Garage Doors 101
What to look for:
- 1. Looks (design, pattern and color)
- 2. Insulation
- 3. Safety
- 4. Material make-up (steel, wood, or fiberglass)
- 5. Window designs
- 6. Spring design
- 7. Warranty
- 8. Cost
- 9. Opener
History of the Garage Door Industry
The door industry began with wood doors, which dominated the industry from the early 1900's to the 1970's. Then in the late 1970's, stamped steel doors became the standard. These doors offered minimal maintenance compared to wood, which became an attractive selling point. The method of manufacturing steel doors consisted of buying a steel die of a particular pattern, which typically was modeled after a traditional wood door. However, since it is not possible to stretch steel beyond inherent material constraints, steel doors feature a pattern that is very shallow compared to a traditional wood door.
This pattern worked for a very long time, and was actually very successful for many years, as evidenced by the millions of homes with this standard look.
However, after three decades of "wall-to-wall raised panel", homeowners and builders who were looking for new ways to differentiate their homes from their neighbors started to realize how much aesthetic value a garage door can command, and that an out-of-the-norm look for the garage door could help their homes look much better. And different. After all, the garage door is the largest single object on many homes other than the roof, and can command up to 30% of a home's curb appeal.
Initially, demands for new and eloquent looking doors centered around wood, since this material offered the original standard of the most flexibility to create new looks. However, the same drawbacks that led to the growth of steel doors, namely price and maintenance, held wood doors back from being accepted by the masses.
Enter innovative manufacturers like Wayne-Dalton, who tooled up to create completely different designs using steel with PVC or vinyl molding, and fiberglass to make these new looks at more affordable prices. And without the type of maintenance that wood demands.
The 21st century trend toward garage doors that scream "Look at me! I'm not what I used to be!" are exciting, as homeowners, builders, and architects alike all realize that the garage doors of yesterday "ain't nothin' like the garage doors of today"!
Which garage door is right for me?
We know shopping for a garage door is a significant task if you aren't familiar with what to look for. So we want to make the process fun and easy!
If you have never had to purchase a garage door, or haven't done so for many years, here is an easy tutorial on what factors to consider in your search.
1. The look of your garage door
Don't settle for ordinary when extra-ordinary is within reach! Wayne-Dalton doors come in many different designs, colors, insulation values and sizes. The Model 9800 features a magnificently molded wood-grain fiberglass surface concealing durable steel and polyurethane insulation construction. The 9800 offers a deep, rich woodgrain pattern that looks remarkably like real wood, unlike any other garage door on the market.
The Model 9700 door offers the look of an old-fashioned carriage house door with the durability of steel. For instance, Lexington design has a cross buck design that reminds you of a quaint barn door and the Charleston has a triangular pattern. The point is - there are many different looks to consider other than the traditional raised panel garage door. Look at the rest of your home's architecture, and then find the design that matches it well.
Colors are also important. Most Wayne-Dalton models come in a variety of colors to choose from and all are ready for additional painting should you decide to get really creative and paint the door to match your shutters or siding. Or you could paint it two or even three different colors to make your garage door into a true fashionable statement. Hey, did we just use the terms garage door and fashionable in the same sentence? You bet we did!
2. Insulation
Polyurethane or Polystyrene - should you care? You bet you should!
With today's high energy costs, insulation in a garage door is just as valuable as anywhere else in your home. The number of uninsulated garage doors sold continues to decline as consumers demand energy efficiency for cost savings and comfort, which is more important than ever as more people use their garage as a work place or social gathering spot, and not just storage.
The thermal property of insulation is expressed as an R-value. A higher R-value can translate into lower energy usage, cost, and even reduce outside noise or help the door operate more quietly. Most insulated doors are constructed using polystyrene or polyurethane foam.
A polystyrene insulated door can be thicker but has a lower R-Value than polyurethane. If you are looking for energy efficiency and a high R-Value, do not be fooled by the thickness of the door!
A polyurethane insulated door might look thinner but actually offers a much higher insulation R-value. That is because of the way the insulation expands during the manufacturing process to tightly fill the cavity between the two steel panels as it chemically bonds to the skins of the door.
Not only does this make the door better insulated, it also makes the door incredibly strong and helps lessen noise while the door operates, as is common with single sheet metal doors that have no insulation or even polystyrene insulation.
3. Safety
Can the largest moving object in my house be dangerous? Make sure it isn't.
Safety is a concern with any product, and garage doors are no different. Since it is a large moving object that many family members interact with, it should have as many safety features as possible.
Pinch-resistant doors feature a design that pushes fingers out of harm's way should they accidentally be placed too close to a closing door.
Tamper resistant bottom brackets reduce the risk of injury from garage door components under tension. The polyurethane insulation even provides better fire safety in that this type of insulation reduces the amount of smoke and flames in the event of a fire.
Also, for additional safety, see what is new with counterbalance springs described in item #5.
4. Window designs
Don't think you want windows in your garage door? Think again!
Many people underestimate the value the windows can add to a garage door. To best illustrate the difference, select a sample home from Wayne-Dalton's Garage Door Design Center and look at it with and without windows. The difference can be stunning and turn an ordinary or even a good looking door into an even better one. They also allow natural light into the garage that can make a gloomy garage interior much more appealing during the day. If you want to be able to look out your garage door, have the windows put in the third section from the bottom. If you don't want to look out the door, but want the beauty and natural light of windows, then have them put in the top section of the door.
5. Spring design
(This is the spring above the inside of your door that lifts it up and down. Is the spring enclosed in a metal tube, or exposed?)
Counterbalance springs are how your door is actually lifted and closed. It is not the opener that actually lifts and closes your door. That just provides the push to get the door moving. It's actually the springs, which are wound tightly when your door is closed. As the door moves up, the springs unwind, which provide the force necessary to lift the door. As the door closes, the weight of the door actually winds the springs back up until it closes completely. At this point the springs have their full tension again.
TorqueMaster ® Counterbalance
TorqueMaster is Wayne-Dalton's exclusive counterbalance system that safely and cleanly contains the springs inside a steel tube. The TorqueMaster design helps prevent injury that could result from the accidental release of tension.
These springs are normally exposed and when they are under full tension, can be extremely dangerous. Especially if they break and parts of it come flying loose, or if an inexperienced person tries to adjust them, which should never be tried.
The TorqueMaster® Plus counterbalance system is a Wayne-Dalton exclusive that encases potentially dangerous garage door springs inside a steel tube. If the spring should happen to break after years of usage, it will do so safely inside the tube. Tension for the spring, which still should be done by a professional, is adjusted by using the winding mechanism on the side of the tube, and not by having to adjust any part attached to the exposed spring.
TorqueMaster Plus adds a patented anti-drop device to the safest springing system on the market. This device protects you and your family by holding the door in a safe position in the event of a spring failure.
6. Warranty
Many manufacturers offer a warranty, but few go so far as to offer anything more than one year. Wayne-Dalton offers some of the best warranties in the industry, including many of its models with Lifetime Limited warranties. Other models have 10 years, which is still a significant time frame.
Good warranties offer you the peace of mind that the manufacturer is confident about the design and construction of its doors, and will back that up should the door happen to fail for reasons noted in the warranty.
7. Material make-up (steel, wood, or fiberglass)
How long your door will last, what kind of punishment it can take, or even how much annual maintenance it will require is strongly determined by the material used to make the door.
Steel doors offer long durability with only occasional need for cleaning or touch-up. Fiberglass doors can last even longer, especially in environments with harsh weather conditions. And with the advent of Wayne-Dalton's Model 9800 fiberglass doors which is made with Therma-Tru's AccuGrain™ Technology, is as close as you can get to the realdepth of wood.
Which brings us to real wood, which requires the most maintenance, as it will need painted or stained every few years. But if the look and feel of real wood is what you want, then it's a choice that can't be beat.
8. Cost
Everyone has a budget. Well, most of us anyway. However, many people are surprised by how affordable garage doors can be. Most guess twice as much as what it actually comes out to be.
Generally, premium wood doors are the most expensive, then fiberglass doors, steel doors with and without vinyl or PVC overlays, and then uninsulated, single sheet steel doors and lower grade wood doors.
When considering what to spend though, consider that this purchase won't be made again for many, many years, if ever. And what you put on your garage now will have a big impact on the garage itself and maybe even more significantly, to the rest of your home. A few extra dollars now could give a benefit of a lifetime, and raise the value of your home to a new level.
Wall mount garage door openers are a Wayne-Dalton innovation. The idrive® is the most technologically advanced design in the industry. Learn more...
9. Opener
Only Wayne-Dalton manufactures both the garage door and opener to work together as one system. We make the exclusive idrive PRO® and prodrive® openers.
idrive PRO is a unique opener that hangs on the wall above your garage door. By putting it in this position, the need for a trolley rail hanging in the middle of the garage is eliminated.
The opener is much quieter than conventional models, and has numerous safety, security, and convenience features.
The prodrive opener is a traditional style opener with a trolley that comes in either belt or chain drives. It has a powerful 1/2 hp motor, automatic security light with 4-minute delay, and rolling code technology to prevent "code stealing."
Both idrive Pro and prodrive openers are Car2U and HomeLink compatible.
If you buy either model with integrated Z-Wave technology, you can also activate your Wayne-Dalton wireless home control products with one press of a button. That means lighting scenes, appliances, HVAC, and security systems can all be controlled right from your car.
