Choosing the right garage door

The choice in design and finish for garage doors is greater than ever! No longer is the steel ‘up and over’ garage door the only option; garage doors are available in a range of materials including aluminium, steel, timber, and Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP), and a huge array of colours.

The vast selection on the market means there’s something to suit all styles of property and all budgets, starting from around £680 and ranging up to £3,000 for the supply and installation of a remote-controlled system. And with high-quality materials and operating mechanisms maximising their lifespan to 20-30 years, taking the extra time to choose the right solution will be time well spent.

Insulated electric roller garage door
This classic style of door is fantastic for space saving. It’s the most compact design on the market with vertical operation and no internal tracking mechanism in the garage, allowing the homeowner to park right up next to the door. It’s available in a wide range of sizes, can be fitted behind archways or decorative brickwork, and is perfect for those with larger cars and 4×4 vehicles. Additionally, the ceiling space inside the garage remains free for lighting or extra storage.

Insulated options are great if you’re using your garage as a living area, such as a home gym or workshop, keeping the cold out and the heat in.

Insulated electric sectional garage door
This garage door design is made up of separate insulated sections, creating a smooth operation, whether it’s operated manually or electronically. Like the roller door, the vertical operation means a car can be parked right up next to the door with no loss of space in front of the garage, so is suited for properties with shorter driveways.

Timber retractable up and over garage door
For those looking for a traditional, handmade garage door, the classic and elegant styling of a timber retractable up and over is a fantastic solution. It comes in a wide range of styles and timbers including cedar, oak, idigbo and accoya, with the added option of purchasing them fully factory-finished or painting them to create a completely fresh look.

Side-hinged garage door
If you are after a traditional look or using your garage as a storage area or home gym, it may have more pedestrian traffic in and out rather than vehicles. In this situation, a side-hinged garage door is a more practical solution to the traditional ‘up and over’ mechanism. It means that just one door can be opened, quickly and easily. As with all the other designs, it comes in a wide range of colours, finishes and materials and is also available as an insulated option

Steel retractable up and over garage door
This cost-effective solution is designed for automation. It’s one of the most popular mechanism types and is what people tend to think of when they consider a garage door. This style of door offers the widest range of designs and colours with a simple mechanism that fully retracts into the garage when open. However, it does require some space for opening so the size of the car and driveway should be considered if looking at this option.

Steel canopy up and over garage door
Primarily manual, this mechanism is useful if you are restricted for space within the garage itself and looking for a lower-cost solution. The canopy up and over slightly protrudes from the frame to form a canopy when open rather than retracting fully into the garage. This mechanism is the most suitable for garages in blocks with no power available.

Garage personnel door
Sometimes referred to as the pedestrian door, this is an additional entry for garages that have no integral door into the home and when you don’t wish to open the main door. Personnel doors are available in matching designs or complementary finishes to the main garage door.

Going electric
One thing that we highly recommend is an automated opening system for retractable, sectional and roller garage door mechanisms. This reportedly allows the door to be opened at the touch of a button – just press the handheld transmitter for opening or install a digital key pad enabling entry with a code of your choice, which can be changed at any time for extra security.

NDC Garage Doors has just opened a new showroom in Lightwater, Surrey, showcasing a range of solutions.

www.ndcgaragedoors.co.uk