Garage Door Buying Guide
New Garage Door Considerations
This garage door buying guide is designed to help you get started on your journey buying a new garage door. You might imagine that the garage door industry is not very big. The truth is, the garage door manufacturing industry in the United States alone is worth more than $3 billion every single year!
Garage doors are available in a wide variety of styles and types and there is almost certainly a garage door that will work perfectly for you. However, it can be tricky to find the perfect garage door. When considering a new garage door installation, the first thing you have to understand is what all of your options are. We’ve provided some information below to get you started.
Types of the Garage Doors
When it comes to garage doors, there are basically two things to keep in mind. One is the functional type of garage door, including considerations like choice of material and insulation. The other is the style of the garage door. There are a number of functional types of garage door but we’ll focus on the most common.
Sectional Doors
Sectional garage doors are made of horizontal panels connected by hinges that slide upward and curve along tracks into the ceiling. They’re one of the most popular garage door types, offering durability, insulation, and modern styling. Ideal for residential and commercial use, they provide efficient operation and excellent space-saving benefits.
Pros:
- Space-saving design
- Good insulation options
- Wide range of styles
- Durable and secure
- Compatible with openers
Cons:
- Requires ceiling track space
- More moving parts to maintain
- Higher upfront cost than tilt-up doors
- Repairs can be complex
- Noisy if not maintained
Swing Out Doors
Swing out garage doors, also known as carriage or barn-style doors, open outward from the center on hinges. Often used for traditional or rustic homes, they offer classic curb appeal and do not require overhead tracks. These doors can be manual or automated and are typically made from wood or steel.
Pros:
- Timeless aesthetic appeal
- No ceiling track needed
- Easy to maintain
- Suitable for low-ceiling garages
- Can be customized
Cons:
- Requires clear space to open
- Less convenient in snow or wind
- Manual versions can be heavy
- Slower operation than sectional doors
- Limited insulation options
Rollup Doors
Residential roll-up garage doors are made of narrow steel or aluminum slats that roll into a compact coil above the opening. Ideal for saving space, they’re durable, low-maintenance, and often used in modern or compact garages. These doors operate smoothly and can be paired with automatic openers for added convenience.
Pros:
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Space-saving vertical design
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Durable construction
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Low maintenance
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Secure and tamper-resistant
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Works well in tight spaces
Cons:
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Higher initial cost
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Limited style options
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Less insulation than sectional doors
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Noisy if not maintained
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Repairs may require a specialist
Other Option Considerations
Garage door customization allows homeowners to enhance curb appeal and functionality by tailoring materials, colors, window styles, and hardware. From classic to contemporary, you can personalize every detail to suit your home’s architecture. Insulation, decorative accents, and smart technology are also popular choices for modern, efficient, and stylish garage doors.
Most Common Customization Options:
- Material selection (steel, wood, aluminum, fiberglass)
- Insulation level
- Panel design (raised, recessed, flush, carriage)
- Window inserts and placement
- Decorative hardware
- Custom color or finish
- Smart opener integration
- Security features
- Weather sealing upgrades
- Trim and accent options
Garage Door Styles: Traditional
The traditional style include raised-panel garage doors offering a clean, classic look for your home’s exterior. These garage doors are characterized by symmetrical, raised rectangular panels.
The typical traditional garage door will offer choices of the rectangle shape itself such as square, rectangle and short rectangle. Other options will include windows with different glass style options, colors and garage door panel insulation. Most garage door makers offer a variety of products in this class, with various options for construction and design including insulated and natural-wood options.
Garage Door Styles: Carriage House
Carriage House doors, sometimes know as “ranch style” doors are very popular in the United States. They are often made out of wood or steel that imitates the appearance of wood and presents a warm ranch or farm feel. This class of garage door offers an incredible array of styles, limited only by the imagination.
The panels often resemble barn doors adding a rustic feel to the door. A wide variety of window styles are available and very common with this style. The door hardware really adds a detail to these doors that make them pop visually. If you are looking for something a little more than traditional while maintaining a warm inviting appearance, the carriage house style might be right for you. There are tons of choices in style, colors and options to fit every taste.
Garage Door Styles: Contemporary
Contemporary garage doors are the result of modern advances in technology and aesthetics. They are much more likely to be asymmetrical than any other kind of garage door. You can see that same kind of asymmetry as a feature in modern art. These doors are the result of thinking outside of the box. That means that everything, including the color and the materials, is up for discussion.
The contemporary style door allows for almost any combination of materials and visual elements that are best suited for homes that feature a modern architectural design. The stunning visuals really add to the overall appearance of the modern home.
Final Thoughts
We don’t usually think too much about garage doors – at least while they’re working properly. But when the time comes to replace one, homeowners quickly realize that there are a lot of choices for replacement doors including budget and style. This garage door buying guide provides an introduction to some of the features and styles to consider. We encourage you to check out our preferred garage door vendors including C.H.I, Hormann Garage Door, Carriage House and Clopay to see all they have to offer. As always, our team is ready and available to help with any questions you may have, click here to get in touch. Happy garage door shopping!
“Hands down the best service I have ever received. Jeremy and his crew are super responsive and provide excellent customer service. “
~Erika Contreras
Yelp Reviews
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Skyler is terrific!! Was not a fan of Keen garage doors since they installed my door a couple of years ago. It always sounded terrible right from the start. Initially... read more 
Lee F.
4/19/2025 The connection between my garage door and the opener broke. I called Keen Garage Doors at 12:08PM, and Josh arrived at 12:55PM. Based on my description of the problem, he... read more John M.
4/17/2025 In 3 hours I had a new dead silent opener, hinges, spring, and cables. And finally 2 remotes, safety laser, and keypad. Chris N.
3/23/2025 - Vincent showed up on time last Thursday 12/12/24 with a smile on his face. He was very professional and seemed knowledgeable about our doors. Quoted on site within 10 minutes... read more Ronald H.
12/19/2024 Amazing service professional and knowledgeable. Fabulous job
Would definitely call them again Darlene P.
12/06/2024 Jeramie and Josh were fantastic people and extremely helpful in solving my garage door issue. They were timely and efficient in my torsion spring conversion - I'd recommend them to... read more John K.
11/22/2024 - The motor on my garage door opener needed replacing. After checking YELP, and reading rave reviews, I chose Keen Garage doors. They came today and the experience was... read more Patricia Hearne H.
11/04/2024 Good and honest company and crew! Went through Keen to install new garage doors about year and a half ago. We called and Vincent was our guy who came out... read more Kyle G.
10/16/2024 I am thrilled with the garage door that Keen installed at my home. It is exactly the door I was looking for and it looks great! Jeramie gave... read more Steve G.
9/03/2024
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We install, repair and maintain all major brands of garage doors, gates and openers. For example, C.H.I, Wayne Dalton, Hormann Garage Door, Clopay, Carriage House, Alumador, Martin, Liftmaster, Linear, Genie, Chamberlain, Craftsman and more.
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