Tilt-Up Versus Sectional Garage Doors

Your garage door is important for offering curb appeal and security, but with so many types of doors from which to choose, you may not know which is right for you. Tilt-up and sectional garage doors are the most common, but one may be a better option for your needs and home. To learn more about tilt-up versus sectional garage doors, keep reading.

Cost

Typically, tilt-up garage doors are more affordable, costing between $400 to $700 for and tilt-up aluminum or wood garage door. A sectional garage door may cost anywhere between $800 and $3,000, depending on the materials and style.

If you don't already have an automatic garage door opener, you can choose to install one with either a tilt-up or a sectional. This will add another $130 to $300 to the total cost of the garage door and installation.

Functionality

Both tilt-up and sectional garage doors work by lifting the garage door and letting it hang from the ceiling. With a tilt-up garage door, the door hangs from the top of the garage door frame. This makes it great for garages with low ceilings, but it also makes for a tighter fit when parking in your garage.

Sectional garage doors roll up a track to open. The various hinges allow each section to bend as it follows the curve of the track. When fully open, the door hangs from the ceiling of the garage, giving you plenty of clearance, unless you have a low ceiling.

Style

When it comes to style, you may actually have more options with a tilt-up garage door. Sectional doors do come in a variety of styles, but the fact the door is made up of several segments limits what manufacturers can do with the door.

Cheaper tilt-up garage doors will also have limited options, but more expensive ones can be customized with windows and an entry door.

Safety

For the most part, sectional garage doors are usually safer than tilt-up garage doors. First, tilt-up garage doors may be made from thin plywood, making it easy for criminals to break down the door. The biggest reason tilt-up garage doors are not as safe as sectional doors, however, is that they rely on extension springs to work.

Most garage doors rely on springs to help open and close the door, but extension springs are more dangerous than torsion springs, which are commonly used on sectional doors. These extension springs sit along both sides of the door, and if they become loose, they can cause severe damage, injury or death.

Durability

The durability of your door really depends on the material used. For example, a plywood tilt-up garage door can easily crack, chip, etc. An aluminum one is less likely to break, but it can dent. Because they are usually thicker, however, sectional doors are usually more durable, regardless of material. Even if they do get damaged, however, you only have to replace the damaged section instead of the entire door.

Wooden sectional garage doors may be prone to rot or swelling if you don't maintain the wood, and steel sectional garage doors can dent if hit hard enough. You can reduce the risk of damage by choosing thicker steel. As an added benefit, steel sectional garage doors usually have two layers of steel, so even if one layer gets punctured, the door will continue to function.

A tilt-up garage door is an affordable option, but the door can easily be damaged, which requires total replacement. A sectional door may cost more initially, but it will likely last longer and give you fewer problems. For more information about garage doors, contact us at Edelen Door & Window today.