Has your garage door seen its last day? If so, you might want to consider replacing it.
The first thing to do is determine what type of door you need. Garage doors are usually made from wood, steel, aluminum or fiberglass. Hometips.com (www.hometips.com) recommends going with wood or steel doors.
Doors come in two basic types: tilt-ups and sectional roll-up doors. Tilt-ups pivot up and down, while roll-ups are more flexible and roll up into the top of the garage.
Tilt-ups cost 25 percent to 35 percent less than sectional roll-ups, but sectional doors are safer, lighter, more secure and easier to use, according to Hometips.com
If you go with wood doors, you can have a more natural look. You can even cover the door with siding to match the house. The price for an average door starts around $400 and can range $2,000 or more for doors with all-cedar or all-oak panels.
Steel doors are the strongest type of garage doors and also the longest lasting. They can easily take the punishment of a wayward basketball. The average cost is between $750 and $1,200.
You can usually buy both aluminum and fiberglass doors for less than $1,000, but both are easily dented. Fiberglass tends to be resistant to salty air and is often used near beaches, but it can break and crack easily, according to Hometips.com.
In addition to the type of door, you also want to consider other extras such as windows or other decorative inserts when shopping for a new door. BobVila.com and Letsrenovate.com also are good sites to check out for more help with selecting a garage door.
Next week we’ll discuss more options for buying and installing the perfect garage door.
Have you had a positive or negative experience with your garage door? If so, we’d love to hear it. The home improvement tip runs on Wednesdays. Send your questions and comments to nm*****@**********rs.com or call (408) 847-7216.
