Garages have evolved greatly in use over recent decades, shifting from their mainstay use as carports to in-law suites, workshops, home theatres and more. As the garage continues to be seen as an extension of the home, the role overhead garage doors play on performance and curb appeal has grown.
Overhead garage doors have been in use for more than a century, but for much of that time functionality was the only consideration; however, focus on aesthetics has increased in recent years.
While most new home builders continue to choose old-standard looks, this is not true of custom builds or remodeling projects.
“The new home builder will always pick the least expensive option, of course,” says Tony Hedley, National Manager of Retail Building Centers and Alberta Regional Manager at Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd.
Photo courtesy of Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd
“What we’re seeing more and more, at least with custom builders is they want a designer look at the front of the house with the garage door. It covers at least one-third of the front of the house, so whites and beiges don’t work very much anymore.”
He says overhead door vendors like Steel-Craft are introducing colours and profiles to meet this demand for designer aesthetics.
Erick Rocheleau, Vice President of Sales at Garaga, echoes the sentiment: “We see more and more colour doors on new construction. The time of white doors or faux-wood doors people painted themselves is over. In remodeling, changing a garage door is one of the best ROI in the housing market.”
Melissa Scocco, Business Development Manager at Upwardor Inc., says the trends to watch in the year ahead are minimalist designs, a modern look, insulated doors, a demand for sustainable materials and smart technology.
She says natural wood finishes that highlight grain and texture and textured surfaces such as ribbed or embossed patterns are on the aesthetic upswing.
Photo courtesy of Upwardor Inc.
Old is new again
One popular design trend for garage doors in 2025 is one popular 20 to 30 years ago: overlay panels. Rocheleau says overlays and inlays add charm and make a refined statement.
Hedley says his company has released a line it calls Artisan to meet this comeback trend. It gives the customer that barnwood-like overlay look they crave. “We’re seeing huge demand.”
Photo courtesy of Garaga
Colour my world
The garage door can take up a lot of real estate on a home’s façade. With that in mind, homeowners are increasingly looking to make it ‘pop.’ Of course, colour is one of the easiest ways to do that.
Nearly every manufacturer has a selection of colours, although each has their nuanced varieties, notes Ben DeRegt, owner of wholesale distributor Direct Overhead Door Supply of Central Alberta. His company provides a variety of pre-applied colours with high availability.
“It wasn’t long ago that it was all just short white panels, now colour is the opportunity,” DeRegt says.
Photo courtesy of Direct Overhead Door Supply
Black and darker colours
Like the rest of the home, dark colours are on trend for 2025, Rocheleau adds. “Dark colours are still very trendy, alongside classic choices like white, beige and sand.”
Of course, one of the drivers for darker colours is to match the existing trim or siding, which has been trending darker in recent years. Rocheleau notes that Garaga matches the entry door, siding and flashing designs and colours as needed.
Photo courtesy of Garaga
Steel-Craft matches colours in-plant to the homeowner’s direction, including two-tone options or more. “All the people have to do is give us the colour name, number and manufacturer and we can get that paint and put it right on the door for them,” Hedley says.
He says that black has become very popular, adding that it’s the second most popular choice in Eastern Canada and the Maritimes. Since black absorbs heat, Steel-Craft has developed a charcoal door that uses new technology to remain cool and avoid warping.
“People like those darker colours but they need to understand that darker colours can come with some issues.”
Photo courtesy of Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd
Love for natural light
Natural light makes people happier and healthier, so it may be no surprise that it’s one of the major garage door design trends of 2025 in residential projects, Rocheleau says. “Garage doors with windows enhance natural light and ambiance.”
Interest in garage door windows or glass inserts has been on the rise for the past few years and hasn’t shown signs of slowing down.
“We’re seeing more and more requests for glass; vertically stacked glass panels on one side is a trend now,” DeRegt confirms.
Photo courtesy of Direct Overhead Door Supply
“The good thing about a window is, it doesn’t matter what you want or where you want it, we can do it.” Of course, the addition of glass panels must be carefully considered.
Depending on the climate, framing and thermal bridging, glass can impact performance of insulated garage doors.
Insulation and performance
While design options are on the upswing, performance remains vital. This is especially true for heat transfer as rising energy prices and concerns around environmental sustainability raise an important demand for efficiency.
“Insulated garage doors are increasingly popular,” Scocco says. “They help maintain temperature control and reduce costs.”
Photo courtesy of Upwardor Inc.
DeRegt points to changing energy codes requiring higher R-values as a key motivator, noting that his company’s doors, which use a unique tongue-in-groove system to create airtightness, all have R-values of 17.
Rocheleau says his company’s Acadia R-12 garage doors and Standard+ R-16 garage doors are among the company’s top sellers, adding that the latter is “ideal for premium projects, offering superior insulation, even more design options, and the same local (Barrie, Ontario, and St-Georges, Quebec) manufacturing quality.”
For situations where high insulation isn’t critical, such as detached garages or projects in seasoned weather, he says his company’s line-up of doors that are insulated with polystyrene or are not insulated at all are popular.
Photo courtesy of Garaga
Simple and smart innovations
Improved heat transfer isn’t the only area where innovation has occurred in recent years. Steel-Craft has released doors using a new symmetrical track system for faster and simpler installation, greater flexibility in headroom and more.
Photo courtesy of Steel-Craft Door Products Ltd
For contractors, the system can save about 30 minutes per door install. “I know an installer who had an 80-day project, and using the symmetrical track saved a day and a half,” Hedley says.
Not surprisingly, smart capabilities are gaining popularity, according to Scocco. She says homeowners are looking for seamless integration into their existing smart home systems.
“Garage doors are increasingly designed to work seamlessly with other smart home devices, allowing for coordinate control of home security, lighting and climate.”
Key considerations
There are a few key considerations homeowners and the contractors helping serve them should consider.
DeRegt points to the importance of energy efficiency, availability and strength and durability, while Scocco reminds contractors to consider quiet operations, aesthetic choices like colours, finishes and design, and energy efficiency.
Photo courtesy of Direct Overhead Door Supply
Hedley points to a consideration that Canadian homeowners are likely taking more seriously in recent months.
“Our motto is to try and buy local. Buy the right door for what you’re doing, and spend the few hundred dollars more if needed. For example, a detached garage that’s insulated should always have an insulated garage door.”
The market for garage doors in 2025 looks like it will be mixed, with some regions seeing high demand while others are flatter. However, Scocco expects it to be an exciting time for the category.
Photo courtesy of Upwardor Inc.
“The garage door industry is set to see exciting developments in 2025, driven by technology, sustainability, and aesthetic preferences. Whether you’re looking for smart features, energy efficiency, or bold designs, there’s a garage door trend that can meet your needs.” —