Choosing the Best Garage Doors for Your Seaside Home

Written by Posted On Tuesday, 25 April 2017 01:41

Living in a coastal town like Bournemouth has its advantages – the beach, the warmer weather and the relaxed style of living. But there are also some disadvantages – coastal storms, winds, and the high moisture and salt content in the air.

A coastal environment can cause problems with the paintwork of your home and can also damage your garage doors through rust and flaking paint. It’s vital, therefore, to choose the right type of garage doors that will last a good many years and not cost you a bucketful of money and time, on maintenance.

In this article, we share some tips from garage door suppliers in Bournemouth on how to choose the best garage doors for your home on the coast.

 

1. What type of garage door: The problem

When the garage doors of your home are exposed to constant contact with coastal winds, moisture and salt air, damage is inevitable. The corrosive nature of salt air eats away at steel and can compromise its structural integrity. Steel garage doors are therefore not a great option – if the paint peels or flakes, or if the doors are damaged or dented, rust is inevitable. Timber doors can be used in coastal environments, but they need to be treated on a regular basis, and the time and expense of this doesn’t make it the preferred option.

 

2. What type of garage door: The solution

There are two recommended garage door models and both have anti-corrosive and long-lasting qualities. Let’s look at the two options and some of the pros and cons:

• GRP garage doors

When exposed to corrosive environments, fibreglass garage doors, also known as GRP (Glass Resin Polyester), offer owners the strength and resilience of fibreglass together with the convenience of ultra-light materials. These doors are mostly used in coastal areas because of their anti-corrosive properties, making them more resistant to salt water corrosion.

However, since GRP garage doors are made from very lightweight materials, they’re poor insulators, can be susceptible to cracking in extremely cold weather, and they can colours can fade from exposure to bright sunlight. That said, they are available in an insulated version for applications that require temperature control as well as corrosion resistance.

Pros and cons

+ Cheaper and a better option than steel or timber doors
+ Can be painted
+ Weather and dent resistant
+ Lightweight
+ Relatively maintenance free
+ Easy to operate
- Can crack in extreme cold conditions
- Poor thermal insulation
- Can fade with age or from direct exposure to the sun

• Aluminium doors

Aluminium doors are light, sleek and modern, and put less strain on the motor. The big advantage is that they’re lightweight, don’t rust and offer tough resistance to salt air corrosion. In addition, aluminium doors and frames are built to last a lifetime. Some models have built-in flood vents and can withstand heavy winds – they also come with powder-coated, or stainless steel hardware and tracks, for efficient opening and closing. Insulated aluminium garage doors offer the best option, as they’re completely rust-proof and highly resistant to the high moisture content and corrosive salts found in the air in coastal regions.

Aluminium doors are a much better insulator than steel, timber or GRP, and maintenance and paint costs are less compared to steel or timber doors. In addition to being very versatile, aluminium garage doors can be painted, or anodized, and even finished with a faux wood or wood grain texture. However, watch out, because they’re more expensive than fibreglass, timber and steel doors. Also, because they’re lightweight, they can be prone to denting.

Pros and cons

+ Safe, sturdy and secure
+ Lightweight
+ Weather resistant – will last a lifetime
+ Can be painted, or have a wood finish or wood grain texture
+ Better insulation
+ Corrosion free
- More expensive than other doors
- Prone to denting


3. Which paint colours are best?

Garage doors that have been painted a dark navy, black or grey, soak up a lot more heat from the sun than the lighter painted areas of your home. Dark paints deteriorate faster than colours like white, ivory or yellow. Ultraviolet rays can be devastating and cause darker coloured paintwork on garage doors to peel, fade and crack, which can mean you have to undertake repairs and renovations much sooner, and more often, than would otherwise be necessary. It makes sense then to choose a light-coloured paint. This ensures that the rays of the sun bounce off the surface and lessen any damage.

Rate this item
(3 votes)

Agent Resource

Limited time offer - 50% off - click here

Realty Times

From buying and selling advice for consumers to money-making tips for Agents, our content, updated daily, has made Realty Times® a must-read, and see, for anyone involved in Real Estate.