All about Garage door panels
Garage door panels are flat panels that fill the individual sections between the stiles and rails of the garage door. What are they made of? They can be wood or metal, but modern panels might be high-quality plastic, which tends to wear down less over the years. Unlike other parts in the garage door system, they are relatively simple to replace. Wood panels can even be homemade! Accordingly, quite a few homeowners interested in improving the aesthetics of their garage like to remove the panels and paint them individually rather than doing so on the attached panels.
However, it is essential when designing and replacing panels to ensure that there is room for spaces to develop between the sections. This is necessary to enable the sections to break apart as the garage door rises and the panels, which are not generally speaking flexible, curve up the railing.
Aluminum garage door panel
So what panels should you use in your garage door?
Wood panels are used to be the material of choice in garage doors. It was readily available and relatively easy to process – all you need to do to make a panel is cut to the length of the slat. However, the long-term durability of these panels leaves much to be desired. Be on the lookout for bowing of the wooden garage door panels. They generally indicate structural problems in the door – not necessarily the panels.
If you see such signs, you are definitely better off calling in a professional to replace the panels and examine the door for underlying problems that you may be unable to detect by your own devices.
Steel may not be as cheap or readily available as wood, but it has many advantages. It is more durable and weather resistant, enabling fewer (expensive!) maintenance and replacement cycles. The panels are generally lighter than wood, meaning less horsepower requirements on your garage door opener motor. There is also the advantage of added security, of course.
Plastic ramps up these advantages – it is more durable and lighter than both wood or steel, and they come in various customized hues and designs. However, installation of these panels really is best left to an expert.
Contact us today to learn more about your garage door panel purchase and installation options!
