A Guide To Choosing Garage Door Colours

Give your home the wow factor with an eye-catching colour choice. Just like landscaping and hardscaping your driveway, colour coordinating your garage door colours to your home can make a big first impression and set the right tone for creating curb appeal.

Along with design, reliability, and durability, colours are among the most important choices homeowners care about when updating their homes, and usually comes down to personal taste. Yet there are other practicalities to consider.

Here are five key factors:

Blend In With Local Architecture

Use your style of house and current colourways, e.g., of bricks, stone, window frames, front door, cladding, etc. as the starting point.

Choose one that complements your style of home and others close by. In doing so you can add aesthetic value, reinforce the quality of the property, and give a great first impression of your locality to visitors, and buyers.

Different house styles are defined by their architecture. And, increasingly, the wide mix of colours available are being associated with different property types, e.g., heritage colours which are designed to appeal to owners of period properties, often in soft shades of grey, green, blue, etc. None the less a more modern contrast can also work well say against a painted white or ivory stone wall or red brick, often seen with traditional, older properties. Conversely, heritage colours can also look good with contemporary properties.

So, whether a property is labelled old or modern, you can choose from conventional colours, neutrals or add a pop of colour to suit the theme of your home and the surrounding area.

The effect can still be bold, blend in, and yet still feel cohesive.

Co-ordinate Colour And Finish

Adding the right finish to the surface can provide further interest. Why not have fun blending style, colour, and finish. These can include a high-quality powder or foil coated look, textured finishes and timber, or woodgrain effects even down to the type of wood colouring such as Golden Oak, Rosewood or Nutwood, depending on door type. Natural timber doors are also available, with stain options.

Balance Colour With Exterior Features

Another great tip is to consider the landscaping.

Gardens and the surrounding area can offer a convenient vista which can blend beautifully against the backdrop of your home with your garage door an essential ingredient in this.

Natural colours, like Dark Brown and Chartwell Green, for example, would combine seamlessly with a home surrounded by trees or a cottage garden. Standard colours such as black and white are also often used in contemporary settings. Whilst the vivid colours of plants look stunning against light neutral or pastel tones.

Should I Colour Match With My Front Door?

Though its often the case that surveyors and fitters are asked to match them up. As a general guideline, it all depends on the frontage, size of the property and colourways already in place. If your front door, has a strong, vibrant colour, opting for a subtle colour, such as white or light grey might be the best way to go.

Garage Door Colours v Structure

When matching colours to features such as frame, cladding, or trim, there are no hard and fast rules to follow. Sometimes, it’s a good idea to use a colour palette rather than colour matching to create a consistent overall look to your home. This is a useful tip as there can be tonal inconsistencies between house paint colours, metal based colours, and powder coating. However, to stand out from the crowd contrasting colours can also make essential building features jump out.

Making the right decision can have a transformative effect on your home. Should you be thinking about selling your property or are simply inspired to increase your garage door impact as a decorative element (on its own or as part of a larger improvement project), at Eastern Garage Doors, we have 30+ colours to choose from, together with additional tonal possibilities, all supported by the RAL colour system.

Bespoke options that increase the likelihood of an exact match to the shade you want, are also available depending on the manufacturer. 

One last tip! When you book a visit always ask a surveyor to bring some samples.  You’ll be amazed at the colour options open to you.

Here is just a small selection:

Depicted colours are white, grey, yellow, quartz grey, anthracite grey, steel blue, fir green, flame red, oak and golden oak.

A Guide To Choosing Garage Door Colours

Although a straightforward question, knowing how much a garage door costs depends on size, finish, style, level of security and insulation, to name just some factors. Eastern Garage Doors looks at a variety of considerations and the impact they have on what you might pay. 

Size 

Whether a single car width or a double, i.e., can 2 cars fit in side by side, different weights and types of material contribute widely to cost. Double doors especially with heavier mechanisms to counterbalance the load when opening and closing illustrate this. An average single garage door size is 7’ x 7’, whilst double garage door sizes average 14’ x 7’.

Aesthetics 

In terms of the finish, you might have a particular colour and texture in mind. Perhaps, you want it to match your front door or windows. Panel designs vary enormously from Georgian styles to traditional and modern. An abundance of colour choices is also available usually manufactured in RAL palette colours and wood effect finishes that match most needs. If you want a colour other than white, you may have to pay a bit more, though this isn’t always the case with some manufacturers.

What level of security do you need?

Is your garage integral to your house? Do you keep valuable equipment or belongings inside? There are many security features that can help deter thieves, from doors that close and lock automatically, to the durability of panel structure and design, to different grades of locking mechanisms.

Does it need to be insulated?

These days heat loss is a major consideration especially with increasing heating bills and the care of the environment. If the garage space is used as a multi-functional room, such as a gym, home office, studio, utility room, storeroom it would be well worth considering an insulated sealed garage door. Materials, manufactured design, and door thickness all impact insulation levels. For the best protection you need to be asking:

• What is it made of?
• Is it double skinned?
• Does it have thermal breaks?
• And, how good are the seals?

Will you want it rodent proof?

Especially if you keep foodstuffs in the garage you may want to restrict unwanted pests! You may consider a seal to seamlessly fill the gap between the bottom of the door and the ground.

Manual or automatic?

With the modern age of automation, most garage owners choose to go automatic. When looking to replace, it is important to select a renowned electronic system for reliability and hassle-free daily usage. This is because, the highest quality operators provide more safety features and less-stress on high-traffic garage entrances, lasting up to 30 years or more. While, on manual doors, spring balance mechanisms can vary in quality with the best value doors providing multiple anti-drop devices for added protection to stop the door crashing down.

Moreover, let’s delve a little deeper in to electric garage doors. Simply stated, an electric operator, a key component of automation, affects what you might pay? Quality is paramount, as it will affect your user experience. The style of garage door, type, size, weight, and purpose influences what model you might need. Various factors can be impacted such as:

• The pull and push force on the door
• Opening speed
• Low power consumption
• Outage support
• Connectivity
• Type of operation and programming

Any installer worth their salt will advise on the best option to deliver optimum, trouble-free performance. Bear in mind also that existing garage doors can be retrofitted with operating mechanisms.

Renovation 

Does anything else need doing? If the structural integrity in and around your garage door is affected, additional work may be required to the surrounding frame, broken floor, fascias, or soffit boards?

Space

Do you need additional space? Are you struggling to get your car inside your garage? It’s interesting how many cars just keep getting bigger every time a new model is launched. Some options for creating space include fitting the garage door behind the pillars or closer towards the front of the exterior building facade, fitting a roller door to the exterior, extending framework outwards from the brickwork, or converting two smaller garage entrances into one.

Installation

Do you want a company to fit the door for you and take away your old door? Or do you want to install it yourself? There could be delivery charges if you choose to fit it and there is an onus on you to get the sizes correct. Additionally, some manufactures recommend that their doors are installed by trained technicians.

Reliability

Tried and tested quality products do what they are supposed to do every day of the year, and whatever the weather, providing they are maintained. Always check out review sites such as Checkatrade and Trust Pilot to separate the unfailing from the unreliable.

The Design

Designs vary in the complexity of manufacture, meaning some are simpler to fit than others. Bespoke options which are made-to-measure to specific sizes, design, finish, colour, and functionality, can also impact cost. Take the operating motor unit, for example, on an automatic garage door. If energy saving is important to you, then greener options are synonymous with high-end operators which feature extremely low power consumption with fast opening. Some can also be powered via an optional solar module.

Here are the main designs commonly used in the UK and the main reasons for purchasing them:

• Sectional garage doors open vertically upwards and are suspended under the ceiling, they provide maximum space inside and in front of the garage. They can be fitted in most garage door openings, insulated and sealed, and offer more passage width and height than up-and-over doors
• Roller garage doors open vertically and require minimum space inside the garage. They provide maximum space inside and in front of the garage. The garage ceiling also remains free and can be used for lighting or as an additional storage space
• The side hinged garage door is often chosen when renovating older, smaller garages. The entire garage interior can be used as the door opens outwards. The division of the door leaves and the position of the fixed and traffic leaf can be designed individually according to individual requirements.
• Made from one solid piece of material, usually steel, wood, or GRP, up and over garage doors have been the default design for many years and the lowest cost option.

Some Approximate Figures

The information below looks at these common types of garage doors and the price range you would expect to have to pay – depending on sizes, design, colour/finish, insulation/single skin and operation. Costs are supplied and fitted based on Eastern Garage Doors’ experience over four decades of researching, supplying, and installing the most reliable makes on the market:

So, as you can see there is no one size fits all! There is a lot more to investigating what you might need to pay for a garage door and the lifetime value it offers particularly when quality aspects are taken into account. The choices are not always that simple, which is why experts in the field normally like to discuss your requirement first before committing to a price.

In addition, there is a difference between price and value, i.e., value for money – Cheaper products don’t always have the same warranties and are more prone to failure, so cheap isn’t always the best and the best isn’t always cheap! Its fair to say that the lifespan difference of a high-quality well-maintained garage door over a low-cost budget option can be as much as thirty-five years.

Starting out you may search for the cheapest garage door, find a few prices then be unsure, may have a few questions and feel the need for some guidance.

See some examples of guideline prices here.

If you would like some advice, contact one of our experts. They have the technical and product knowledge to help you make the right choices. You can rest assured we can give the best value for your investment with a reliable solution from a wealth of experience backed by very good customer feedback seen in our many reviews.

How much is a garage door?

It may seem simplistic to ask, ‘What kind of garage door do I have?’ But delve into the detail and the differences become much more definite. With 20 plus styles, different sizes, and 50 plus materials, across generally 5 types, understanding the choices you need to make before you buy is essential. Ask yourself: Is cost or quality your most important consideration? Or is quality the best way to reduce cost?  In other words, will a cheaper garage door provide false economy, or will paying more deliver greater peace of mind? The decisions you make about the type and style of door can affect this. We can advise!

Save money but at what price?

It’s important to consider both function and form when choosing a garage door. Not only what the purpose of the garage is but also how secure and safe it needs to be. Product lifespan is also important along with structural integrity post installation. And yes, there are bargains to be had, but this won’t necessarily be your lowest quote.

Here are some pointers:

Consider what you are going to use your garage for. If it is to store high value items, then a design tested garage door with a specified security certificate may be more important than one which is untested or lacking intruder alarms.

Also, material choices can have a considerable effect on longevity. For example, a heavy-duty galvanised steel door barrel will last longer than a lightweight steel or plastic door barrel and will come with a 10-year warranty instead of 1 year and won’t need replacing earlier than expected. Take our roller doors for instance, there are a lot of options on the market with some designed to last up to 30 years.

Furthermore, look for a supplier who guarantees maintenance and includes yearly checks and repairs, along with multi-year manufacturer’s warranties. We at Eastern Garage Doors provide these because we believe in delivering the best value for money as a measure of quality, without which assurances of reliability and product lifespan can fall apart.

Beware the cheap quote – Take for example, a single skin roller garage door, the most affordable of its kind, it can cost on average between £850 and £2000 depending on size and whether it’s remote control or hand operated. For a double skinned, foam insulated, aluminium option you’d need to pay more, between £1150 and £2300. This is reasonably what you’d expect, so avoid cheaper options as the chances are you won’t receive the highest standard of fitting and future issues often arise.

Faulty garage doors and the miss-selling of warranties have previously been highlighted on the BBCs Rogue Trader programme.

Our advice would also be to use Checkatrade and other review sites to highlight top performers when researching suppliers. You will see many where consistent professional engineering and technical know-how wins over low skilled labour and questionable quality.

Every garage door is safe. Isn’t it?    

Safety is a key concern for many garage door buyers. The mantra needs to be one of lowest risk. Cheap garage doors are often not CE marked, not safety tested and don’t meet the standards required by law. Moreover, look for built-in safety systems as standard and ask about what additional safety features are available to help mitigate risk, such as manual overrides on motorised units, anti-drop safety brakes, precision tracking and spring safety systems.

How many different types of garage door are there?

There are commonly five different types of garage door to consider. Although each one can be tailor-made to individualise the design and function according to lifestyle tastes.

Up and Over

Common amongst homeowners there are two types of up and over garage door:

• Canopy gear – Made of one solid panel, with a pivoting mechanism that tilts the door to sit parallel and above the garage when open and forming a canopy of about ½ of the door when open
• Retractable gear – Similarly, the up and over retractable gear lifts the garage door up to comfortably sit inside the garage roof fully retracting all of the door on tracks

Roller

Roller garage doors fit perfectly in garages that have plenty of ceiling space and provide a smooth vertical opening to maximise space. They can be operated manually or automatically and provide reasonable security. Safety features such as manual override can be added to motorised options.

Slide to the Side

Commonly used as a space saver where there is very little headroom, or in larger garages, ‘Slide to the side’ or ‘Round the corner’ garage doors open, as the name suggests, by sliding along a side wall, either partially or to its full opening capacity.

Side-Hinged

Also known as barn doors, side-hinged garage doors are designed with conventional hinges in the same style as a front door.  Available non insulated and insulated with draft sealing. They are useful for garage conversions into storage space or multipurpose rooms and can be configured with a central or asymmetric split. Manual and automatic options are available and polycarbonate or laminated safety glass windows can be added.

Sectional

Sectional garage doors are made from insulated panels which are sealed to stop heat escaping, useful for garage conversions into an additional room such as a gym or small office. Like roller garage doors they use a rolling mechanism to open and close, vertically at the click of a button – beneficial for short driveways where cars are parked close-up to the garage opening. Automatic remote control also means there is no external handle. These doors are very reliable and provide excellent security, with certified security features to make them extremely burglar-resistant.

Sizes

Knowing the sizes of single and double garage doors along with the size of the floor area will help you make a measured choice. For some UK average sizes look at our handy guide. To ensure you have the right garage door for the size of garage we can talk you through your measurements.

What is my garage door made of?

Material choices for garage doors play a big role in the aesthetic appeal of your home along with the colour, pattern, framing and furniture. We provide all our garage doors made from low maintenance materials, including steel, aluminium, timber, uPVC, and GRP.

Our experienced team will work with you to select everything from the brand to the right gear options, colour, size and special features. We will then fit your garage doors for you, as approved technicians, and we offer annual servicing and maintenance to keep them operating at their best as well.