5 Carriage House Garage Door Myths Debunked

Read on to learn about five carriage-style garage door myths and the truth behind these common misconceptions.

Myth #1: These Doors Must Be Opened Manually

One of the most common misconceptions about carriage house garage doors is that they must be opened manually. If you are used to opening your garage door with an automatic door opener, then you may have automatically dismissed this door style as an option for your home due to the nuisance that opening these doors manually would pose for your family.

The truth is that while carriage house garage doors cannot be opened with automatic garage door openers designed for overhead doors, there are garage door openers made specifically for this style. While some carriage-style garage doors do run along a track attached to the ceiling of your garage, others do not require these tracks.

Track-less carriage garage door openers are attached to automatic hinges that open to the front. They are good options if you would like to use the space a typical garage door track occupies for another purpose, such as storage.

Myth #2: Carriage House Doors Are Not Very Energy-Efficient

Another carriage house garage door misconception is that this door style is not very energy-efficient. Since this garage door style was invented and introduced to the American market in the early 1900s, years before overhead garage doors were invented, many people think that swing-style garage doors lack the modern technology that makes overhead garage doors energy-efficient.

The truth is that the design of modern carriage house garage doors differs greatly from the classic carriage house door design, and this door style are actually more energy-efficient than many types of overhead garage doors. Since these doors only have one joint and seal very tightly at their side joints and headers, they provide great garage insulation.

Myth #3: All Carriage House Doors Are Made of Wood

Since many homeowners who embrace carriage house doors love their classic appeal, they choose to install carriage house doors composed of wood. This leads many homeowners to think that this door style is always made of wood. The truth is that carriage house doors are available in virtually every garage door material on the market.

While wood carriage house doors are attractive and durable, they do require some maintenance to keep them in good shape, including periodic staining or painting. If you love the appearance of wood, but would like garage doors that are relatively maintenance-free, then you can opt for wood composite carriage house doors.

Wood composite doors typically have a genuine wood frame covered with fiberboard and an insulated core. These doors are naturally moisture-resistant to prevent rotting and warping.

If you prefer, you can instead choose carriage house doors made from aluminum, fiberglass, vinyl, or steel. Each of these garage door materials has their unique benefits, so speak to your garage door expert to determine which material suits your family’s needs best.

Myth #4: Swing-Style Doors Are Required to Enjoy the Classic Carriage House Look

While many people love the novelty and energy efficiency of swing-style garage doors along with the classic carriage house garage door look, others have grown too used to overhead doors to consider changing to a new door style.

The good news is that if you would love to have carriage house–style garage doors, yet do not think that swing-style doors are right for your family, there are overhead doors designed to mimic the appearance of carriage house doors.

These doors are available in a wide variety of materials and colors, just as genuine carriage house doors are, and can be attached to typical overhead garage door openers.

Myth #5: Carriage House Doors Are Only Suitable for One-Car Garages

Another common misconception about carriage house doors is that they are only available for one-car garages. This myth leads many people with two-car garages to never consider this door style, even though they love its classic appearance. However, the truth is that carriage house garage doors are available in two-car garage designs.

Some carriage house garage doors designed for two-car garages consist of one large set of doors, while most homeowners prefer to cover their two-car garages with two sets of carriage house doors with a post between them.

Now you know the truth behind many carriage house garage door myths and misconceptions. Contact the garage door experts at Plano Overhead Garage Door to schedule new garage door installation today.

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