The Right Garage Door for Your Home

Time for a new garage door? It can be hard to know what garage door best matches the style of your home. From color to windows, to material and finishes, there is a lot to consider. To help narrow the selection process, we’ve put together a list of a few architectural styles and garage doors that complement them to consider as you make this decision.  

Midcentury Modern

The hallmarks of midcentury design are clean lines, contemporary materials (think concrete and steel), open floor plans and an abundance of natural light. The advent of insulated glass windows made it possible to install large walls of glass in midcentury homes without compromising the thermal integrity of the house. This new glass technology allowed for the seamless indoor/outdoor living that is so iconic to midcentury design. If you are lucky enough to live in a midcentury style house, you know just how important it can update your home with midcentury style in mind. 

Modern Glass Garage Door

In true midcentury style, nothing beats a wall of glass. Bringing the outdoors in and flooding a space with natural light are some of the cornerstones of this home style. The Modern Glass Garage Door from Wayne Dalton offers an expanse of glass in a sleek, minimal frame—the perfect complement to the clean lines of a midcentury home. 

Frameless Glass Garage Doors Luminous^®

Like a geometric pool gleaming in the Hollywood Hills, a Wayne Dalton Frameless Glass garage door both shimmers and melts away into the façade of a midcentury home. From Mirrored, to Translucent, or Opaque glass, there is a finish that fits your midcentury masterpiece perfectly. 

Flush Wood Garage Doors

Clean lines, natural materials, minimalistic yet highly functional, the Flush Wood embodies many of the key attributes of a classic midcentury home. Available in three models, you’ll find just the right one for you. 

Custom Wood Garage Doors

Intentional design, craftsmanship and impeccable details are what set midcentury homes apart and make them so special. In true midcentury style, a Wayne Dalton Custom Wood Garage Door can be designed to replicate an existing midcentury door that needs replacing or match your midcentury home in a way that only custom can. 

European

European style homes come in all shapes and sizes, but a few key elements stand out if you know what to look for:

The building material is very important with European homes. Specific materials like stone, wood, stucco and brick are most commonly used, often in combination with each other, to make up this architectural style. Ornate features paired with perfect symmetry are hallmark elements of this style. 

Because natural building materials are featured so prominently on European homes, colors tend to be more muted and neutral in nature to complement the materials. Think cream, taupe, blush and soft greens to act as a gentle accent to the sometimes-bold architecture of the home. Even though European homes tend to have rich details in the building and construction, the colors used are subdued to let the structure shine. 

Four Garage Doors for European Homes

If these design elements represent your home, Wayne Dalton has a garage door to perfectly play up this classic style. The following are four of our favorites: 

Carriage House Garage Doors

Classic details, symmetrical design, modern materials made to look like traditional construction, the carriage house garage door may have you checking to see if a horse and carriage are inside, because it looks that authentic. With effortless style and just the right amount of embellishments, this garage door is extremely popular for good reason. 

Flush Wood Garage Doors

The sturdy look of a solid wood garage door is so timeless and traditional, this garage door could easily be seen on a villa or a Tudor in a charming European village, just as well as in your neighborhood. A flush wood garage door is an investment in a timeless look that you will love for years to come. 

Carriage House Style Wood Doors

Inspired by a rich equestrian tradition, the carriage house style wood doors have all the extra detail that defines European architecture. Crafted from beautiful, natural materials, these garage doors will effortlessly complement any European home. 

Wood Panel Garage Doors

Elegant and understated, the wood panel garage doors are a handsome addition to any home’s façade, but especially homes with European style. The tailored wood offers just enough detail to make it shine but not outshine the rest of your home. These garage doors look like a bygone era with all the modern touches you crave for a home of today. 

Traditional and Cottage

Even though there is no standard floor plan for traditional homes or cottages, you typically know one when you see it. They are simple, timeless and welcoming with a unique mix of historic architecture styles. While a traditional home is almost always two stories, a cottage is almost always just one. They both implement materials from cedar shingles near the coast to wooden beams in the woods, all tell a story about where they came from and what purpose they serve in the design and function of the home.


Here are a few garage doors that complement traditional and cottage homes. 

Wood Doors

Made from wood, these timeless garage doors have the charming, handcrafted feel that fits so perfectly with these homes. From painted to stained wood, these doors come in a variety of styles, so you can pick the perfect fit to amplify that layered, textured, timeless feel. 

Wood Grain Impressions^® Finish Collection

Insulated steel that looks like timeless wood—what could be better? All the modern comforts afforded by steel garage doors with the classic styling you expect to see on a traditional home or cottage—in both plank and traditional looks. These garage doors come with available insulation that can help protect your garage from extreme temperatures. 

Vinyl

If you live on the coast, a vinyl garage door is just the ticket for you. Vinyl can take a beating from wet climates and hold up against salt and humidity. It can also help reduce exterior noise. The best part about these vinyl garage doors is that, for all their functionality, they offer charming styles to match any traditional home or cottage. 

Carriage House Garage Doors

Does your house give off the impression that you may have a horse and buggy instead of a car? The Carriage House style garage doors are just what you need to amplify that charming vibe. The look of wood, timeless details, optional windows and textured hardware are backed by a strong steel garage doors that will last for years to come. 

If you’re not sure what you like or if you have several options you are torn between, try our Garage Door Design Center to look at different styles and finishes on your home. 

Other things to consider:

Climate

Where do you live? Is it hot and dry, hot and humid, cold and damp, extremely cold, moderate or a mix? The climate your home and garage are exposed to makes a big difference when selecting the right garage door. Choosing a garage door with the correct amount of insulation can greatly impact the amount of hot or cold air entering your garage. If you can control the amount of hot and cold air that comes into your garage through proper insulation in your garage door, you will make your garage more comfortable. If the garage is connected or attached to your home, then the right garage door can help with the overall energy efficiency of your home. Considering your climate is a critical first step in selecting the right kind of garage door. 

Specifically, if you live near the ocean, and your daily climate involves a lot of saltwater, you may want to look at Vinyl garage doors. Salt, humidity and water can affect the garage door and lead to rust and corrosion on metal. This can all become a safety hazard for the moving parts of the garage door. For coastal areas that experience these issues, vinyl will do wonders. 

Weather

Hand in hand with climate is weather. All kinds of extreme weather, from wildfires to hurricanes, can weaken the safety and functionality of your garage door.

If you live in an area that frequently gets hit by storms with high winds (tornadoes, hurricanes, etc.) stick with a Wind Load-Rated garage door. These doors have been specially constructed with strong winds and storms in mind and are built in accordance with storm and safety codes. 

Wayne Dalton also offers impact-rated windows, so you don’t have to sacrifice light for safety. You can also get fabric shields for other doors and windows you are concerned about.  

You can also consider a Wind Load garage door for additional wind protection. 

If you live somewhere that experiences heavy snowfall, consider a garage door with a low U-factor or high R-value. The higher the R-value number, the less hot and cold air will get into your garage.  

There are two types of thermal ratings used by the garage and commercial door industry to evaluate insulation: U-factor and R-value.  


• The U-factor measures the rate at which heat is transferred through a material, such as a garage door. A lower U-factor indicates better insulation, meaning the garage door will resist heat flow more effectively.  
• The R-value evaluates the thermal resistance of a garage door. It represents how well the door can impede the flow of heat. The higher the R-value, the greater the insulation capability of the garage door. U-factor is not the reciprocal of R-value for residential garage or commercial doors. 
Having the right insulation can make all the difference in controlling the energy efficiency of your garage. 

Brand

The last piece of this puzzle is brand. When choosing a garage door, you want to go with a brand you trust; someone who has a history of making quality doors that stand the test of time. It’s also important to go with a company that can help install and service your door for years to come. 

Wayne Dalton has the quality doors and experience you want with the support and service you trust.

No matter what garage door you choose based on your unique needs, Wayne Dalton will have the right garage door for you.