Choosing the right garage door for you might be more complicated than you think. It’s not good enough to simply choose what looks best. There are tons of factors you should consider before buying according to your–
- Climate
- Budget, or
- Design preferences
Your current garage door may not have the right hardware to support the weight of the new one, so that also needs to be taken into account.
Generally, the lightest garage doors are aluminum and fiberglass, while wood is the heaviest. A standard 2 car garage door on average weighs 500 pounds for wood, 200 lbs for steel, 125 pounds for aluminum, and 125 pounds for fiberglass. Insulated doors will weigh an additional 30 pounds on average.
This article will detail the different weights of garage doors by material and insulation so you can choose what’s best for your home. It’ll also teach you how to weigh your current door.
Factors Affecting Garage Door Weight
Garage door weight depends on various factors, the most important being material and insulation.
Each has its own effect on weight that may limit the type of garage door you can get or safely use.
Weight of Garage Doors by Material
The type of material greatly affects the weight of garage doors. The five most popular materials are steel, wood, fiberglass, wood composite, and aluminum.
Steel Garage Door Weight
Steel is the standard material for garage doors because it’s lightweight, cheap, durable, and easy to customize.
The garage doors range in size and thickness and can be customized to fit any style. Many people buy doors textured and painted to look like wood.
On average, steel single-car garage doors weigh between 85-125 pounds. Double-car garage doors weigh about 145-230 pounds.
Wood Garage Door Weight
Wood garage doors are obviously the most beautiful and elegant type to have. Homeowners love them because they can be stained any color and have features like windows or hardware.
Some negatives of wood are that they’re the heaviest option and susceptible to dry rot over time. You have to perform regular maintenance like restaining to prevent this and extend its lifespan.
There are lighter versions of wood garage doors with flat wooden panels, which weigh around 250-350 pounds, depending on size.
Regular stain-grade doors are hefty: single-car garage doors weigh around 300 pounds, while two-car doors are around 500 pounds.
Wood Composite Garage Door Weight
Wood composite doors are made of a binding agent, wood fibers, and plastic. They’re stronger and less resistant to rot than regular wood doors.
The downsides of wood composite doors are that they’re moderately expensive and they do require maintenance. Other than that, you can’t go wrong with them.
A single-car wood composite door weighs around 100-120 pounds, while a two-car garage door ranges from 200-220 pounds.
Aluminum Garage Door Weight
People love aluminum garage doors because they’re the most lightweight (besides fiberglass), similar to steel doors, and cheap. They’re easy to install and can be customized to look like wood or other material.
The downsides of these garage doors are that they dent easily and it’s harder to fix. Be wary of this aluminum if you live in a windy area or in the range of kids kicking balls around.
Regarding weight, you can expect aluminum garage doors to be around 70-100 pounds for a single-car door and 100-150 pounds for two-car doors.
Fiberglass Garage Door Weight
Fiberglass isn’t standard compared to steel garage doors, but it’s customizable, the most lightweight (like aluminum), and the cheapest.
On top of that, people love them in coastal areas because they’re saltwater-resistant.
The downsides of fiberglass garage doors are that they’re poor insulators and get brittle in cold temperatures. They don’t do well in windy areas, so you’ll find it hard to get a zoning license for one in that type of climate.
As for its extremely light weight, fiberglass garage doors weigh about the same as aluminum ones, around 70-100 pounds for single-car and 100-150 for double-car.
Weight of Insulated vs. Uninsulated Garage Doors
Uninsulated garage doors are great for houses in milder climates. They’re lightweight, affordable, and great for detached garages if you aren’t worried about temperature or energy efficiency in that area.
However, people don’t like them as much as insulated doors because–
- They’re noisier
- They’re less durable
- They’re not energy efficient, and
- They limit what you can store in your garage
Insulated garage doors are fitted with a thick layer of foam that keeps the garage cool in summer and warm in winter.
People love them for many reasons, especially that they–
- Increase property value
- Are more durable
- Save energy, and
- Are quieter
Although they cost more, more homeowners choose insulated doors because of the money-saving benefits in the long run.
However, suppose you often use your garage door or have it open. In that case, an insulated door isn’t going to be as big of a benefit to you.
Depending on the size, you can expect insulation to add 20-35 pounds to your garage doors.
Weighing Your Garage Door
To weigh your garage door and see how much weight you can replace it with, do the following steps and get another person’s help if possible. Never weigh a two-car garage door or bigger without extra help.
How-To Weigh your Garage Door
- Disconnect the opener arm by pulling the pin from the bracket and the red emergency release cord.
- With the door open, either uninstall the extension springs or release their tension using vice grips under the door to keep it from slamming down.
- If any of the springs are broken, check to see that the cables are around the drums.
- Place an analog scale (bathroom scale works) in the center of where the door lands.
- Use two or more scales at equal lengths if the door is two-car or bigger.
- Slowly lower the door until it rests on the scale.
- USE ANOTHER PERSON if the door is too heavy for you to lower slowly or if you have more than one broken spring.
- If any springs are broken, put a winding bar into the cones and pull them down.
- After taking the reading, raise the door and reinstall the unbroken or new springs.
How to Choose a Garage Door
Choosing a garage door can be stressful, but you can rely on professionals to provide guidance and service at any point.
Contacting a professional is the best option because they know what weight your garage door needs to be to use safely, which hardware you need to run it, and how to install it.
Wrapping Up
Taking your garage door weight into account is essential before installing one. It’ll save you time and money on repairs if it isn’t too heavy, so be sure to check.
Hopefully, you’re feeling more confident in the garage door-buying business and making the best choice for your home to be as beautiful and functional as possible.
