The options for garage doors nowadays are absolutely endless: materials, overall aesthetic, and exact design are all on the table. Today, we are looking back at the grandfather of garage doors for inspiration – the carriage house door. Long before current material options were a twinkle in an inventor’s eye, old-fashioned garage doors were all wooden. Rather than raising and lowering like today’s garage doors, carriage doors swung or folded open and shut. Today, we are exploring what exactly the pros and cons of a wooden garage door are.
The Pros
These are all of the positive reasons to pick a wooden garage door.
The Aesthetic
There is nothing quite as stunning or as classy as a beautifully crafted wooden garage door. Wooden doors are beautiful and typically, they are excellently crafted. Additionally, the combination of wooden door with perfectly designed windows in nearly unbeatable. There is something about a wooden garage door that is just timeless, and it is tempting to capitalize on that.
As a note, if aesthetic is the primary reason for a garage door in your home, consider faux wood. Faux wood is not as durable as real wood. However, it is nearly the same aesthetic at a much lower price point.
Environmentally Friendly
A majority of people do think “green” when considering the garage door industry. However, wooden garage doors can be extremely environmentally cautious. Reclaimed wood is making a comeback in home design, and garage doors aren’t excluded from that. A reclaimed wood door is guaranteed to be environmentally friendly. As a bonus, reclaimed wood is also one of the cheapest of all wooden options, making it budget friendly as well!
Cost Effective In The Long Run
For many types of garage doors, a busted panel mean replacing the entire garage door. Garage doors are not a cheap investment, so replacement is a stressful possibility. However, wooden garage doors are reparable. It is possible for technicians to replace small portions or even whole panels on wooden doors.
The Cons
While wooden garage doors are amazing, there are also some drawbacks.
Maintenance
All garage doors need a regular maintenance routine. Wooden doors, however, need a nearly incomparable amount of maintenance. In addition to all other maintenance requirements for garage doors, wooden doors require a special protective coating. This coating is a weather and waterproofing solution that preserves the wood from the elements.
Cost
While garage doors provide a great return on investment, wooden garage doors come with a bit of sticker shock. While costs vary depending on type of wood and door style, wooden doors have a much higher initial cost than doors of any other materials. Additionally, most wooden doors do not come with insulation. It costs a pretty significant amount of money to make a wooden door energy efficient.
