Steel garage doors are much stronger and more secure than wood, aluminum, or fiberglass ones.

Thanks primarily to new technologies in embossing metals with wood-grain patterns, and new durable coatings, today's steel doors rival the look of wood without the maintenance headaches. Steel doors won't warp, crack, delaminate, or fall apart due to weather.

And, because most are made of hot-dipped, galvanized steel that is vinyl clad or given a baked-on polyester finish, they don't rust or require repainting as often as wood doors. Most warranties guarantee the door won't rust for as long as you own the house, but they do not guarantee against fading. On the downside, steel does dent and can be difficult to repair.

Premium-quality steel doors have cores of rigid polystyrene or polyurethane foam insulation. Not only does this insulation help keep the garage warm in winter and cool in summer, but it makes the door lighter, quieter, and easier to operate, and less likely to sag over time.

You can usually discern a steel door's quality both by its thickness and the thickness of its cladding. A premium door is often a full 2 inches thick, filled with insulation, and clad in 24-gauge steel. Less-expensive doors are usually thinner and made of 28-gauge steel (the lower the number, the thicker the metal).

Doors may be single skin, with a frame that shows from inside, or double skin, sandwiching the foam insulation between panels on both outside and inside. The double-skin construction is much more durable and attractive from inside the garage.

Weatherstripping is another measure of quality. The best-made doors have a full-width vinyl bubble weatherstripping along the bottom edge of the door that conforms to the floor. They also have rigid vinyl end caps along the sides of the door panels, a vinyl top cap, and weather seals between each section.

Styles imitate those of wood doors: flush, recessed panel, and raised panel. You can also get metal doors with a horizontal, ribbed design.

For an average-sized steel door, expect to pay from $750 to $1,200 installed.

More Guides for Buying Garage Doors:

• Garage Doors Buying Guide
• Garage Door Materials: Wood
  
• Garage Door Materials: Aluminum
  
• Garage Door Materials: Fiberglass
  
• Garage Door Options
  
• Screen Doors for Garages
  
• Where to Shop for a Garage Door