4 Full-View Garage Door Myths and Facts

Full-view garage doors are typically made of many glass panels attached to an aluminum frame. Not only are full view garage doors attractive, but they can also allow a large amount of natural light into a garage, which is a great benefit if you enjoy performing tasks in your garage. 

Unfortunately, many homeowners have misconceptions about full view garage doors that keep them from adding this visually appealing door style to their homes. 

Read on to learn four full view garage door myths and the truth behind these common misconceptions. 

Many people who love the appearance of full view garage doors shy away from them due to the myth that these garage doors break very easily due to being composed mainly of glass. While all glass can break, the truth is that the glass used to create full view garage doors is specially treated to make it very resistant to breakage. In addition, a full view garage door can be created with acrylic panels that mimic the appearance of glass.  

If you would like a full view garage door made with glass panels, you can choose between tempered glass and insulated glass. Tempered glass is traditional glass that is heated to a super-high temperature and then quickly cooled. This special treatment process creates glass that is up to five times stronger and resistant to breakage than traditional glass.

Insulated glass panels are composed of two sheets of tempered glass with a special insulative gas sealed between them. These glass panels are also difficult to break. 

Acrylic is an extremely hard form of plastic that is even more resistant to breakage than tempered glass. However, acrylic panels can scratch more easily than glass panels, so keep this fact in mind when deciding between glass and acrylic garage door panels. 

Some homeowners fear they will have no privacy in a full view garage due to this garage door being composed of many glass panels. 

The truth is that you can have as much privacy in your garage as you desire when you have a full view garage door. You can choose frosted window panels if you would like to allow plenty of natural light into your garage while obscuring the view inside of and out of your garage. If you would like to preserve the great view out of your garage and still maintain your privacy, you can opt for mirrored window panels. 

Another window option that increases the privacy offered by a full view garage door while blocking some of the light that enters the garage is colored window panels. These window panels are available in a virtually endless array of colors that not only increase privacy but also increase the aesthetic appeal of your garage door. 

Most full-view garage doors have aluminum frames. These aluminum frames offer many advantages. Not only is aluminum strong, but it is also lightweight, so it places less stress on many of your garage door support components that other metals, such as heavy steel.

Aluminum is also rust and corrosion-resistant, which makes it ideal for use in garage doors installed in coastal areas where salt can corrode other garage door materials. 

Even though most full view garage doors do have aluminum frames, you can customize the appearance of your frame in several ways. You can choose from an endless array of colored aluminum powder coatings that change the color of the aluminum frame and increase its durability. Special finishes that are designed to mimic the appearance of other frame materials, such as wood, can also be applied.

Not every homeowner opts for maximum garage insulation when living in an area with a relatively moderate climate. But many homeowners who would like to keep their garages well-insulated to prevent garage temperature fluctuations think that full view garage doors offer too little insulation for their needs. The truth is that full-view garage doors can provide good garage insulation when they are properly designed.

To maximize the insulation that your full view garage door provides, first be sure to choose insulated glass over less insulative single-pane tempered glass or acrylic panels. Also, opt for an insulated aluminum frame and insulated section rails that further increase the insulative value of your full view garage door. 

As an added bonus, a full view garage door with insulated glass panels and an insulated aluminum frame will also block more noise pollution from outdoors to create a quieter garage environment. 

If you have considered replacing your existing garage door with a full view garage door, yet worry that it will not suit your family's needs, then keep these four common full view garage door myths and facts in mind when choosing your new garage door type. Contact the garage door experts at Edgemont Garage Doors to discuss a new garage door installation today.