When it comes to garage doors constructed of steel, the basic types available in the market are noninsulated garage door, which is hollow on the inside and it is usually called layer doors or in the industry sometimes referred to as a pan doors and usually comes in 24, 25 26 gauge sheet metal. The 24 gauge is a bit more rigid and thicker gauge of steel than the standard 25 gauge. A 26 gauge garage door is a builder grade which is light and weak. This type of garage door is commonly known as a one-layer construction.
The next type is a two-layer constructed door, which is commonly called a vinyl back, or a semi insulated garage door. It’s pretty much exactly like the single layer garage door. The only difference is the Styrofoam inserts with a vinyl backing that is clipped into place on the inside of the garage door.
The third type of steel garage door is commonly called steel-back or three-layer construction which means it is steel on the outside and steel on the inside and they are always insulated. Steel-back insulated garage doors are usually the top of the line when it comes to steel garage doors.
Some manufacturers have steel back doors in one and three-eighths-inch thick and up to two-inch thick sections – the thicker the door the better R-value you will get. This is related to the insulation value of some two-inch thick garage doors having an R13++ value similar to a four inch thick wall at your home insulated with fiberglass insulation.
The only difference is the insulation in a two-inch steel back garage door is that the insulation they use is different since it’s a poured foam insulation similar to the cans of insulation you buy at a hardware store and when you spray out of the can you see the foam expansion. The density of the foam gives the garage door a better R value at half the thickness.
Most garage door manufacturers will use a thinner sheet metal gauge when constructing a steel back door because it is triple-layered and already has more rigidity. Many years ago, Wayne Dalton made a steel back door that was made of very very thin sheet metal and was almost like denting a tin can or aluminum can therefore these doors did not last a very long time. The best quality steel garage door you can buy is a triple-layer steel back door with an inch-thick garage. The main differences between two-inch steel back door and one and three-eighths inch steel back doors are:
- Outside / Inside Climate insulation
- Outside noise prevention
- Material thickness, dourness, and weight
For craftsman or hobbyist who spends a lot of time in their garage, we recommend installing a steel back garage door. We encountered customers who wanted to replace their garage door with a new steel back door without a track system because the homeowners did not even want to open the garage door but wanted the opening insulated. So we just attached the door to the wall and it became the perfect filler wall.
Another reason why steel back garage doors are a better choice when you are installing a new door in your garage is that on average a one-layer or non-insulated garage door usually lasts for around 10-20 years and a two-layer constructed garage door or semi-insulated will last usually around 15-25 years. A steel back garage door is very durable and we have seen them in perfect condition at many homes for more than 25 years! Many Steel back manufacturers offer a much better warranty on those doors.
