Vinyl Garage Doors Are Attractive, Durable And Impact Resistant
Apr 15, 2013Have you stopped to ponder the history of the garage? It’d be surprising to many of us if you have, given that the garage is one of those aspects of the average American home that’s often overlooked. We all know that the modern garage is a place to store your vehicles while you’re home (typically overnight). It’s also a place to store just about everything else you don’t want inside the house – cans of paint that aren’t getting any use, inflatable rafts that the kids use at the swimming pool, lawn care equipment, tools, spare bits of lumber, garden implements, and half-finished projects of all sorts.
Some might say that you can tell a lot about a person (or family) by the contents and the condition of their garage. A messy garage may be evidence of busy family with projects and activities and hobbies galore. A neat and organized garage may actually suggest the same. Which is it? Who knows! One thing is for certain, you don’t find many homes here in the Midwest without a garage integrated into the design. Every garage has a purpose. Every garage has a door (Hint: that’s what this blog article is really about!).
Did you know? The garage as we know it today was a development that came after the advent of the Federal Aid Road Act of 1916. Most would think that the development of the garage came after the Ford Motor Company began cranking out the very affordable Model T automobile around 1908 or so. Nope. Just having access to automobiles wasn’t enough for home owners to begin adding garages to their homes. It was the development of roads and highways across the nation that really opened the automobile market and created the boon that drove consumers to purchase automobiles in droves. Suddenly, everyone was driving. And, of course, once you had a car, you had to store it someplace safe. Back in the 1920s, those who already had carriage houses used them to store their cars overnight. But it wasn’t long until detached garages were being built along with homes in every state in the nation. Believe it or not, the electric, automatic garage door opener was developed in 1926 by an Indiana inventor named C.G. Johnson.
The garage door has certainly evolved over the decades as well – going from a one-piece wood door that swung out on hinges to a modern sectional garage door that rolls up and overhead. Early garage doors were built from wood (that would rot over time) or steel (that would eventually rust). Currently, some of the most durable and reliable garage doors built in America are made from vinyl. The vinyl exterior lasts much longer than the wood or steel variety – without cracking, corroding, peeling, flaking, rusting, weathering or discoloring (under normal use). And unlike steel doors that were once touted for their durability, a vinyl garage door won’t dent when one of the kids uses it as a backstop when playing baseball or basketball in the driveway.
Thinking about a new garage door? Keep in mind that vinyl garage doors are an attractive complement to any home. Vinyl replacement garage doors often come with an embossed wood grain exterior finish. And they’re typically insulated with environmentally-safe polystyrene. Much better than wood or steel!
Continental Siding in Kansas City is a leader in vinyl replacement garage doors, as well as vinyl siding, and replacement windows. We’re also proud to offer our many clients across Kansas and Missouri a wide selection of home improvement products and services that aim to help them keep their homes looking great and performing well. So, the next time you start thinking about simple ways to update your home and add a little value at the same time, keep us in mind. We’re happy to help!