Glass garage doors have been gaining in popularity these recent years, and it’s easy to see why. Having the sheen and natural light from glass garage doors is among the best ways to add visual interest in your residential or commercial garage.
Glass Garage Doors Benefits
If you’re wondering what are the advantages of installing glass overhead doors, there are several of them. First, glass garage doors let natural light in, making your garage well-illuminated. There’s nothing worse than having dark and dingy garage doors – no one would want to hang out or do crafts in there! But with glass overhead doors, you’ll be solving the lighting problem and bringing a sense of modern, sleek aesthetic to your property.
Another big advantage of glass garage doors? They don’t need repainting! Glass could seem high-maintenance, but in actuality, glass garage doors are relatively easy to maintain. Just wipe the doors with a soft clean cloth damp with glass cleaner, and you’re good to go.
One big misconception is that glass garage doors might be too delicate to withstand everyday use. But that couldn’t be farther from the case! Because they are made of tempered glass, these doors are very sturdy and won’t crash into tiny little pieces as ordinary glass would.
Glass Garage Doors Cost
As with any other type of garage door, the cost would depend on how big your garage door dimensions should be. Generally looking at the material’s average cost, these models tend to be $900 – $5,000 for a new garage door installation.
Do note that glass doors aren’t all made the same. Some glass panels are thicker than others, which will increase your overall price. But, you’re getting more durability for these panels. Of course, one consequence is that thicker-grade glass doors will be harder to install because they are quite heavy. Thick glass overhead doors tend to be as expensive as wood, and go pricier than fiberglass or steel garage doors.
Types of Glass Material
Glass garage doors come in a variety of makes. Here are three types used in residential or commercial settings:
Tempered Glass
Tempered glass is made by thermal tempering process. This involves sandwiching an inert gas (e.g., Argon or Krypton) and a desiccant in between glass panes to make the pane more durable. The process doesn’t actually change the glass itself, but builds it in such a way that it is much more durable.
Tempered glass is about four times stronger than standard glass. This is a perfect material for garage doors, as it can withstand wind, impacts, and differing temperatures. And when tempered glass does break, it does not shatter into shards. Rather, tempered glass breaks into smaller, dull pieces.
Tempered glass doors can come in either clear, tinted, or frosted glass. It’s up to you which ones will suit your property the best.
Laminated Glass
Laminated glass is made of two sheets of standard annealed glass, which are then chemically sealed together using polyvinyl, acetate, or polyurethane components. Laminated glass has both glass and plastic as the primary materials. The plastic film seals the pieces tightly, making it nearly impossible to break apart.
One big advantage of using laminated glass is UV ray protection. Unlike clear tempered glass, which is way too see-through, laminated glass can shield your furniture, floors, and wall fixtures from sun exposure, thus preventing premature fading.
In addition, laminated glass doesn’t shatter when damaged. It will show a crack trail upon high impact, but it won’t break into pieces. Lastly, thick, 5cm laminated glass types are already bulletproof. This is a preferred material for high-value commercial properties that may need a more secure kind of glass garage doors without sacrificing the aesthetic payoff.
Fire-rated Glass
There are certain brands, like PYRAN® Platinum that are fire-rated glass-ceramic. That means it can prevent fire and smoke from spreading in case of a fire – for up to 180 minutes. This is an important feature for commercial spaces, as it gives some time for occupants to exit the premises without the glass shattering and being another risk factor to an already ravaging fire. And another important feature is that fire-rated glass minimizes the spread of smoke, which can be just as harmful if not more precarious than the fire itself.
Get Glass Garage Doors With Our Help
The nice thing about glass garage doors is that you may not need to replace the entire garage door in order to upgrade to glass panels. If there are no structural issues, i.e., the tracks are in good condition, and the springs and openers are relatively new, you could opt for changing the panels into glass ones. But it’s best to check with a garage door maintenance professional to determine how to change your doors into glass garage doors.
Our team is always available for all your questions and estimate needs. Get in touch with our garage door repair team today to learn more about overhead garage door options for you!