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by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for The House Designers
There’s a great wide world of traditional garage door styles! Carriage house designs may seem like the default if you want something more than a basic door, but don’t discount panels. Garage doors with panels offer plenty of classic appeal without harking back to the days of horse-drawn carriages, so they naturally complement homes of all styles and look great regardless of their size or location. Some see simple panel garage doors as the default choice, but with so many design options available, there’s no reason why you can’t make them extraordinary!
The examples shown here are all steel garage doors, but rest assured there are natural wood panel doors available as well. You’ll find plenty of stylistic variety within the steel category, but if you have your heart set on a very specific look, you may prefer the natural warmth and/or custom capability afforded by wood. In any case, here are the major types of steel garage doors with panels so you know how to communicate your preferences.
Raised Panel Garage Doors
Considered the most classic design choice, raised panel garage doors feature horizontal rectangular or square panels defined by an embossed outline, which may appear to be carved or routed into the surface. If this sounds familiar, you’ve probably heard cabinet doors described the same way! Raised panel looks are favored for all sorts of traditional schemes whether you’re designing a kitchen or your façade.
The first thing you should decide is whether you want long or short panels on your garage door. For a standard single door, you can typically expect to get four rows of four in a short panel design and four rows of two in a long panel design. Short panels are closer to square and add more depth and interest because there are more of them. On the other hand, long panels feature wide rectangles in fewer numbers, so they appear less complex and are better suited to simpler schemes. Whichever you prefer, you’ll find plenty of complementary window options if you want to dress up your door!
Recessed Panel Garage Doors
Those going for a more straightforward or transitional aesthetic often gravitate toward recessed panel garage doors instead. Rather than carving out a border for each panel, the entire panel is sunken into the surface. Alternatively, you can imagine a square lattice laid over the base. This creates a waffle-like appearance across the door that is ideal for minimalist designs. The style is inspired by Shaker cabinetry, which aims to keep things as simple and practical as possible. That’s why you’ll usually find straight, square edges around recessed panels in contrast to the fancier, beveled look used for raised panels.
You also have a choice between short and long panels in the recessed category, but because the panels are so much simpler, they take less space to define and the short panels can be much narrower. This allows you to get twice the panels in the same area compared to a raised design! So, you can keep your garage exceptionally sharp and clean with long panels or opt for plenty of visual dimension with narrow ones instead.
Grooved Panel Garage Doors
Perhaps you want something a little dressier for your home? Consider beadboard or grooved panel garage doors. They basically look like shallow raised panel doors, but the center panels are defined with vertical grooves rather than being left plain. This makes them appear like they might be made of multiple planks, but rest assured you’ll still get a solid door! Grooved panels add a vintage touch that’s perfect if you’re outfitting a rustic home style like a Craftsman or farmhouse and need to match a higher level of decoration or if you just want to add a little extra traditional pizazz to your curb appeal.
Whatever sort of garage door suits your fancy, explore what Clopay® has to offer! They have a number of steel panel garage door options in their collection, and they’re available in beautiful solid colors as well as wood-look Ultra-Grain® paint finishes. It’s fun to see how different door styles with windows and hardware will look on your home, so try the Door Imagination System™ or connect with a local dealer to start exploring the possibilities!