The 411 On Glass Paneled Aluminum Garage Doors

Posted Wednesday, July 17th, 2019

There are many things to consider when choosing an aluminum garage door with glass panels. While these ultra-modern garage doors are quite common with new construction and retrofits, there are some need-to-know aspects you might want to think about before you purchase.

Here are the the pros and cons of etched tempered satin glass vs laminated glass.

Etched Tempered Satin Glass Pros and Cons

The main benefit of etched tempered satin glass is that the garage door runs smoother. This is because it is a lighter weight glass. The glass itself also has more of a fog look to it. The challenge of satin etched glass occurs when water creates condensation on the glass. When wet, the satin glass becomes temporarily clearer.  So, in the spring months, the glass looks wet until the afternoon when it dries. Also, you can see a car or item placed directly behind satin etched glass. Unfortunately, it’s not completely private. Finally, a rock from a weed eater can blow out a full tempered glass panel rather easily.

Laminated Glass Pros and Cons

The main drawback of laminated glass is that the garage door is rather heavy. This causes the door to have quite a bit of momentum during manual operation. One of the benefits of laminated glass is the stark white color rather than a fog-look. In addition, laminated glass is immune to the moisture changing the look of the glass even if it does get condensation on it. What’s more, it’s completely private so you can’t see a car or trash can inside the garage. And finally, it’s much stronger than tempered glass and less likely to break.

Here are some examples to visually demonstrate the difference.

Etched Tempered Satin Glass Garage Doors

Laminated Glass

At Cressy Door and Fireplace, we’ve been installing garage doors for more than 65 years. Any one of our residential specialists can assist you in making the right garage door decision for your home or project. Give us a call today.