Understanding Strength Levels for Steel Garage Doors

For those who are considering different materials for their new garage door, steel is often one of the top options at play. Steel is extremely strong and durable, plus requires virtually no maintenance outside very simple cleaning – combined with a long lifespan and great aesthetics, it’s no wonder this is one of the most popular garage door materials out there.

At Price’s Guaranteed Doors, we’re happy to offer a wide range of both commercial and residential garage door installation services, including a variety of new steel doors to meet your every possible garage need. If you’ve determined steel is the way you want to go for your new door, there are still a few important decisions left for you to make – and one of them is regarding the specific strength level you’ll be purchasing. There are three such levels, each of which comes with its own set of benefits depending on your needs. Here’s a primer on each of them.

Broad Types and Basics

Here’s a brief layout of the three steel garage door types before we get into more specifics:

• Single-layer: Also called a “pan” garage door, this is the simplest form of steel garage door, with – as the name suggests – one layer of steel. These are usually used for thinner openings.
• Double-layer: One layer of steel, backed by thermal insulation made from polystyrene, makes up the double-layer steel garage door. This option is much quieter and more durable than single-layer.
• Triple-layer: Finally, the triple-layer door comes with a steel front, the same thermal insulation in the middle, and then another layer of steel on the back. It’s also called a “sandwich” garage door in some circles, and is the strongest and most durable while also providing the best energy efficiency.

Our next several sections will go over specifics on each of these types.

Single-Layer

Here are some of the key benefits of single-layer steel garage doors:

• Cost: Single-layer garage doors are usually the most affordable option available.
• Weight: Pan steel doors are also easily the lightest of the steel door options out there, and also much lighter than many other common garage door materials. They’re the easiest to manage if you only have a manual opening format, such as those who don’t own cars but ride bicycles or motorcycles – the kinds of vehicles that make it simpler to get on and off while opening and closing the door, rather than a car where that sort of thing is far less convenient.
• Durability: This is a constant benefit across all steel door types, even their lowest tier. Steel garage doors are strong and survive through the elements in any climate, holding their integrity against any kind of weather or threat. When it comes to resiliency and long-lasting quality, steel is the way to go.

Double-Layer

There are also major benefits to a double-layer steel garage door:

• Strength: Double-layer doors are even stronger than their single-layer counterparts, and the insulation layer that’s included is a big part of this. Not only does this surface improve efficiency and resist temperature loss, it also creates a cushion and thickens the entire door. This, in turn, makes the risks of dents or other kinds of damage much lower. For this reason, the double-layer door is perfect for garages that see lots of opening and closing usage. In addition, issues like bends, folds and cracks are also far less likely along the panel. For doors you know will be opened multiple times per day, particularly automatic doors that are opened via remote, we recommend going with at least double-layer strength.
• Low maintenance: Double-layer doors require far less maintenance than single-layer or many other non-steel options. Paint is unlikely to chip or wear away, and all you really need to do on a regular basis is simple cleaning.
• Insulation: As we mentioned above, insulation is a big part of the puzzle here. Your garage door is usually the single largest entryway in your home, and keeping it fully sealed while preventing air loss will be huge for your HVAC system and monthly heating and air bills. On top of this, any belongings kept in the garage will stay within more regulated temperature ranges based on quality insulation.

Triple-Layer

Finally, the triple-layer door is the highest-quality steel door out there. While it tends to come with higher up-front costs, these are made up for quickly over the next several months and years as you receive the most efficient, high-quality steel door on the market. Some of its benefits include:

• Thermal comfort: Even more than the double-layer door, comfort and temperature maintenance are major features of the triple-layer door. Insulation plus two layers of steel provides fantastic protection from any kind of air loss, making this garage door type ideal not only for those who use the garage often, but even for those who repurpose it into a daily use area like a home office or a kid’s playroom. These uses require even better temperature control, and this is where triple-layer doors shine.
• Energy efficiency: Due to many of the above themes, triple-layer doors are also the most efficient out there. Your energy bills will be as low as possible with a properly-installed triple-layer steel garage door, which will keep air from leaving your garage space more effectively than any other option.
• Strength: And finally, while all steel doors are strong, triple-layer options are the absolute strongest. They require no extra painting, gap sealing or panel replacement during their years of operations, because they’re extraordinarily durable and hold up to numerous damage or wear-and-tear types.

For more on the different types of steel garage doors out there, or to learn about new garage door installation services and options, speak to the staff at Price’s Guaranteed Doors today.