Some may argue that a timber garage door gives your garage an authentic look, that’s only possible with real wood. But that’s not always the case these days, with so many other materials which can imitate timber, but don’t necessarily require as much maintenance. So we thought we’d put together a quick rundown of the Top five things to consider when choosing a timber garage door:
- Value for money
If you’re on a budget, then a timber door probably isn’t the most cost effective solution. Garador offer two “timber effect” steel garage doors in their up and over garage doors range, where a foil-coat is applied to the surface of the steel for a realistic appearance and durable surface that will last well. These are the Sherwood and Wentwood door models, with the former having a vertical wide profile design and the latter having a horizontal wide profile design. Both doors are available in a Golden Oak or Rosewood timber effect finish.
As you can see from the photo above, the timber effect steel Sherwood garage door gives the impression of a real woodgrain texture on the surface of the door. But with an initial lower cost and less maintenance required for the steel than would be for the wood, over the lifespan of the garage door, the steel garage door with a timber-effect foil coat is better value for money.
- Maintenance
You can get timber effect finishes for steel up & over garage doors, such as the Wentwood and Sherwood, as well as a selection of GRP up & over garage doors like the Kenmore, Somerset, Penshurst and Swinton. The GRP doors are pretty durable and they don’t warp or shrink from weathering, nor does the GRP panel infill go rusty. The GRP doors are well suited to properties near the coast, as the GRP panel does not go rusty from salt corrosion. Furthermore, the GRP is also able to withstand gentle knocks that would cause minor dents on a steel door.
Again, the steel and GRP garage doors don’t require as much maintenance as the timber door; which would require regular staining and treatment to help protect it from the elements.
- Longevity
Whilst steel garage doors offer better value for money and last well and GRP doors are more expensive but also last well, a timber garage door will come out on top if you are looking for a garage door that will stand the test of time. But there are caveats, in that the timber door must be maintained properly with regular staining or treatment of the wood to protect it against dust, dirt, water and of course the weather. Garador timber garage doors manufactured using solid red cedar, are built to last and if properly maintained could last a lifetime. Cedar is a great hardwood with self-protective qualities that help to protect the wood from temperature related stresses making it a great material for use in an external environment where humidity, temperature and cracking are potentially a problem.
- Colours and appearance
There’s lots of colour options to choose from for both real stained wood and timber effect garage doors, with two colours for steel garage doors (Golden Oak and Rosewood) and a selection of 18 colour finishes for GRP garage doors. The GRP garage doors in particular give the impression of a natural wood, with etchers and primers applied to the gel coat which forms the surface of the garage door to give the impression of a natural woodgrain.
To view the full timber garage door and timber effect steel garage door range, please visit www.garador.co.uk
