Wood Vs Fiberglass Garage Doors: Which Are Right For Your Home?

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While there are many garage door options available to choose from, wood and fiberglass doors remain among the most popular options the market has to offer. This is due largely in part to the fact that wood and fiberglass doors offer several unique benefits that other building materials cannot. Consequently, while it may not be hard to narrow your choices down to these two popular options, choosing between them can be far more difficult. Taking a few minutes to further explore the pros and cons associated with each of these options can help to make this important decision a bit easier.

Wood Garage Doors

The Pros

• Longevity - Wood garage doors offer one of the longest expected lifespans on the market. In fact, with proper care, these doors can easily last as long as your home. This means that you will never again need to worry about the expense of installing a new door on your garage.
• Customizable - Wood is perhaps the most customizable material in the world. This is because wood offers the ability to cut, drill, sand, paint, and stain your garage door without compromising its strength or durability,

The Cons

• High Maintenance - Wood garage doors require annual maintenance in order to protect them from moisture damage, such as cracking and rotting. In the absence of this maintenance, you can expect your wood door to deteriorate much faster than intended.
• Attractive To Pests - Not only are wood garage doors extremely attractive to many homeowners, but they are also quite attractive to many pests. This is because common pests, such as termites, rely on wood as their primary food source. Preventing a pest infestation in your door will require the use of pest control chemicals in addition to your regular maintenance.

Fiberglass Garage Doors

The Pros

• Lightweight - Fiberglass is a lightweight, yet durable material that is often ideal for the construction of garage doors. Thanks to the lightweight nature of this material, less strain is put on the person or machine that is responsible for opening and closing the door. In the end, this can help to prevent personal injury or the need to frequently replace your automatic door opener.
• Low Maintenance - While fiberglass doors offer the benefit of looking virtually identical to solid wood garage doors, these doors do not come with the same high maintenance requirements. In fact, fiberglass doors will merely require a quick wash whenever they are visibly soiled.

The Cons

• Limited Data - While fiberglass garage doors have proven to be quite beneficial during their time on the market, these doors are still considered a relatively new option within the residential garage door industry. Consequently, there is still limited data available regarding the long-term performance of these doors.
• Fading - Without the benefit of an awning or other shade-bearing structure, fiberglass doors will begin to quickly fade as a result of prolonged sun exposure. The only way to restore the door's original coloring is to replace the entire door.

The Bottom Line

There are several factors that you will need to consider when choosing between wood and fiberglass garage doors. For instance, you will need to consider your upfront budget, your maintenance budget, and your personal style preferences. For more information, contact Door Systems Inc. or a similar company.

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4 May 2015