When choosing the best Ohio residential garage door materials for your home, it’s important to weigh factors like durability, curb appeal, eco-friendliness, energy efficiency, and weather resistance that holds up in the local climate. That can be tricky here in the Midwest because we get scorching summers AND bone-chilling blizzards. Your new home garage door needs to be able to withstand all of it – and for a long time to come.

Most people in the market for a new garage door automatically zero in on the aesthetic aspect. And to be fair, that’s certainly important. Still, we do urge homeowners to begin their shopping with careful consideration of the best Ohio residential garage door materials. Take into account the specific environmental surroundings of your home, the degree of exposure to the elements, functionality requirements, and frequency of use.

Most Popular Pick: Steel Garage Door

Steel garage doors are probably the MVP of Ohio residential garage doors. They’re strong and durable, low-maintenance, cost efficient, and reasonably priced. They can generally withstand harsh weather conditions – including Ohio’s fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. They can also be painted in any color or texture to mimic other materials, such as wood.

You do have to be careful with steel garage doors though because they can be prone to rust and corrosion if you don’t take care with them. Steel in and of itself also isn’t the best insulator, but there are options for hollow steel doors that could be filled with insulation materials to boost functionality.

Tie for Runner-Up: Vinyl & Aluminum

Vinyl doors do excellent in Ohio’s climate. They’re moisture-resistant, dent-resistant, don’t need paint, and come in all sorts of colors and styles (including, as we mentioned, some that look like wood). They’re also pretty low maintenance and affordable.

The downside is they might not provide top-quality security. If that’s a priority for you, vinyl may not be your best bet.

Aluminum garage doors, meanwhile, are light, strong, less expensive, and low maintenance – plus they provide a bit more security than vinyl. On the other hand, aluminum doors typically aren’t great insulators. But just as with steel doors, insulation material can be added to some aluminum garage door models.

Wood Garage Doors Get the Bronze Medal

Wood garage doors are elegant, classic, and unquestionably enhance any home’s charm and sophistication. They can be painted, stained, and carved to fit the exact look you’re striving for. Wood is also a heavy-duty material that will provide ample security and decent insulation.

That said, wood takes more work to protect from the harsh elements. It’s probably going to require regular maintenance (i.e., refinishing, repainting, etc.) to keep it in great shape and protect it from Ohio’s fluctuations in the temperature and moisture.

Fiberglass Comes in Fifth

Fiberglass garage doors have the benefit of being dent-resistant, lightweight, and excellent for insulation. This material is also less susceptible to rust and corrosion compared to many other Ohio residential garage door material options. It can also mimic the look of other design options.

Fiberglass doors check many boxes for a lot of homeowners. Just keep in mind that it’s generally not as durable, and it has the potential to crack and fade over time – especially with Ohio’s constant freeze-and-thaw cycles. They may need to be replaced more frequently than your other options.

Advance Door Offers Expert Garage Door Insight to Help You Make the Right Choice

The new garage door that’s right for your home is going to be one that works for your functional requirements, personal preferences, and budget. The aforementioned materials aren’t your only choices, but they are consistently the most popular for a reason. Still, we can suggest alternatives if none of these align with your needs and vision.

Once you’ve decided on the material, then you can begin exploring the best construction style. For instance: Do you want a sectional door (perhaps the most common) or swing-style? The answer will probably depend on the existing style of your home, as well as the options available with the material you chose, and frequency of use.

Advance Door Co. vendors are among the most respected garage door manufacturers in the business. These include companies like Pioneer Industrial Doors, Clopay, Cornell, and Haas. If you’re having trouble narrowing down your selection, we’re happy to help!

Advance Door Co. provides residential garage door services, repairs, and replacements to customers throughout Northeast Ohio, including Cleveland, Parma, and surrounding communities.

Additional Resources:

Keep This in Mind When Choosing a New Garage Door, Sept. 24, 2020, By Joe Provey & Bob Villa, BobVilla.com

More Blog Entries:

Springtime Cleveland Garage Door Checkup, April 15, 2023, Cleveland Garage Door Expert Blog