Single-Panel vs Sectional Garage Door: Which Garage Door Type is Best?

Also known as a monolithic or one-piece door, a single-panel garage door comprises a single, solid piece that swings up and out when opened.

A traditional and simple garage door style, single-panel doors are made from a variety of materials, including wood, steel, aluminum, and fiberglass.

What is a Sectional Garage Door?

While single-panel garage doors are characterized by their one-piece construction, sectional garage doors are constructed using multiple, hinged-together panels or sections. These panels slide up and overhead on tracks to fold neatly into the garage ceiling space when open.

Like single-panel garage doors, sectional garage doors are available in a comprehensive selection of materials. This allows homeowners the design freedom to match their garage door to their architectural preferences.

Pros of Single-Panel Garage Doors

Wondering whether a single-panel garage door is right for you? Here’s a closer look at three benefits of this classic garage door style:

1. Simplicity and Cost-Effectiveness

A primary advantage of single-panel garage doors is their simplicity. Fewer moving parts mean they may require less maintenance than their more complicated counterparts.

Furthermore, single-panel doors’ straightforward design makes them an excellent choice for homeowners looking for a budget-friendly option.

2. Classic Aesthetics

For homeowners favoring a timeless and traditional look, single-panel garage doors may offer classic charm. By providing a seamless appearance, the uninterrupted surface of a single panel can enhance a home’s architectural appeal. In particular, if you’re going for a more vintage aesthetic, this simple door style may be the most visually cohesive option.

3. Easy Manual Operation

Thanks to the absence of complex mechanisms, single-panel doors provide easy manual operation. This makes them relatively easy to open and close manually. Manual operation is also a convenient characteristic in the case of power outages or mechanical failures.

Cons of Single-Panel Garage Doors

But single-panel garage doors aren’t without their downsides. Here are a few potential concerns associated with this type of garage door:

1. Space Requirements

A significant drawback of single-panel doors pertains to their space requirements. Because of their outward-swinging design, single-panel garage doors mandate sufficient space in the driveway. This can be problematic for homes with limited square footage—especially in urban areas where driveways are narrow.

2. Limited Insulation

Single-panel doors may offer limited insulation capabilities when compared to sectional doors. This can lead to less effective temperature control and higher heating and cooling costs.

3. Safety Concerns

While modern, well-made garage doors are designed with critical safety features, older single-panel garage doors can pose serious safety concerns. Especially in households with small children or pets, single-panel garage doors may require extra caution to prevent accidents and injuries.

Pros of Sectional Garage Doors

Sectional garage doors also have their share of pros, including the following:

3. Improved Safety Features

Not only do modern sectional garage doors incorporate safety features that reduce the risk of accidents, but their vertical movement minimizes the chances of the door colliding with objects or people in its path. This makes them a safer option for homes with kids and pets.

Cons of Sectional Garage Doors

Wondering why sectional garage doors may not be right for you? Consider these three potential disadvantages of the sectional door design:

1. Higher Upfront Costs

While sectional garage doors offer numerous benefits, they do come with a higher price tag than single-panel doors due to the complexity of the design and the need for additional components. However, many homeowners see sectional garage doors as a worthwhile investment in the long-term functionality, aesthetics, safety, and sustainability of their homes.

2. Potentially Complex Repairs

In the event of a malfunction or damage to your garage door, the interconnected panels and intricate mechanisms of a sectional garage door may lead to a more complex—and expensive—repair job than fixing a simple, single-panel garage door.

All that being said, some sectional garage door fixes are simple and may involve switching out a particular part or panel. Conversely, single-panel doors may need to be swapped out completely, which can end up costing more.

3. Aesthetic Variability

While some homeowners appreciate the modular design of sectional garage doors, others may find the segmented appearance less attractive than the uninterrupted look of a single-panel door. The takeaway? Personal aesthetic preferences play a significant role in the decision-making process when selecting the best type of garage door for your home.

Contact Uplift Garage Today!

Ultimately, the choice between single-panel and sectional garage doors depends on priorities pertaining to budget, space efficiency, aesthetics, sustainability, and safety. Whether you opt for the timeless simplicity of a single-panel door or the modern functionality of a sectional door, a high-quality garage door will improve both the form and function of your home.

That’s where Uplift Garage comes in.

A full-service garage door repair and installation company serving the western suburbs of Chicagoland, the Uplift Garage team has the knowledge and experience you need. If you’re looking to replace your garage door, upgrade to torsion springs from extension springs, get a better idea of how much a garage door installation will cost, or simply understand more about how to buy a new garage door, Uplift Garage is available to help.

To learn more about upgrading your property with a high-quality garage door, get your free quote today.