Garage doors primarily come in two different utility styles. Either an insulated garage door with both the inside and the outside having a metal skin—a sandwich steel door—or a non-insulated door with the inside open—a steel pan door.

Steel pan doors can have an insulated backer and we often refer to these garage doors as the “economic workhorse”. Typically, the single-layer, pan doors are lower in price point with less focus on quiet operations. They can be louder and yet very effective for storage sheds or detached garages where warmth is not important.

Sandwich garage doors run very quietly and, generally, these overhead doors are installed with nylon ball bearing rollers, which helps make sure the operations are even quieter. For homes where the garage is attached, insulated sandwich steel garage doors are the way to go. Insulated doors can gain an R-18 or even an R-26 insulative rating which makes a dramatic difference in the temperature and energy control of your home.

Both of these door models can then be dressed up with multiple exterior design options, colors, prints, hardware, windows, and more.

You really want to visit a Design Center (like Kooler Garage Doors in Gunnison or Grand Junction) to explore the aesthetic design options—and first decide on the utility design. Do you want warmth and insulation that runs quietly? Or the economic workhorse?