Do you need a new garage door? Does the natural style of wood match your home’s exterior décor? Before you invest in a solid wood door replacement, take a look at what you need to know about the faux alternative.
What Is a Faux Wood Garage Door?
Garage doors aren’t all the same. The most common materials garage doors are made from include steel, aluminum, fiberglass, wood, and wood composite. A faux wood door is built from a core of non-wood material (such as steel, aluminum, or fiberglass) and includes a wood or mock wood overlay. The overlay, or outermost layer, can either come from a natural or manmade source.
How Does a Faux Wood Garage Door Differ from Real Wood?
Some faux wood or composite garage doors do include real wood. But unlike a wooden door, these alternative options aren’t made from a solid natural source. The mix of materials may change the durability, lifespan, and functional aspects of faux wood and composite doors. But with many models, the look is the same. This gives your home the same curb appeal — whether you choose real wood, a mock overlay, or a composite product.
What Are the Benefits of a Faux Wood Door?
If real and faux wood doors look similar or the same, why would a homeowner choose a mock model? Faux wood and composite wood doors come with plenty of benefits. Both increase curb appeal and add a classic, contemporary, or elegant aesthetic to your home. But price is a primary factor that separates to two types of doors.
While real or 100 percent wood garage doors provide excellence in insulation and add an outstanding aesthetic for your home, they can come with a higher price tag. Even though different doors are available in a range of prices, faux and composite models tend to fall at the lower end of the spectrum. If cost is a concern, a mock wood door is a stylish option that may fit into your home improvement budget.
Along with price, faux wood doors may stand up to wild, wet, or winter weather better than real or solid wood options. Over time, wood can rot and warp. Excess moisture and humidity can damage a wooden door or impact the way it works. A steel, fiberglass, or aluminum door with a wood overlay or mock wood exterior layer may have superior durability — especially if you live in a damp, rainy, snowy, or humid environment.
Are Faux Wood Doors Energy Efficient?
The answer to this question depends on what is under the wood or manmade material overlay. Real wood is one of the best insulators. But your mock model won’t have this material at its core. This means you need a garage door with added insulation.
A well-insulated garage door can keep the cold or hot air out and the air conditioned or heated air in. This creates a comfortable indoor environment and can increase your HVAC system’s energy efficiency. On their own, steel, fiberglass, or aluminum won’t provide high degrees of energy efficiency. To reduce home energy usage, consider a garage door with added insulation.
Are Faux Wood Doors Low Maintenance?
Compared to solid wood doors, the faux version is low maintenance. Real wood doors require care and upkeep. Again, these doors are subject to rot, warping, and other wear. To keep a wood garage door in top shape, you need to stain, sand, or seal it regularly. While faux wood isn’t maintenance-free, you won’t need to spend the same amount of time or money caring for it.
Are you ready to replace your garage door with a faux wood style? Contact AA Garage Door for more information.