What is the best wood for a garage door?

Although they are not as prominent in people’s homes as they were a few decades ago, wooden garage doors are still quite popular.

Their design and overall looks give them an elegant, stylish, classy, and timeless look, which can’t be taken away from them. But you can’t make garage doors from every kind of wood. 

There are quite a few woods that can claim to be the best wood for garage doors. Most homeowners prefer garage doors made of cedar, while other woods such as mahogany, and alder also make excellent garage door material.

Other than these, manufacturers also use plywood and reclaimed wood to make top-quality garage doors. 

Let’s take a detailed look at what the best door for manufacturing a garage door is. 

What wood is the best for making garage doors?

Anything made of wood has been always synonymous with being a symbol of class and elegance. Wooden garage doors are no exception to that as well.

If maintained properly, a wooden garage door can be a sign that a homeowner has exquisite taste and style. So, it is important to know what wood can be used to make a garage door. 

The advantage of wooden garage doors is that there are a lot of woods a manufacturer and a homeowner can choose from, all of which have different textures and traits. Let’s take a look at them. 

1. Cedar

Cedar is at the top of the list of most homeowners and manufacturers, and there are good reasons for this. From the manufacturer’s point of view, they prefer cedar wood because the doors made from this wood are durable and strong.

On the other hand, homeowners prefer this wood because the doors look absolutely stunning. 

Cedar has other advantages as well. First of all, these doors have a very high resistance to insects, so you don’t need to worry too much about your door being ravaged by them.

Also, they are very resistant to moisture, so rotting will not be a very pressing issue. Next, these doors also are resistant to warping due to heat. As warping is a big problem with wooden garage doors, this is a big upside. 

Another major complaint people have regarding wooden garage doors is that they tend to be quite heavy.

But the cedar garage doors are porous, so they are quite lightweight. As a result, they don’t put much stress on the garage door parts, only adding to the durability of the doors. 

2. Alder 

As far as looks go, there are very few woods for garage doors that come even close to alder, especially knotty alder. The doors made of alder wood have a golden hue, with visible knots all over the doors’ surface. These characteristics make these doors exquisitely beautiful. 

But beauty isn’t the only thing going for garage doors made of alder wood. These woods are very sustainable, which makes them a perfect fit for garage doors.

They have a lot of heat and moisture resistance, making them a prime candidate to have them increase the aesthetics of your home.

3. Mahogany 

Having anything made of mahogany in your home is a sign of luxury and of course, class and elegance.

That goes for mahogany garage doors as well, as nothing screams the elegance of your home more than having a big garage door made of mahogany. The advantage of these garage doors apart from their beauty is their durability. 

Among the wooden garage doors, the ones made of mahogany have a very long lifespan and can withstand a lot of punishment. They also are very strong and don’t require much maintenance as well, making them perfect for garage doors. 

4. Redwood 

If you want a high-end yet durable wood for your garage door, then redwood can be a great option for you. These doors are very versatile as far as looks go since you can paint them as you see fit.

So, they can complement the exterior of your home very well. 

Additionally, these hardwood garage doors are very resistant to both moisture and heat. This is because instead of only one layer of wood, redwood garage doors have multiple layers.

So, they are well protected from warping when coming in contact with these two elements.

5. Plywood 

If you have a small budget, and you don’t need a door that is too strong, then you can go for plywood. Plywood garage doors are very lightweight, so you don’t have to worry about them putting much pressure on the parts of your garage door.

If you want a more wood-like aesthetic, then you can put a skin of thin wood over the door. As they don’t provide much insulation, we would suggest you insulate the garage door after installation. 

6. Reclaimed wood 

One of the most popular ways of manufacturing wooden garage doors is to use reclaimed wood. This type of wood is recycled and then repurposed as garage doors, and hence is very eco-friendly.

More and more homeowners are looking for reclaimed wood garage doors, and as a result of which, their supply is increasing exponentially.

Also, these doors are well seasoned, since they have been exposed to the outsider environment for a long time, making them one of the best wood for doors. 

What are the best types of wooden garage doors?

Now that you know what kind of wood is the best for making garage doors, you need to know the various kinds of wooden garage doors you can install in your garage. Here are the best wood garage doors for your garage:

• Solid panel garage doors:

These doors are made of a single panel, with no decorations at all. So, if you are looking for cheap wood garage doors, they are a great option. 

• Raised panel garage doors:

These doors have a few more decorations and designs on them and have a higher aesthetic value. They are also a bit more expensive than solid panel doors. 

• Carriage house-style garage doors:

If you have a traditional house and want a garage door that fits the style of your house, then you can opt for carriage house-style garage doors. These doors also have windows that the regular solid and raised panel garage doors lack. 

• Wooden garage doors with windows:

When we said that regular solid and raised panel garage doors lack windows, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they can’t have windows.

You can ask your garage door professionals to install glass windows in your garage door to give it a more modern look and increase its functionality, albeit that would be a little costly. 

Final Words

No matter what type of wood from the above list you choose, the best wood for garage doors will be the one that suits your needs the most.

So, take a look at your garage as well as your budget, and determine what type of wooden garage door you want. Once you make up your mind, contact us to install your new wooden garage door. 

FAQ

1. What is the best paint for wooden garage doors?

The best type of paint for wooden garage doors is latex-based paint. People often paint their wooden doors with oil-based paints, which is a big mistake, as these paints make the flaws of the door more visible. 

2. What type of plywood is used for garage doors?

Although plywood is a good material to make wooden garage doors, not all type of plywood has the same durability and strength. Exterior Plywood is the best plywood to make garage doors as they are water resistant and also very durable. 

3. What is a good material for a garage door?

Other than wood, there are quite a few materials that make a good garage door. These are

1. Steel
2. Aluminum
3. Vinyl
4. Fiberglass, etc.