When a guest pulls up to your home, the first thing they typically see is your garage’s custom door cladding – or lack thereof. Garage doors play a huge role in making a first impression for your home, and so it follows that whatever you choose to cover your door with should be your best foot forward.
Often, homeowners don’t even realise until they start exploring how wide the range of options for garage door cladding. Today, we’re going over some basics for choosing the best cladding for you.
How to select the right materials for your garage door
Whether you’re installing a brand-new door or repairing and refurbishing an old one, there’s a number of choices you need to make, but the first one will typically always be material.
Choosing a material is important as it can inform the rest of your cladding decisions. To decide between the many options, you need to look at each one’s pros and cons.
Timber Garage Doors
Timber is a classic material, and many people consider timber garage doors for their natural beauty. This can boost the value of your home significantly, so it’s an attractive option for renovators.
That said, timber requires long-term maintenance. Wood is much more susceptible to warping in New Zealand’s climate. Depending on where you are, and depending on the type of wood, there is even a possibility that wood will rot if left to its own devices. At the other end of the spectrum, too much sun can cause wood to weather and fade and warp.
Avoiding these issues usually doesn’t take much more than keeping an eye on it, and refinishing or repainting the door every few years, but this is more upkeep than most homeowners are looking for.
Aluminium Garage Doors
Aluminium, on the other hand, doesn’t have to deal with weathering issues. Aluminium resists oxidization and corrosion, and is lightweight and durable.
Some homeowners might think of aluminium as a less visually attractive option, but this is unfounded and beginning to change in the New Zealand market. High-end designers are finding ways to make aluminium look much sleeker than it has in the past.
While timber has a look that can be replicated – such as with composite materials – it has a timeless, romantic feel that many homeowners are rightfully drawn to. Ultimately, it really comes down to your own personal priorities. If you plan to refinish the wood every few years, and have your heart set on the look of raw timber, it makes complete sense to pursue it. If you plan on painting over the timber, however, you run the risk of ending up with a timber garage door that is more upkeep but functions the same as architecturally-designed aluminium garage doors do.
Powder-Coating
Since the aesthetic advantages of timber are more or less undercut by painting over the wood, new technologies have been developed to help customers find the perfect balance between timber and aluminium.
By powder-coating aluminium, Prestige Doors and Gates are able to faithfully replicate the look of timber, while delivering a more durable and more versatile garage door. Powder-coated aluminium allows homeowners to customise the door further with custom finishes, and a variety of colours, all while looking just like painted timber.
Unlike timber, powder-coated aluminium resists weathering, doesn’t require repainting, and has a much longer natural lifespan.
Need to know more?
Still can’t decide? Talk to the experts. Contact the friendly team here at Prestige Doors & Gates today, and we’ll be able to help you out. With over two decades of industry experience, you can trust us to help you find the perfect first impression for your home.
