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The garage door is the largest moving object in your home, and if it is under insulated it could be the single largest drain of energy in your home. If you have an attached garage or an insulated garage or living space above the garage, your door should be well insulated.

All wood doors need to be painted to protect them from the weather. They come in unfinished Masonite panels and rough sawn (flat) panels. These panels can be covered to create custom "carriage house" designs. Wood flush doors have an R value of R4.6 before they are covered. A steel front, steel back "sandwich" insulated door is a superior constructed door with 25 gauge steel and high R value. It will be sturdier, quieter, and it will allow for the greatest R value with the lowest maintenance. Steel doors come in several different colors pre-painted by the factory, and if one of those colors works for your application, you will not have to paint it. They can be insulated anywhere from R4 to R17 depending on the insulation, either polystyrene or polyurethane offering the highest R value. A standard steel door is made from 25 gauge steel and should come with a warranty to protect against rust through. Make sure you ask your sales representative the steel gauge and the R value.

Many manufacturers have a limited LIFETIME warranty, where they focus on the "Lifetime" and down play "Limited". Usually, warranties will state "as long as you own your home", and they won't transfer to the next homeowner. For garage doors, a good standard warranty offers one year on materials/workmanship and labor. With a steel door you want a lifetime warranty against rust through. Some door warranties will specify that you must use their opener on the door or the door warranty will be void. So make sure you understand all the terms and conditions of the warranty before you make the purchase. For openers, the warranty is a little more important because they are more complex. A standard opener warranty would include a year on labor and materials/workmanship with a five year motor warranty. A good warranty will give you three to five years on materials/workmanship and a lifetime motor warranty. With any warranty, you can't collect on it if the company goes out of business. A company with a proven track record and a standard warranty is worth more than a fly-by-night company promising the best warranty in the world. Make sure they can provide the service down the road.

Wood doors can be covered with wood material to create a "Carriage House Design". Carriage doors consist of a regular flush panel wood door covered in cedar, alder, oak, etc...to meet your needs and desires. Steel doors come with a wood grain texture in either flush (flat) panel, the popular classic raised panel (squares) or ranch panel (long rectangles). White, brown, almond, sandstone or terra bronze are standard factory applied colors. If none of these colors work for you, the doors can be painted with an exterior latex paint. Windows and designs can be added for even greater "curb appeal". Plain glass or vinyl designs can be placed in any panel or section (usually one of the top two sections) to fit your needs. Mail slots, pet doors and even a pet window built into the bottom of the door can be added for your convenience.