transmission.
- Frame colors: Opt for a frame color that complements your home’s exterior trim for a cohesive look, or choose a contrasting shade to create a bold statement.
- Glass transparency: Decide on opaque, frosted, or clear glass, which allows you to control the amount of natural light entering your garage and the level of privacy.
Shown: Clopay® Avante® Collection garage doors with frosted glass panels
Garage Door With a Mid-Mod Focal Point
The garage door can serve as a striking focal point for homes with a mid-century modern or contemporary aesthetic. This example embraces a bold color choice to create a wow-worthy design feature. The vibrant orange paint color on the steel garage door complements the home’s 1960s “mod” vibe.
Many garage door manufacturers offer a wide range of factory-applied custom color options. These finishes provide a durable, flawless, and low-maintenance solution that can match your home’s exterior color scheme or create a bold contrast.
When choosing a bold color for your garage door, the color should complement your home’s overall color scheme. Think about how the color will look in different lighting conditions and how the color might affect your home’s resale value. Complementary exterior accents like planters or light fixtures can further tie the daring color choice into your overall design vision.
Shown: Clopay® Modern Steel™ Collection garage doors
Contemporary Chic Garage Door
Sleek garage doors with clean lines and minimal ornamentation are often the best choice for mid-century and contemporary home styles. This example features a door with horizontal planks molded from real wood, offering an authentic look with minimal maintenance requirements.
The composite material used in these doors is moisture-resistant and won’t rot, warp, or crack like natural wood. These doors can be customized to suit your preferences, with paint or stain options to match your home’s exterior and designs to complement different architectural styles. Window options, such as the frosted rectangular windows shown here, can enhance the door’s appearance and allow natural light into the garage.
These doors combine the best of both worlds—the aesthetic appeal of wood and the durability of modern materials—making them an excellent choice for homeowners who want a contemporary look with practical benefits. Composite materials are often eco-friendly, making these doors a sustainable building choice.
Shown: Clopay® Canyon Ridge® Modern Series garage doors
How To Find the Right Garage Door for Your Home
Several factors are at play when choosing the perfect garage door for your home. Here’s a guide to help you make the best choice:
- Enhance your home’s architectural style: Choose a door design that complements your home’s overall look, whether it’s a composite door for a contemporary home, a carriage-style door for a classic farmhouse, or something in between.
- Select appropriate materials: Consider aluminum, steel, wood, or faux-wood composite materials based on your desired look, budget, and maintenance preferences. Opt for a well-insulated door to keep your garage 10–20 degrees warmer in winter and cooler in summer, especially if you use the garage as a workshop or have living space above it.
- Add personal touches: Incorporate windows to add character and allow natural light into your garage. Handles, hinges, and other decorative hardware can further enhance the door’s appearance. Select a color that complements or contrasts with your home’s exterior for added visual interest.
- Consider long-term value and maintenance: Choose materials and finishes that will withstand your local climate conditions, and factor in the time and cost of upkeep. An insulated door can contribute to lower energy bills and improved comfort in attached living spaces.
- Explore design options: Many manufacturers offer virtual design tools that allow you to visualize different door styles on your home. If possible, request material samples to see how materials and colors look in different lighting conditions on your garage.
Easy Garage Door Upgrade for Major Impact
Replacing your garage door is a relatively quick and easy home improvement project that can significantly impact your home’s appearance and value. In most cases, the installation can be completed in less than a day.
To visualize how a new garage door could transform your home, consider using the online design tools that many manufacturers offer. These tools allow you to upload a photo of your house and experiment with different door styles, colors, and features.
When planning your garage door upgrade, we recommend scheduling a professional measurement to ensure a perfect fit. Consider upgrading your garage door opener at the same time for improved functionality and security. Plan for proper disposal or recycling of your old garage door.
