Should Your Next Garage Door Be Made From Aluminum?

If the time has come to replace your garage door, you may feel perplexed by all of your options. Many of the doors that you see in home improvement stores and even through specialized garage door manufacturers are made from aluminum. Is this the right material for your next garage door? Here are the pros and cons of aluminum that you'll want to consider.

Pro: Aluminum is inexpensive.

Chances are, you're not made of money. When budget is a prime consideration in garage door replacement, aluminum is the material of choice. Aluminum is easy to mold into a door, and the material itself comes at a low cost. For this reason, garage door manufacturers can sell aluminum doors for a lot less than steel, wood, or fiberglass garage doors.

Pro: Aluminum is lightweight.

If you plan on installing the new garage door yourself, this is definitely an advantage. Aluminum weight a lot less than steel or wood, so you can install the door with some help from just one friend. You would need a crew of several -- and a lot more skill -- to install a door made from a heavier material.

The fact that aluminum is lightweight also makes it easier and less costly to transport. You can load it in a truck easily. If your opener ever breaks and you need to lift the garage door manually, doing so is much easier with aluminum.

Pro: Aluminum does not rust.

Are you staring at a rusty steel door right now? Once the outer zinc coating wears off steel garage doors, they begin to rust, and rust can spread like the plague. Aluminum does not rust. You should keep the door painted to prevent corrosion, but the corrosion is a lot easier to prevent than rust, especially if you live in a wet environment. 

Pro: You can recycle aluminum.

If you want to choose an earth-friendly garage door for your home, aluminum is a smart choice. When you are done with the door, you can recycle it, and the metal will be used again. You can also find aluminum doors that are made from recycled metal.

Con: Aluminum is easily dented.

If you bump into an aluminum door with a lawn mower or your car, it will dent. The material is quite soft in comparison to other garage door materials like steel and wood. You'll have to be careful around your aluminum door if you don't want to damage it -- so it may not be a good choice if you keep a lot of heavy equipment in your garage or if your kids tend to rough-house in the driveway.

Con: Aluminum is not a great insulator.

Aluminum is often used in wiring and to make pans, and that's because it is a good conductor of heat and electricity. If you heat your garage, you will lose a lot of that heat through an aluminum door. You'll either need to have the door well insulated, or you'll need to choose a different garage door material. On the other hand, if your garage is not heated or you live in a mild climate, this may not be a concern.

Con: Aluminum has a specific look.

Aluminum garage doors can look very nice, but their look does not coordinate well with certain home styles, such as rustic architecture or Craftsman-style architecture. With these more traditional styles, you may prefer a wooden door.

To learn more about aluminum garage doors, and to get an estimate for your door, contact a garage door company in your area. These doors are a good choice for people who want a low-maintenance, affordable garage door. For more information, you can click here, or on similar sites.


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