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TRADITION COMES IN QUALITY MATERIALS, AND WITH CONTEMPORARY OPTIONS.
THE GARAGE DOOR IS KEY
Plain or fancy, the doors have to look right, because they take up most of the wall. Many people thoughtlessly choose two-bay overhead doors in vinyl with a plastic sheen. Too often, the doors are painted in high-contrast white.
Wood requires maintenance, but it offers the most options when new and will age gracefully. Composite wood fiber/polymer material, steel, aluminum, and more are available now, too, in authentic styles and credible finishes. Circumstances and fire codes may suggest good reasons to opt for a wood alternative.
Several garage-door makers offer traditional doors that actually swing out, slide, or fold to open and close. Wicket doors—a personsize door within the large garage door—are also an option. Most of the modern garage doors, however, even one that looks like a crossbraced barn door or carriage door, have horizontal breaks that allow them to retract overhead. Some designs are nearly seamless.
Company websites explain options in material, style details, finish and color, insulation and soundproofing, glass, hardware, and opener mechanism, as well as customization.