Maintenance Of All Types Of Garage Doors

When it comes to decorative elements for your home’s exterior décor, there is only so much you can do. After all, you can paint the house, add shutters, perhaps a flag or decorative embellishment but when it comes right down to it, there are not a lot of choices. However, one of the most effective, as well as useful, choices is by turning a car port into a garage and then selecting a garage door that reflects your home’s personality. There are several types of garage doors and panels to choose from and your selections will be a reflection of your style.

Wooden Garage Door

Most garage doors are either wood or steel. Doors made from wood are usually pricier, but are available in several types of woods and can be painted or stained. In addition, the wooden doors look great with homes that reflect life of bygone eras. They often mimic the elaborate doors once used on carriage house and add a touch of elegance to your home.

Steel Garage Door

Steel doors are more economical, so they are more commonly used. However, just because you select a more common product, doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. You can still paint the doors to match your home, and oftentimes, the garage door manufacturer will have a door that will look great with your house, without your needing to make any changes. Also, many professionals recommend that you purchase white or light-colored doors as they will reflect sunlight and keep the garage cooler. In addition, be sure to ask about the finish. Door finishes should be baked on and applied by the steel supplier at the steel mill and not by the manufacturer.

Whether you choose to use a wooden door or a metal, you will also need to determine what type of panel you wish. As each of the five choices adds a different look, keep these basic associations in mind:

1. • Flush panel are flat panels and will look great with whatever you put it next to, without being over conspicuous.Long raised panels are known for adding distinction to your home’s overall appearance. These have become popular in recent years and have many options in regard to windows and color.

1. • Short raised panels, as well as the long raised panels add depth to the door. They look great with home that favor the Victorian, Antebellum or Tudor style homes as they set off the beautiful trim work and proportioned finishes of these homes. These are sometimes called carriage -style garage doors as they resemble the doors used on carriage houses years ago.

1. • Painted door panels are associated with that bit of extra to your home’s appearance. Quite often, homeowners opt to have the raised portion painted on color with the sloped portion painted in a contrasting color.Contemporary garage doors are perfect for homes that have modern design. They feature straight clean lines, and are more commonly metal doors with tempered glass panels.

 

There is a huge choice when it comes to the different types of material for garage doors. There is steel, fibreglass, aluminum and wood each with its own pros and cons. Before making a decision, you should try to purchase one that fits the overall look of your home and also consider the maintenance that is involved in caring for the door as they are not an inexpensive item to buy. Wooden garage doors give a touch of class to a home and can compliment most home designs.

How to Maintain the garage doors

A garage door constructed from wood especially lends itself to the more rural look maybe a cabin or a rustic type home, and if the wood is stained rather than painted it will look even better. Wood that is stained allows for more of the natural beauty to be shown. If your preference should be to paint the wood then give it a little thought, try to choose a color that will blend with the exterior of the home such as the wall color if not then the color of the wooden trims and windows, wooden garage doors that blend in attract less attention from unwanted visitors.

Below are listed a few of the maintenance procedures that will keep your garage door in good working order.

• All of the working parts on your garage door should be annually maintained. Hinges rollers and springs literally any moving metal parts need lubrication, an everyday lubricant can be used and if there are chains involved axle grease is great for this. Do not be mean with your oil make sure all parts are well covered and this will ensure its continued smooth running.

• A regular check on screws nuts and bolts is also required. Look over all the moving parts of the door and if anything is loose have your tools handy to bring them back up to proper levels. This can prevent a simple loose screw from becoming a major repair job down the line.

• The garage doors track system is essential to its smooth running so it’s necessary to check on the alignment every now and then. A track that is out of line will cause the door to stick or catch when opening. Refer to the installation manual for the correct procedure to keep the track and rollers perfectly lined up.

• Now spring tension is something that in most cases it is best to call in a professional for especially if the door has become difficult to lift.

• Do not forget the exterior of your wooden garage doors, wood should be treated on a regular basis either staining or painting. Stained doors need more attention than a painted door, at least once every two years, a painted door if done correctly should give you about four years, these are only intended as guides your local weather patterns usually dictates maintenance required.

• Do not forget that the interior should also be protected so as to prevent the wood from getting warped and damaging its smooth running.

• Wooden garage doors add a special look to your house that can be admired from afar, this look just cannot be replicated with doors made from other materials.
• The beauty of natural wood with all it’s wonderful patterns, is a look that will truly enhance the garage area of your home. Admiring glances are just one of the benefits of fitting timber garage doors.

Preparing Wooden Garage Doors

You may have decided to have your doors fitted by a specialist, or you may choose to fit them yourself. Whatever you decide, you need to do a little preparation first before deciding to paint or stain your wooden doors.You do need to clean the wood first. This is often overlooked, however by leaving this simple step out, you could be affecting the final look once the paint or varnish is dry on the doors.

Dust and dirt can get into the corners of the wooden panels, this debris can get into the final coat of paint or varnish and can cause results that are not up to the standard you would expect. So keep the panels clean before applying any coating. Sand out any imperfections and clean the panels thoroughly, allowing them to dry before painting. Don’t use a high pressure power washer to do this job as this could damage the surface of soft woods. Protect the wood on both sides of the door, not just the front.

Wood is a hydroscopic material, it swells in high humidity and contracts in low humidity. This is one of the chief causes of surface breakdowns, hence the need to protect both sides of the doors, as the action of the interior can affect the surface of the exterior in extreme heat or cold.

What Types Of Woods Used In Garage Doors?

Some of the most common types of wood used in wooden door construction are Hemlock, Redwood and Cedar. These type of woods have a natural resistance to rotting. Oak is also another wood considered for garage doors because it is extremely durable and strong. The natural oils found within these types of woods which is a natural protection from extreme weather conditions.

Wooden garage doors can be the up and over type or side hinged to open outwards. If you choose a single wood door or wooden double garage doors, you should expect to pay more than the standard type metal doors. The wooden garage doors have increased weight so the rollers and spring fittings need to meet the constructional strength which also increases the cost. Wooden doors can also be fitted with an electric motor for automating the opening and closing, this can be operated by remote control from your vehicle of from a button or lever situated nearby.