How to Choose a New Garage Door: Styles, Materials and Insulation

On many homes the garage door is the biggest moving part of the house and one of the first things people notice. Choosing a new one comes down to five decisions: the style, the material, the insulation, the windows and color, and the hardware behind it. Here is how to make each one, with notes on what we see across Philadelphia and South Jersey homes.

1. Start With the Style of the House

Stand across the street and look at the whole house rather than a catalog page. The door should belong to the house.

• Traditional raised-panel or short-panel. The familiar look, and a natural fit for the colonials, split-levels and ranch homes found across South Jersey, Northeast Philadelphia and the Bucks County suburbs.
• Long-panel or flat-panel. A cleaner, simpler version of the traditional door.
• Carriage-house. Looks like a pair of swing-out barn doors but opens overhead like any sectional door. It suits older and historic homes, from Haddonfield and Moorestown to Chestnut Hill and the stone houses of the Main Line.
• Modern: flush or full-view. Flush doors have a smooth face with no raised panels; full-view doors use aluminum frames with glass. Both suit newer townhomes like those in Fishtown and Northern Liberties, and contemporary builds anywhere.

2. Choose the Material

• Steel. The most common choice: durable, low-maintenance and available in nearly every style, including wood-grain finishes. Check the gauge: the lower the number, the thicker the steel, so a 24-gauge door resists dents better than a 25- or 26-gauge door. That matters on tight streets and driveways where doors take knocks.
• Wood. Beautiful, especially on carriage-house designs, but heavier, and it needs regular refinishing. Wood also absorbs moisture in humid summers, so a wood door needs springs and an opener sized for its real weight.
• Composite or faux wood. The look of wood with far less upkeep.
• Aluminum and glass. The modern full-view look. It lets in light, but unless you choose insulated glass it insulates less than an insulated steel door.

3. Insulation: Worth It for Attached Garages

Garage doors come in three basic constructions:

• Non-insulated: a single steel skin. Fine for a detached garage used for storage.
• Polystyrene-insulated: rigid foam panels set into the door sections.
• Polyurethane-insulated: foam injected between two steel skins, where it bonds to both. For the same thickness it usually gives a higher R-value and makes the door stiffer and quieter.

The R-value measures how well the door resists heat flow: higher is better. Compare figures from the same manufacturer, because they don't all measure the same way.

Insulation is worth it when the garage is attached to the house, when there's a room above it, when you use the garage as a workshop or gym, or simply because of Philadelphia winters. Insulated doors are also quieter and more dent-resistant. And the weather seals matter as much as the panels: a well-insulated door with a worn bottom seal still lets the cold in.

4. Windows, Hardware and Color

• Windows bring daylight into the garage. Placing them in the top section keeps the view in at eye level limited; frosted or obscure glass adds privacy, which helps on garages facing an alley.
• Decorative hardware (handles and hinge straps) completes a carriage-house look.
• Color: match the trim for a quiet look, or contrast with it to make the door a feature.
• HOA rules: in townhome and planned communities, from Bensalem to Mount Laurel and Voorhees, check the approved styles and colors before you order.

5. Size, Headroom and the Opener

Common residential sizes are 8 or 9 feet wide for a single door and 16 feet for a double, usually 7 feet high, or 8 feet if you drive a taller vehicle. Measuring is the installer's job, though, because the door has to fit more than the opening:

• Headroom and side room. Garages with little space above the opening, common in Philadelphia rowhome and townhome garages, need a low-headroom track and spring setup.
• Springs matched to the new door. A new door almost never weighs the same as the old one. Springs have to be sized to the new door's weight. Reusing the old ones leaves the door unbalanced and wears out the opener.
• The opener. Check whether your current opener is in good shape and strong enough for the new door; heavier wood and insulated doors need more. A wall-mounted (jackshaft) opener, which mounts beside the door instead of on the ceiling, frees the ceiling for storage or a car lift.

How It Works With Us

We measure on site for free, show you options that suit the house, and give you a written quote. Most installations are finished in a single visit, including taking away the old door. See our garage door installation and replacement service, and for what drives the price, our replacement cost guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best garage door material for Philadelphia and South Jersey?

For most homes, insulated steel. It handles humid summers and cold winters with little upkeep and comes in nearly every style, including wood-grain finishes. Wood suits historic homes but needs regular refinishing.

Is an insulated garage door worth it?

Yes, if the garage is attached to the house, has a room above it, or is used as a workspace. Insulated doors also run quieter and resist dents better. For a detached garage used only for storage, a non-insulated door can be enough.

What's the difference between polystyrene and polyurethane insulation?

Polystyrene comes as rigid foam panels set into the door sections. Polyurethane is foam injected between two steel skins, where it bonds to both. For the same thickness it usually gives a higher R-value and a stiffer, quieter door.

Do I need a new opener with a new garage door?

Not always. If your opener is in good shape and strong enough for the new door, it can stay. Heavier doors, or an opener that is already struggling, are reasons to replace it at the same time.

What size garage door do I need?

Common sizes are 8 or 9 feet wide for a single door and 16 feet for a double, usually 7 or 8 feet high. The installer should measure the opening, the headroom and the side room before you order.