Aluminium Garage Doors: Benefits, Styles and What to Expect

Aluminum garage doors have rapidly gained market share over the last 10 years, competing with traditional doors made of steel or wood. While replacing your garage door, you should consider the advantages and disadvantages of aluminum.

Compared to other construction materials, aluminum has unique characteristics. For example, aluminum is resistant to corrosion. Unlike steel, aluminum resists surface corrosion from exposure to moisture and road salts. Almost no maintenance is required since you will not have to treat for rust. Compared to steel and wood, aluminum is also very lightweight. This light weight also benefits the motorized system since it requires less energy to operate. The sleek and modern appearance of aluminum complements most homes with large glass panels.

There are several styles to choose from. Most garages employ a design called “sectional,” where doors operate on a vertical track system. All these benefits enable aluminum doors to operate in the same manner as steel doors. If you are looking for a sleek, modern appearance for your garage, an aluminum door should be a strong consideration.

Designs range from flat, simple panels to elaborate systems of double or triple glazing and are especially noticeable on new constructions or renovations to bring in natural light to the garage.

Up-and-Over Aluminium

Sectional aluminium tracks are less common and are used on properties where head room would be an issue. They are still used in conjunction with automatic doors.

Roller Aluminium

Aluminium slat roller doors are a modern choice that can be used for both domestic and light commercial projects. The aluminium slats coil around a drum in the roof of the opening. They are a neat choice and don’t require side or ceiling tracks. There are insulated options for garages that need to be used for workshop or utility spaces.

Side-Hinged Aluminium

Side-hinged aluminium doors are a good choice on properties where the garage is regularly used as an access point for people and not just vehicles. These door systems allow both leaves to be independently opened.

Insulation

Aluminium is a good conductor of heat. This means that uninsulated aluminium doors would be thermally poor. Most quality aluminium sectional and roller doors now have a polyurethane foam core polyurethane foam core between the inner and outer panels, which balances thermal performance with cost. If your garage is integrated with the house or if you work in your garage, make sure to check the U-value of the door, as this will determine thermal performance of the door system.

Colour and Finish

Aluminium doors are powder coated in the factory.

The finish is consistent and can be easily cleaned with little to no fading. Colours range widely. You can even choose custom colours from the RAL colour System or choose a woodgrain effect that requires less upkeep than wood. The colour is applied during the surface treatment process, making it far more resistant to chipping and fading than site applied paint.

Cost in Relation to Steel

The cost of aluminum doors throughout the range is comparable to that of steel doors. Custom and high end aluminum doors do cost more. This is expected due to the added complexity of fabricating a custom and large door frame with integrated glazing. In nearly all cases, the added cost of an aluminum door over a steel door is justified due to longevity, low required maintenance, and lack of corrosion.

Things to Look Out For

Aluminum door frames can succumb to permanent dents from impacts that are common, such as a bicycle handlebar, ball, or even a minor impact. The aluminum frame does not corrode, but the dent will be visible. Steel doors are a better option for frames that are regularly exposed to these impact risks. Also confirm that any glazing in the door uses toughened safety glass, not standard float glass.

This is mandated due to current building regulations regarding placement of glazed panels which would be more accessible to, or impactable by, children.

——————————————————————————————————————————–

This is an example of a requirement of modern building regulations regarding placement of glazed panels that would be within reach of children or suffer accidental impacts.