Complete Buying Guide To Barn-Style Garage Doors

Barn-style garage doors, also known as carriage house doors, are a traditional type of door that is becoming increasingly popular in modern design. 

While there are a few predominant features in barn-style garage doors, there are also many variations of garage door designs from which you can choose. This lets you select a design that suits your house. 

Below is a complete buying guide to barn garage doors to help you understand whether the style is right for you.  

What Are Barn-Style Garage Doors?

Barn-style garage doors are inspired by the traditional farm design of barn doors but seamlessly incorporated into more modern, urban homes for an unusual finish to the exterior. 

Traditionally, barn-like garage doors are wooden and have an opening point down the middle with hinges on either side. But, you can play around with the material used and the design of the actual garage doors to suit your style.  

How Do They Work?

In the olden days, barn doors swung open. Now, however, modern barn and carriage-style garage doors simply give the appearance of swinging open when in fact they lift up as a single overhead door. They usually still feature a middle line with symmetrical designs on either side and two handles to look like an old-school barn door. 

barn-style garage doors

The Cost Of A Barn-Style Garage Door

The cost of barn-style garage doors will all depend on the style of the doors and materials used to make them. Other factors that influence the cost include the size, operational settings, installation services etc. 

Generally, steel is the cheapest material to use. It will also make for sturdy, good-quality garage doors. Wood is the next affordable option for barn doors but it requires a lot more maintenance than steel. 

Six Considerations For Barn-Style Or Carriage House Garage Doors

1. Material

 

Traditionally, barn-style garages are made from wood. Wood is a versatile material to use for garage doors, as it comes in a large variety of styles, like cedar for example, and finishes. Wood, or painted faux wood, is the ideal material if you are looking for a more homely, traditional appearance of garage doors to suit your house. It is especially fitting for homes with a farm inspiration.  

Steel garage doors are another popular option with many. Similar to wood, steel can be versatile in the types and colors that you choose from. This is the perfect match for more modern homes as it is a traditional design of garage doors with a sleek finish that will be a subtle, yet unique choice for your property. 

Again, steel is also the more affordable of the two for barn style garage doors. In addition, it can give the appearance of wood so you can still get that traditional barn-style look while enjoying the durability of steel!

barn doors for garage

2. Colors

 

The color of your barn-style door is all dependent on your personal preference, as well as what will suit the overall aesthetic of your home.

 

A dark color, like black, is great for a garage door on a modern exterior, especially if the rest of the home is white, neutral, or a shade of gray. 

 

A white garage door, on the other hand, can lighten up the exterior of your home. You can opt for a solid white for a more polished look, especially to contrast with a darker wall, or a distressed finish for a rustic aesthetic (which stays true to the farm-style look). Just keep in mind that with a white garage door, there will generally be more maintenance required to keep it clean and in good condition. 

 

Finally, you can lean into a natural shade of wood. This will help you easily achieve that beautiful barn look, giving your home natural and effortless style. 

 

3. Insulation

 

Good insulation is key for a garage door, particularly in the colder months. While the garage is a separate room in the house that can be closed off, any influx of extreme cold through the garage doors can reach the rest of the home, too. 

 

Between steel and wood, which are the two popular materials, steel is a far better insulator for a carriage house door. Steel insulates the garage well, which is ideal for you and your family indoors. It also reduces the risk of car damage caused by extreme weather conditions.  

 

4. Patterns

 

Patterns on a barn-style garage door will vary, and this again depends on your tastes and preferences. Looking through a picture or videos on a specialist website, like Calgary Garage Door Fix, will help you browse through your options. 

 

You could opt for garage doors with a simpler design such as vertical or horizontal panels, or opt for barn-style garage doors that are more elaborate and unique by incorporating ‘X’ shapes, arches, ‘V’ shapes, and more.  

 

5. Hardware

 

The hardware attached to a barn-style garage door includes the handles, hinges, and any elements that may be added to the garage doors for more decorative hardware purposes. Generally, metal is the best material for a barn door as it is sturdy, durable, and provides good support, while also adding a nice finish.  

 

6. Windows

 

If you want to take your barn-style doors to the next level and create natural light, windows are the way to do this. Windows can be installed into the design of the garage doors for aesthetic purposes, or functionality to get natural light into the garage. You can opt for long windows that span across the garage doors or smaller ones in a square or arched shape that are spaced out or make contact.

Final Thoughts

Barn-style garage doors are a unique addition you can install in any home to fit into a traditional farm-style aesthetic or add an old-school twist to a modern or contemporary style house. 

There are several features to consider in the installation of your ideal carriage house garage door, such as the material used, the insulation ability of this material, the color of the barn-style garage doors, the patterns of the design, natural light, and the hardware elements. Luckily, you can choose what works best for you, and customize barn-style doors that suit your home’s look and feel. Contact us today to help with your garage door installation.