By Max Lancaster
Arizona is sheltered at home right now and many home upgrades are being put on hold, but that doesn’t mean we can’t keep note of the latest trends and start planning our home upgrades when this pandemic is passed. Garage doors can be an overlooked upgrade for many homeowners, but your garage door is one of the biggest outdoor fixtures of your house and the curb appeal can add significant value to your house. Here are a few garage door trends to think about courtesy of garage door installers on the westside and astside of the Valley.
Aluminum Framed Glass
Ray Dal Soglio, of A Always Open Garage Doors in Scottsdale, has installed hundreds of garage doors in the area and he said the most popular garage door trend he is seeing are aluminum framed glass doors. These garage doors look frameless and can either be clear, tinted or frosted glass. “These glass garage doors really bring a modern-style home together,” Dal Soglio says. “These big window-style garage doors can come in any kind of window tint from frosted to even clear glass if you have something cool you want to show off to your neighbors.”
Owner of Palm Valley Garage Doors, Dave Krzyak said that glass doors were not as prevalent in the West Valley, but says he found glass garage doors were perfect for car collectors and auto enthusiasts. “Glass garage doors are perfect for high end homes and the person who wants to have a garage that fits perfectly with their Ferrari,” Krzyak says. “We had a client who put a frosted tent on the front of his garage and took out the back wall and placed a clear garage door so he could see his luxury cars.
Glass garage doors have a high upfront cost but are easy to maintain once installed. They are made of sturdy glass and will not break easily. Glass garage doors can serve as the perfect centerpiece to a modern home.
Wood/Faux Wood Garage Doors
Wood garage doors are perfect for a farmhouse-style home or any home that has a rustic look. “The natural wood look has become very popular over the last few years.,” Krzyak says. “It gives your home a natural barn-style look that is really appealing to many homeowners.”
Wood garage doors are custom-made and can come in any color and wood style. Cedar, redwood and fir are all popular wood styles on custom garage doors.
Dal Soglio says wood garage doors are a beautiful addition to anyone who wants their garage doors to match their wood finished front door. However, he said many homeowners may want to avoid them due to their high upkeep. “They require a lot of maintenance because wood has a tendency to rot in Arizona,” Dal Soglio says. “They look great but they are heavier which means you need to invest in heavier springs for the door and bring a repair man in more frequently to make sure the door is working properly.
Krzyak recommends that anyone with a wood garage door should contact their installer every six months instead of the 12 month inspections needed for other garage doors.
Another option that can give your garage door that wood look without the high maintenance is faux-wood garage doors. These doors give the same color and texture of real wood doors at a smaller cost and less upkeep.
“Faux wood is really popular because you can maintain that farm home look without having to invest in the upfront cost and maintenance cost of real wood,” Dal Soglio says. “It is a really good choice for most homeowners, but some of our customers want to stick with real wood garage doors and both are great options.”
