Glass Garage Doors – Hit Or Miss!
A look at the all-glass panoramic garage doors leaves you awe-struck. But they are not so common in an average neighborhood. If you drive down a block or two, you would notice that almost every other garage door is the same. The only difference can be made through a unique paint color. However, glass garage doors are a game-changer in this regard. The clear garage doors bring royalty to your home. They instantly transform an average-looking home into an elite residential space. Their contemporary design and adaptability give your home an Instagram-portrait-worthy look. Tag along for a scoop of all you need to know about this rising trend.
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Glass Garage Doors – An Intro!
On hearing the concept of installing glass doors for a home garage, door strength and safety concerns are the first thoughts to pop up in the mind. Well, that time has long gone when you could break the glass with a mere hit. Heat-strengthened and toughened glass has changed the game altogether. You can now install glass doors at the main entrance as well as the garage without having any second thoughts about the safety issues. Impact-resistant glass is used in garage doors while the door frames are typically made of steel or aluminum. Full view garage doors are highly versatile.
You can choose the color and style of the glass as well as the frame according to your preferences. Some garage doors even have detachable interior retainers that can be replaced easily with a different type of door to change the look.
Types Of Glass Used In Garage Doors
The diversity of full view garage doors can be understood by the availability of different types of glass. Here are some of the commonly used glass types for residential glass garage doors.
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass garage doors are the most common choice among homeowners. They offer the right strength value at a reasonable price. Tempered glass is made impact-resistant through a series of superheating and quick cooling attempts. The ease of availability and strength justified the widespread use of tempered glass garage doors in residential spaces.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is used to ensure ultimate strength and impact resistance. It has multiple glass panes in its basic structure. The glass panels are held together with an adhesive resin that is responsible for its incredibly high strength. Laminated glass doors are an absolute attempt at securing your garage.
Insulated Glass
Like laminated glass, insulated glass also has multiple panes of glass in its construction. However, the only difference is in the spacer material. Insulate glass has an inert gas or vacuum between the glass panes which is responsible for thermally insulating the interior space. If you want to double our garage utility as a patio or a home gym, you should go for insulated glass doors. These glass doors would maintain a suitable interior temperature and provide optimum conditions for you to enjoy your stay in the garage.
Glass Designs Used In Garage Doors
Along with types of glass, there are different designs of glass that you could incorporate to achieve a personalized garage look. Here are some of the options for glass door styles.
Clear Glass
If you want to maximize the amount of light coming into your garage, clear glass doors are the right pick for you. These doors not only maximize the flow of light but also create an impression of a larger space.
Tinted Glass
Tinted glass is typically used to control the amount of light transmission through the doors. It also enables you to hinder the direct view into the garage. You can choose darker colors for more privacy or go with lighter hues if you just want to give your doors an aesthetic touch.
Frosted Glass
It is typically used to ensure an appropriate privacy value. Frosted glass allows the light to flow into the garage but obstructs the direct view into the interior content. It only gives away a hazy reflection or a distorted view of the interior.
Mirrored Glass
Mirrored glass is an uber-chic way of glamming up your garage area. This glass has a reflective surface that reflects the light to recreate a reflection of the onlooker instead of giving away the interior view. Mirrored glass doubles as a privacy shield and an aesthetic pick.
Pros And Cons Of Residential Glass Garage Doors
Clear garage doors portray a sizable investment. So you need to be critical of the style, size, design, and type of glass before making the investment. Moreover, your choice of garage doors would also have a visible effect on the exterior aesthetics so you also need to consider the building aesthetics. So let’s have a look at some of the benefits and drawbacks of glass doors to have all the aspects of the investment in mind.
Pros
Let’s see why we should consider getting full view garage doors first.
- Aesthetic Superiority
Improved curb appeal is the most evident benefit of installing full view garage doors. A garage glass door instantly gives a boost to the home’s curb appeal by giving the front a feeling of individuality and elevated style. It’s a great way to draw attention to your home. You can make it more effective by personalizing the glass doors according to your home aesthetic.
- Gloomy To Glowy
Most garages are dark gloomy places. The lack of proper lighting makes the garage interior quite unpleasant. But the glass doors can take this issue away. Clear garage doors translate into an uninterrupted flow of light through the garage. Natural light illuminates the garage and makes the space warmer and brighter for you to enjoy.
- No Maintenance Trouble
The standard garage doors paint washes off after a certain period of time. You need to refresh it to bring the garage door snack to their glory. With full view garage doors, you can ditch the hassle of painting and repainting the doors. Moreover, cleaning clear doors is super easy. You only need to wipe the dust off them with a clean cloth. There are no grouts or crevices or clear doors to clean. So they are low-maintenance as compared to the standard doors.
- Design Versatility
Full View garage doors come in a wide variety of styles and design options. You can channel your creative self by choosing the type and style of garage doors. Garage doors can also be installed in a variety of locations to turn the outdoors into a functional home space. For instance, glass doors are increasingly being used to provide access to eateries, patios, gardens, and swimming pools.
- Damage Resistant
Unlike the standard garage doors, you don’t have to worry about the daily wear and tear in case of clear garage doors. They don’t rot, rust, or get damaged due to moisture or insects. So you don’t need to repair or replace the full view glass doors very often.
- Energy Efficient
Glass doors illuminate the interior space with natural light. Thus minimizing the need to use artificial energy sources to light up the garage. This makes them more affordable and eco-friendly. You can save a good amount of money by lowering your energy consumption.
Cons
Here are some downsides of full view doors that you should be aware of.
- Privacy Breach
Clear glass provides a full view of the interior space. It could serve as a major privacy risk if not properly frosted or covered. This could especially be an issue if you have valuable things in the garage. However, you can easily avoid this issue by going for frosted or tinted glass.
- Repair And Replacement
In case of damage, the glass door repairs may cost you a good sum of money. In most cases, the complete glass panel needs to be replaced which is quite expensive.
- Complexity Of Installation
Garage glass door installation scores quite well in terms of cost. Installing the doors requires special expertise and professional assistance which sums up to more money than a standard garage door.
Cost Of Garage Glass Doors
All good things come at a price; so do the garage glass doors. A standard garage door may cost you somewhere between $1000 to $1700. But if you want a different glass type, special framing material, and other customizations, the price can go up to as much as $5000. The cost of installation lies somewhere between $700 to $1500. So you can expect to pay around $1500 to $6500 for a full view residential garage door.
Bottom Line
Like other places, glass doors are taking over the standard garage doors as well. The unique elegance and posh feel of glass doors cannot be dropped for anything. residential glass garage doors may seem like a huge step for you, but the availability of different glass types and designs makes it possible for you to choose the aesthetics without compromising on your privacy. So if you want to take the step and give the ultra-modern makeover to your home exterior, then go for it and make your garage shine.