Start with how the garage is used
An attached heated garage, a detached storage garage and a workshop do not need the same door. Temperature goals, noise, daily cycles, window privacy and opener compatibility should be decided before panel style.
If the garage is the family's main entrance, hardware and spring cycle life deserve more attention than decorative upgrades. A door used eight times a day reaches its cycle rating twice as quickly as one used four times.
- Attached or detached garage
- Heated, conditioned or unheated space
- Typical daily open-and-close cycles
- Bedroom or living space beside the opening
- Need for daylight, privacy or pedestrian access
