Garage Door Materials |
Along with knowing which type of operating gear to
buy, a major decision in any potential garage door purchase
has to be "which material to choose" and can as
confusing as choosing the door itself, so we have given you
a brief explanation of each type of operating gear below. |
Steel Doors |
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Steel garage doors are much stronger and more secure than wood,
aluminum, or fiberglass ones. Thanks primarily to new technologies
in embossing metals with wood-grain patterns, and new durable coatings,
today's steel doors rival the look of wood without the maintenance
headaches. Steel doors won't warp, crack, delaminate or fall apart
because of weather. And, because most are made of hot-dipped, galvanized
steel that is vinyl clad or given a baked-on polyester finish,
they don't rust or require repainting as often as wood doors. Most
warranties guarantee the door won't rust for as long as you own
the house, but do not protect against fading. On the downside,
steel does dent and can be difficult to repair |
Timber Doors |
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Wood is preferred more for its natural look, affordability and
easy tooling than for its durability. Because wood expands and
contracts and can warp or crack as it weathers, it demands regular
maintenance--repainting or refinishing every couple of years.
The easiest to build and most affordable type of door is a tilt-up
wood door. In many cases, it can be built right in the driveway
by applying a skin of exterior plywood--usually 3/8-inch thick--to
a frame of Douglas fir, spruce or a similar softwood. Or the frame
and plywood can be covered with siding to match the house. This
type of flush construction is quite strong, stable and affordable |
GRP (Fibreglass) Doors |
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Fiberglass doors actually have an aluminum frame with fiberglass
sections. Like aluminum, fiberglass is very lightweight. Other
advantages of fiberglass are resistance to salt air corrosion and
translucency--fiberglass doors are sometimes chosen for locations
where light transmission is important or in corrosive ocean climates.
For more standard uses, fiberglass isn't a very popular material
because it is a poor insulator, it yellows with age, and it breaks
relatively easily, especially when it's cold |
ABS (UPVC) Doors |
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State-of-the-art impact resistant doors are built using modern,
lightweight, yet highly durable materials.
Characterised by deep
crisp panel detailing and medium gloss, maintenance-free, UV stable,
white finish they are an ideal match if you have UPVC windows and
doors. ABS doors generally carry a 10-year manufacturer's guarantee |
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