7 Types of Garage Doors To Know

Sectional

As the name implies, this type of garage door consists of horizontal sections joined to each other with hinges. This allows the door to bend as it follows a curved track. It rests straight against the ceiling when open and flush in the door frame when closed.

This is the most popular type of garage door in North America. Manufacturers can supply factory-installed insulation to make it suitable for virtually any climate. You can operate it manually, but most homeowners opt for a remote-controlled electric door opener.

Sectional doors come in lots of materials, including wood, aluminum, fiberglass and wood composite. Depending on insulation and other options, this garage upgrade costs from $800 to $4,000 with installation (not including the door opener).

Roll-Up

If you reduced the width of each panel of a sectional door to two to three inches, you’d have a roll-up door, also known as a coiling door. When you open it, it wraps around a drum at the top of the door frame rather than laying flat against the ceiling. This makes it good for small garages with limited headroom.

Manufacturers can make roll-up doors from wood, but they’re usually galvanized steel. That gives the door an industrial look more suitable for commercial buildings than residences, but it also makes it resistant to wind and impacts.

Because there are fewer options than for other types of door materials, the costs mainly depend on size, ranging from $800 to $2,500.

Hinged (Barn Door)

Also known as carriage doors, hinged or barn-door style doors consist of two vertical panels that swing outward from the middle. This tends to be more expensive than other types, ranging from $3,000 to $10,000, depending on door size and choice of materials.

The door panels can be solid and open outward like old-fashioned barn doors, or they can be built in vertical sections that fold against the side of the door frame. Wood is the most traditional material, but you can also find composite and galvanized steel versions.

Here is your guide to repair your garage door opener and also to repair garage door springs and cables!

This type of garage door can be difficult to open manually and often requires an automated opener, which adds to the cost. It’s also the least weatherproof, even with weatherstripping.

Slide-to-the-Side

Not as common as they once were, slide-to-the-side doors (also known as around-the-corner doors) open horizontally, wrapping around the edge of the door frame and sitting flat against the inside wall of the garage. You only need a single door for a small garage. For a large one, you need two that meet in the middle of the door opening. ( Also, learn the reasons for your garage door not opening)

This type of door saves headroom, but it requires space on one or both walls of the garage for the top and bottom tracks. And it usually needs to be custom-made. Common materials are wood, aluminum and steel, and prices range from $1.500 to $2,000, minus the optional automatic opener.

Bi-Fold

Another type that opens horizontally, a bi-fold door consists of two panels, each with two sections joined by hinges. The door opens just like a bi-fold closet door, with the hinged section folding back into the garage as you push the front of the door toward the frame.

Bi-fold doors aren’t that common, and they’re expensive, running $4,000 to $6,000 installed depending on size and material. They’re available in wood, steel, reinforced aluminum, composite and fiberglass.

These doors aren’t more popular because they can’t be used with an automatic door opener, so you have to open and close them manually. They’re lighter and easier to operate than other swing-out doors but don’t seal as tightly, even with insulation.

Tilt-Up (Canopy)

A tilt-up door, also known as an up-and-over door, is the most budget-friendly type, costing from $400 to $700 installed depending on size and material. The downside? They can be difficult to open manually, although you won’t have to worry about that if you get an automatic door opener.

It’s so inexpensive because a tilt-up door consists of a single panel. If it’s also a canopy door, it comes with rollers that slide along a vertical track in the door frame. When it’s open, one-third of the door hangs outside the frame to form the canopy.

Wood, steel and wood composite are common materials, but they’re heavy. If you plan to open the door manually, aluminum is a better choice.

Tilt-Up (Retractable)

A tilt-up retractable door resembles a canopy door. But it completely retracts inside the garage when open, and no part of it hangs out to form a canopy. It’s a bit more expensive than a canopy door because the track must be longer and more sophisticated. Expect to pay $1,000 to $1,500 installed.

This type requires more headroom inside the garage than a canopy door, but it also works better with an automatic door opener. It’s available in wood, steel, wood composite and aluminum.

Next: Explore our tips on garage door maintenance!