Garages risk being ordinary or even “eye-sores” on otherwise beautiful houses. Carriage style garage doors are one way to bring warmth and style to a home and make the doors a focal point. Carriage style garage doors have become a popular alternative to the typical sectional doors and there are now several options available.People looking to buy garage doors can find the old-fashioned style that requires you to swing the door out, the overhead style is much more common. That is simply because more people want the conveniences which come with an overhead garage door.

Wood Carriage Doors The beauty of wood makes these Carriage style garage doors the most attractive option. Because wood is such a versatile material, you have almost limitless options when it comes to the design and detailing of your carriage garage doors. Almost any type of strong wood can be used with some of the most popular and elegant choices being hemlock, cedar and redwood. It is also very popular to match the wood of the garage door to the home’s other doors.

Unfortunately, this beauty and warmth comes with several downsides. Wood is a natural material and will eventually breakdown. Over time, wood Carriage style garage doors can warp and they are also at the mercy of the elements. To make them last longer, wooden Carriage style garage doors need to be regularly maintained and refinished. Also, wood is not a very secure material against theft or fire.

The price of wood Carriage style garage doors can be quite significant, depending on the type of wood, size of the door, and intricacy of the panels and hardware. Steel Carriage Doors Carriage style garage doors made from steel are made to look like wood doors. Thanks to the advances in technology, viewers often can’t tell the difference between the wood and steel carriage garage doors from the distance of the curb.

Steel Carriage style garage doors are becoming a very popular alternative to wood carriage doors because it is very low-maintenance and strong. They will not warp, fade, crack or rot over time which also means that they are a much better investment over the long run. Steel doors can also be manufactured to withstand hurricane winds up to 180 mph. Depending on features and style, steel carriage style doors usually cost around $300-$900 for an 8’x7′ size door.

Composite Carriage Doors For those who don’t want to give up the beauty that comes with a wood door, but do not want to pay the high cost of a natural wood, composite carriage style doors are a good choice. There are several different styles of composites but they always combine the features of wood and steel doors together. High quality composites will have a mixture of wood fiber and plastics. The wood component allows the material to be stained like wood, or of course, painted. The plastic component substantially protects the material from moisture and swelling, which ultimately preserves the finish coat that is applied.

With overhead composite carriage house doors, the design must is divided up into sections so it can be opened in the standard overhead manner. The panel designs are usually made to mask the fact that the garage door is divided into sections. If you do not want windows on your composite door, you will have many more options for panel designs. Composite Carriage style garage doors usually cost around $1200 to $1500 for an 8’x7′ size door.