Garage Door Types in Coquitlam, BC
The garage door types we see most in Coquitlam are sectional doors made of steel, wood or aluminum, finished as classic raised-panel doors, carriage-house doors or contemporary full-view glass doors. Each one moves on the same springs, cables and rollers, but the weight, the upkeep and the parts that wear first are different, and that is what this page explains.
- Steel, wood, aluminum and glass doors
- Raised-panel, carriage-house and full-view styles
- Help choosing, fixing or replacing a door
Garage door types we work on in Coquitlam
Pick a door type to learn how it is built, what wears first and what it costs to keep it running.
Residential garage door
Sectional doors for Coquitlam homes, from single to double width.Learn moreSteel garage door
Strong, low-upkeep steel doors, with or without foam insulation.Learn moreWood garage door
Warm-looking wood and carriage-style doors, and the care they need.Learn moreAluminum garage door
Rust-proof aluminum frames and full-view glass doors.Learn moreCommercial garage door
Rolling, sectional and sheet doors for shops and warehouses.Learn more
Which garage door types suit Coquitlam homes?
Most homes in Coquitlam have a sectional door: three to eight panels joined by hinges that roll up and back along a track in an L shape, as the Wikipedia article on garage doors describes. Because a sectional door stays inside the garage as it opens, you can park close to it, which helps on the hillside lots of Westwood Plateau and Burke Mountain. When one panel cracks, it can often be replaced on its own, and our garage door repair page covers that kind of fix.
The look is where the choice gets personal. A classic raised-panel steel door suits a traditional two-storey or split-level home. A carriage-house door, often in wood or a wood-look steel, suits a craftsman-style front. A contemporary full-view door, glass panes set in aluminum frames, suits the newer modern homes and townhouses. Our steel garage door and wood garage door pages go into each material in detail.
Whatever you have now, we can tell you what type it is, how old the hardware looks and whether it is worth repairing. If a new door makes more sense, we fit it and balance it as part of a garage door installation.
Steel, wood and aluminum garage door types in Coquitlam
Steel is a popular choice on Coquitlam driveways, and for good reason. Steel doors are strong, cost-competitive and can be filled with foam insulation, which makes the garage quieter and helps if you heat it. Plain single-layer steel is lighter and cheaper but dents more easily and does little to keep the cold out. See our steel garage door guide for how the two compare.
Wood looks warm and suits carriage-house styles, but it needs the most care. With close to 1,969 mm of precipitation in an average Coquitlam year, according to the Coquitlam climate figures, the bottom edge and the joints of a wood door take a lot of water, so paint or stain every few years is part of owning one. Aluminum frames do not rust, which is why they carry the glass on full-view doors; the springs, rollers and track behind them are still steel. Read more on our aluminum garage door page, or see bottom seal replacement if your door has a seal that lets water in.
Steel
Strong and low upkeep. Foam-core versions add insulation and quiet.
Wood
Warm, classic look. Needs paint or stain to stand up to rain.
Aluminum and glass
Rust-proof frames for full-view, modern doors with lots of light.
Wood-look steel
The carriage-house look with steel-door upkeep.
How garage door types change repairs in Coquitlam
The type of door decides how hard the springs work. A garage door can weigh 400 lb or more, and glass, insulation and solid wood all add weight. A heavier door needs stronger springs, and a door that has had glass panels or insulation added without the springs being adjusted wears them out sooner. That is often why a broken garage door spring turns up on a door that is not very old.
Wood and older steel doors also tend to need hinges and rollers sooner, because the extra weight presses on every joint. On a full-view glass door we check the panel joints and the glass seals as well as the hardware. If you are not sure, a garage door inspection or a yearly tune-up will show what is wearing first.
Businesses are a different story. Shops and warehouses, such as the big-box stores and businesses along United Boulevard in Fraser Mills, mostly use rolling steel doors or heavy sectional doors. Our commercial garage door and commercial garage door repair pages cover those.
How we help you choose a garage door type in Coquitlam
- 1
Tell us about the door
Send a photo or describe what you have now and what is bothering you about it.
- 2
We look at it in person
We check the springs, track and opening, and tell you honestly whether repair or a new door makes more sense.
- 3
You get a clear price
For a repair or a new door, you see the price before any work starts.
- 4
We fit and balance it
New door or old, we balance the springs and test the safety reverse before we leave.
Garage door types across Coquitlam
We repair and replace every garage door type in Coquitlam, from the steel doors on the streets near Burquitlam station to the hillside homes of Westwood Plateau. For local help, see garage door types in Coquitlam or garage door installation in Coquitlam.
- Burquitlam Homes and newer buildings around Burquitlam station on Clarke Road.
- Maillardville Southwest Coquitlam, with older family homes on mature streets.
- Fraser Mills The waterfront village going up on the old mill site by the Fraser River.
- Austin Heights Homes and shops on the plateau around Como Lake.
- Town Centre Condos, townhomes and businesses near City Hall and Town Centre Park.
- Westwood Plateau Hillside homes on the slopes of Eagle Ridge.
- Burke Mountain Newer neighbourhoods in the northeast of the city.
- Central Coquitlam The streets around Mundy Park, Coquitlam's biggest park.
Garage door types: questions from Coquitlam homeowners
Short answers to what neighbours ask us about doors. Still deciding? Ask us.
Which garage door type is easiest to look after?
A sectional steel door. It is strong, fairly light, needs no regular painting and can be repaired one panel at a time. It comes in raised-panel, flat and carriage-house patterns.
Are wood garage doors a good idea in our rain?
They can be, if you are happy to keep up the paint or stain. Water at the bottom edge is the main enemy. A wood-look steel door gives the same style with less upkeep. See wood garage door.
Is an insulated garage door worth it?
If the garage is heated, you work in it, or there is a bedroom above it, yes. Foam-filled steel keeps out far more cold and noise than a single layer of steel.
Does a glass garage door need different springs?
Glass adds weight, so the springs are sized for it. If glass is added to an existing door, the springs need adjusting too, or they wear out early.
Can you fix my door instead of replacing it?
Most of the time, yes. Springs, cables, rollers and single panels can all be replaced. We only suggest a new door when the repairs would cost more than the door is worth. Start with garage door repair.
