montana wildhack wrote:
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to
listen to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom
here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain,
very strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the
house is 1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We
don't have any kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time
(but not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but
honestly, I don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any
preferences, but we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the
salesman) later for being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

Based on personal experience I would choose a good quality metal door.
That generally means insulated.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

montana wildhack wrote:
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be
replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to
listen to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom

here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain,
very strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the
house is 1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We
don't have any kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time
(but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but
honestly, I don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any
preferences, but we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the
salesman) later for being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to
listen to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom
here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain,
very strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the
house is 1929), detached, unheated, brick and cinder block-ish. We
don't have any kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but
honestly, I don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any
preferences, but we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the
salesman) later for being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?
-----------
I went from wood to the Clopay Premium series about 6 years ago:
http://www.clopaydoor.com/r-premium.asp

I couldn't be happier. Even in Seattle, with lots of water and wind,
the door looks as good as when it was installed.

If you have a Wayne-Dalton store near you, check their doors out. I think
Lowes or Home Depot also sells them but usually the Wayne-Dalton store price
installed is cheaper.


"montana wildhack" wrote in message
news:2005041318383575750%montana@wildhackinvalid.. .
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to listen
to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain, very
strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the house is
1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We don't have any
kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but honestly, I
don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any preferences, but
we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the salesman) later for
being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

http://www.wayne-dalton.com/



"montana wildhack" wrote in message
news:2005041318383575750%montana@wildhackinvalid.. .
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to listen
to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain, very
strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the house is
1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We don't have any
kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but honestly, I
don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any preferences, but
we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the salesman) later for
being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

Wooden doors are designed to fail by their design.
All kinds of places to trap snow and rain, I prefer
a flat metal one, without windows. Especially the
ones in the next-to-top row. The burglars love those.
Break the window, reach in and pull the emergency
release cord, pull the arm out as the other hand is
raising the door. Within 5 seconds.
Standard reminder to those that have such an arrangement-
Cut it off, put the release handle much higher, and have a
coat hanger handy to grab the release handle if you need it.

"montana wildhack" wrote in message
news:2005041318383575750%montana@wildhackinvalid.. .
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to
listen to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom
here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain,
very strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the
house is 1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We
don't have any kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but
honestly, I don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any
preferences, but we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the
salesman) later for being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

Important part of Joseph's comment is the part about good quality.
Styrofoam breaks down, although faster in the South.
So insulation needs to not be an integral part of the door.
And I'm not impressed with the door being insulated
if the rest of the garage isn't.

"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Based on personal experience I would choose a good quality metal door.
That generally means insulated.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

Detached garage...
Non-insulated steel raised panel or ribbed sectioned (your preference) door
with at least 14 gauge wide body hinges, steel rollers with ten
ball-bearings, .075 guage tracks, heavy walled pulleys if you are going with
extension springs or high-cycle coated torsion springs and solid shaft. Lift
cables should be constructed of 7 x 19 wire. Bottom brackets should 11 guage
steel and the top brackets at least 12 guage.
This will get you a decent door with minimal headaches.
Rich
http://www.garagedoorsupply.com



"montana wildhack" wrote in message
news:2005041318383575750%montana@wildhackinvalid.. .
We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to listen
to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain, very
strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the house is
1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We don't have any
kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but honestly, I
don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any preferences, but
we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the salesman) later for
being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?

Michael Baugh wrote:
Wooden doors are designed to fail by their design.
All kinds of places to trap snow and rain, I prefer
a flat metal one, without windows. Especially the
ones in the next-to-top row. The burglars love those.
Break the window, reach in and pull the emergency
release cord, pull the arm out as the other hand is
raising the door. Within 5 seconds.
Standard reminder to those that have such an arrangement-
Cut it off, put the release handle much higher, and have a
coat hanger handy to grab the release handle if you need it.

"montana wildhack" wrote in message
news:2005041318383575750%montana@wildhackinvalid.. .

We have determined that our old wood garage doors need to be replaced.
There's a good local place to buy new doors, but before we have to
listen to some salesman, I thought perhaps I could gather some wisdom
here.

We live in NE Ohio, so we get a lot of snow, a good amount of rain,
very strong wind and very hot, humid summers. The garage is old (the
house is 1929), detatched, unheated, brick and cinderblock-ish. We
don't have any kids to run into the door as they learn to drive.

We want to have good doors with windows that will last a long time (but
not cost a fortune). I'm reading up on the materials used, but
honestly, I don't know what really fits our needs. We don't have any
preferences, but we don't want cheap, ugly, curse ourselves (and the
salesman) later for being dopes doors.

Have you any experience and wisdom to share with me?




Designed to fail? is that why mine is still fine
after 28 years? You need to paint them and keep
the paint in good shape and tighten screws ever
few years.

Acknowledged. And mine lasted an enormous amount of time.
But they simply cannot be forgotten.
Routine painting is indeed the most important thing. They do not
survive with benign neglect.
Every once in a while, if you'r doing it right, the door needs to be
readjusted because of the extra weight of all those layers of paint.

"George E. Cawthon" wrote in message
...
Designed to fail? is that why mine is still fine
after 28 years? You need to paint them and keep
the paint in good shape and tighten screws ever
few years.

Michael Baugh wrote:
Important part of Joseph's comment is the part about good quality.
Styrofoam breaks down, although faster in the South.
So insulation needs to not be an integral part of the door.
And I'm not impressed with the door being insulated
if the rest of the garage isn't.

In the OP case I don't think thermo insulation is an issue. I noted the
Styrofoam as most of the better quality doors have it, although it is
covered. I might add that in the heat of the south, it may break down
faster and that could become a problem I had not considered.

Even if thermo insulation is not needed the foam does add better sound
control both through the door and from the door.


"Joseph Meehan" wrote in message
...
Based on personal experience I would choose a good quality metal
door. That generally means insulated.

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit

montana wildhack wrote:
Thanks to everyone for your replies so far.

Insulation and noise are not an issue for our detached garage.

We're not overly concerned about theft; our cars are parked out in the
driveway and there's nothing valuable either in them or the garage
(although I would miss our garage-sale lawnmower if it left).

Won't steel rust? If the bottom of the door is in contact with cement,
isn't it likely to scratch (and rust)?

They use a very good finish. The bottom of the door has a special
rubber gasket to meet the ground.


--
Joseph Meehan

Dia's Muire duit