Carriage Style Garage Door Houston, Tx
Carriage house style garage doors are also called swinging garage doors, swing out garage doors, and barn style garage doors. They are popular because they highlight the charm and personality of your home, whether it is a historic estate, or you want to add a traditional feel to your contemporary home. Let's explore some of the reasons why you might want to consider a set of carriage style garage doors in your next home improvement project.
An Introduction to Carriage Style Garage Doors
Carriage style garage doors are named because they are similar to the doors that were found on the carriage houses of historical homes. The carriage house was the building where families kept their carriages and horses. They were smaller than a barn and larger than a garden shed. They were recognizable by their distinctively styled doors. Now, we love them for their ability to add stateliness and elegance to our modern homes. You can find a range of carriage garage door hardware that enhances the historical feel of the doors.
Reasons to Choose Carriage Style Garage Doors
Carriage style garage doors have several benefits over conventional roll-up garage doors. Here are a few of them.
- Add a distinctive look to the home
- Low maintenance, will not get stuck like roll up doors
- Do not take up ceiling space in the garage
- Crafted with multiple layers for extra security
- No tracks and use minimal hardware
- Come in many styles
Carriage Style Garage Door Weight
The weight of a carriage garage door depends on what it is made of and how many layers are used in the door. Because the door swings out and is not lifted overhead, weight is less of an issue than with rollup garage doors. Whether the door has glass or is all wood will also affect the weight. The size of the opening is another factor that should be considered if weight is an issue. Carriage garage doors can range from 8 to 18 feet wide and can be up to 10 feet tall, which means they can accommodate a taller vehicle or your RV.
Carriage Style Garage Doors Cost
Carriage style garage doors are more expensive than standard rollup doors or other door options, but they can also add value to your home by improving its curb appeal, and it counts as a high-end upgrade. Lower-priced carriage style garage doors start at $600, which is comparable to a garage door made from aluminum. They can go as high as $2,500 per panel on the luxury end of the scale. Installation usually runs between $1,100 and $1,250, but many factors can affect the price.
How long your carriage garage door will last depends on what it is made from, local weather, and other factors. Today's carriage style garage doors are durable. Many times, the door itself can last decades. There are some original carriage doors on historical homes that have lasted hundreds of years, but the same cannot be said for the hardware. Most modern carriage door hardware lasts between five and seven years. The good news is that a professional can change out the hardware inexpensively, and you can continue to enjoy your doors for a long time.
Carriage Door Styles
One of the reasons why many people prefer carriage style garage doors is the many different styles and materials that you can choose. Swing garage doors give the home a traditional look. These hinged garage doors have visible hardware that can be decorative and quite ornate. Side hinged garage doors are the most common style.
You can find them with the appearance of barn doors, or you can opt for a more elegant look with an all-glass panel. You can get styles that range from mostly wood to mostly glass, depending on your preferences. You can also find them with straight edges on the top, or with stately and elegant curves. They come in a wide range of materials from steel to many different types of hardwood with beautiful grains. You can find them in many different colors to match or complement your home’s color.
One of the best features of carriage garage doors is that you can get a set that is made to match the style of your home and the era in which was built. You can find designs made for contemporary homes, Craftsman-era homes, Farmhouse-era homes, and Victorian-style homes. If you have a historical home, this can give it an authentic look and add to both its value and style.
Carriage House Style Garage Door Maintenance
One of the best things about outswing garage doors and barn style garage doors is that they are relatively maintenance-free. Unlike overhead rollup doors, there are no springs to break, nothing that needs to be oiled or maintained, and the parts are not under high tension. A properly sealed wood garage door will last as long as the exterior wood on your house. As long as a carriage house style garage door made of steel is kept painted, they will remain free from rust and damage.
There is little maintenance and upkeep other than painting them, making sure they are properly sealed, and occasionally replacing the hardware. One of the things that many people like about carriage garage doors is that they are simple to operate and will not get stuck overhead if something goes wrong with the track or spring mechanism. They will remain looking like new for many years.
Installing a Carriage Style Garage Door
A carriage style garage door is easy to install. They do not require installing a spring under tension, which can be dangerous, and there are no tracks and parts to get lined up other than the hinges. With that being said, carriage style garage door installation might not be the best do-it-yourself project.
For one thing, they are heavy. If they are not aligned properly and the hinges are not lined up correctly, the door will fail to open and close properly. The process of installation for a carriage style garage door requires careful measurement, carefully drilling holes, and making sure the door is straight while you insert the fasteners to the wall. There is plenty of room for error, and you could end up ruining your wall or the garage door itself.
Carriage style garage doors are in the higher price range, so it is usually best to have an expert install them. GDR Houston has the experience, equipment, and expertise to install carriage style garage doors so that they work properly and will give you many years of service. Having expert installation means that your carriage garage doors will add to the beauty of your home and be one of the features that you treasure.
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