Steel Garage Doors vs Wood
If you’re thinking of replacing your garage door, there are several options to choose from. We at Heritage have compiled comprehensive guides on the variety of materials and styles available. Let’s compare steel and wood garage doors.
Garage Door Material & Performance – Steel vs Wood
CHI Overhead Full-View Aluminum
Your garage door should not only look good but needs to perform. Garage doors play an important role in securing our homes. They also protect the interior from the elements and help to insulate heat and cold. That said, choosing the right material that will meet your home’s needs is of utmost importance.
Steel Garage Doors – An alloy of iron and carbon, steel has a reputation for durability that’s well earned. This means that steel garage doors can offer the tried-and-true longevity expected. Having said that, there are a few things to be aware of regarding steel’s performance as a garage door material.
First, steel is capable of denting and this should be considered for garages susceptible to high traffic. Steel is also known for it’s vulnerability to rust. Any scratches on the door will need to be touched up as soon as possible to slow and stop the oxidation of the steel.
Poor maintenance may open the door to rust, but steel garage doors still provide a superior barrier to your home. Steel garage doors are the most secure available amongst the choices of wood, aluminum, and fiberglass. If your home needs a reliable barrier, steel is the best choice.
Highly secure, steel is also heavy. This weight requires an automatic opener to safely operate the doors.
Heritage Garage Door offers the following steel door selections:
- Amarr Carriage Court
- Amarr Classica
- Amarr Designer’s Choice
- Amarr Heritage
- Amarr Hillcrest
- Amarr Lincoln
- Amarr Oak Summit
- Amarr Olympus
- Amarr Stratford
- CHI Overhead Accent Woodtones
- CHI Overhead Full-View Aluminum
- CHI Overhead High-Definition Fiberglass
- CHI Overhead Overlay Carriage House
- CHI Overhead Planks
- CHI Overhead Raised Panel
- CHI Overhead Recessed Panel
- CHI Overhead Shoreline
- CHI Overhead Skyline Flush
- CHI Overhead Stamped Carriage House
- CHI Overhead Stamped Shaker
- CHI Overhead Sterling
- CLOPAY Canyon Ridge Collection Limited Edition
- CLOPAY Canyon Ridge Collection Modern Series
- CLOPAY Canyon Ridge Collection Ultra Grain
- CLOPAY Classic Collection
- CLOPAY Coachman Collection
- CLOPAY Gallery Collection
- CLOPAY Grand Harbor Collection
- CLOPAY Modern Steel Collection
Wood Garage Doors – To begin with, garage doors are available in a variety of wood species, both hardwoods, and softwoods.
Some of the most popular tree species used for garage doors are cedar (s), eucalyptus (h), hemlock (s), mahogany (h), oak (h), and redwood (h).
(s) = softwood; (h) = hardwood
It’s important to note that softwoods are not necessarily softer than hardwoods. Amongst the groups, there’s a lot of variation in wood hardness.
From a performance perspective, thick wood provides excellent insulation from heat and cold. Homeowners concerned about keeping their home’s temperature regulated will find that wood garage doors can take some of the stress off of their HVAC systems.
Wood doors offer a more secure boundary between your home and the outside world. Their weight and strength help make them more difficult for intruders to breach.
But wood is not without its challenges. It’s an organic material, which means that it can rot and suffer from termite and other insect damage. In wetter climates, there’s an opportunity for swelling and warping.
Also, wood’s weight makes for a more involved installation process and wood garage doors require regular maintenance. Again, wood is heavy and this means the door requires an automatic opener.
Heritage Door offers the below wood garage door options:
- Amarr by Design
- CLOPAY Reserve Wood Collection Custom Series
- CLOPAY Reserve Wood Collection Limited Edition Series
- CLOPAY Reserve Wood Collection Modern Series
Garage Door Style – Steel vs Wood
Your garage door will take up a good amount of your home’s facade real estate. That’s why it’s important to consider the design profile of your home and how you’d like your garage door to compliment it.
Steel Garage Doors – Steel is the perfect blank slate for the most creative homeowner. Steel garage doors offer the broadest range of color options and panel styles. Irrespective of your home’s style (modern, southwestern, ranch, etc.), you’ll be able to create the perfect addition to your home. You have the choice of sleek monotones, woodgrain designs, and more.
Wood Garage Doors – Wood’s a popular material for garage doors because of its visual appeal and customization. A well-done wood door helps add an upscale air to your home. Hello, curb-appeal!
Since there are many options to choose from regarding wood species, these doors can be matched with a variety of home styles.
Because you can sand and patch wood, this material can look nicer longer.
For more insight on how customizable wood doors can be, take a look at our Amarr Wood Style Guide.
Garge Door Pricing – Steel vs Wood
Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Unsplash
So how much should you expect to pay for a steel garage door vs wood?
As the old saying goes “you get what you pay for”. The premium benefits of a good wood door – insulation, beauty, and security will cost anywhere from around $2,000 to $5,000. Of course, other features such as panel style, glass lites, hardware, and the garage door opener will impact pricing.
Extra features like handles, glass lites, and panel intricacy will also influence the rates for steel doors. Because the material is man-made and fairly simple to produce, you’ll find steel to be a more affordable material. You can expect a steel garage door to cost anywhere between $800 and $4,000.
Want to learn more about garage door pricing? View Heritage Garage Door’s pricing information.
Which garage door material should I choose?
CLOPAY Canyon Ridge Collection
Your garage door is an important choice to ensure your home’s beauty and security are top-notch.
The choice between a steel garage door and a wood door largely depends on homeowner preferences and budget considerations.
First of all, start by narrowing down the most important features your home needs.
Are you willing to provide regular maintenance to your door in exchange for superior security, beauty, and longevity? Or, are you interested in the most economical options on the market?
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Would you like to learn more about your garage door options? We’re here to you determine whether steel or wood is right for your home.
Explore our door catalog, or schedule an appointment with our team!
