Choosing the Right Material for Your Garage Door

The material your garage door is made from affects its appearance, durability, maintenance requirements and cost. The three most common materials used in UK garage doors are steel, GRP (glass reinforced polyester, also known as fibreglass), and timber. Here we break down the pros and cons of each.

Steel Garage Doors

Steel is the most widely used material for garage doors in the UK. It is strong, cost-effective and available in a vast range of finishes, colours and panel designs.

Up-and-over doors are typically constructed from a single pressed steel panel. Sectional doors use interlocking steel panels, usually with a polyurethane foam core for insulation. Modern factory finishes are highly durable and resistant to fading, and many manufacturers offer warranties of 10 years or more on their coatings.

Steel doors can be susceptible to dents from impacts, but their combination of price, durability and design choice makes them the go-to option for most homeowners.

GRP (Fibreglass) Garage Doors

GRP, glass reinforced polyester, is a composite material that is strong, lightweight and highly resistant to dents, rust and rot. It is an excellent choice for coastal areas where salt air can corrode steel, and for properties that experience higher exposure to the elements.

GRP doors are often moulded to replicate the appearance of natural timber, with realistic grain patterns and textures. They are virtually maintenance-free, an occasional wash is all that is required. Minor scratches can be buffed out with T-Cut, much like a car.

One characteristic of GRP is that it can allow a small amount of light to pass through the thinner sections of the panel, which some homeowners appreciate as it lets natural daylight into the garage without the need for windows. You can try a GRP up-and-over in our door designer.

Timber Garage Doors

Timber is the traditional choice, and for many homeowners, nothing compares to the natural beauty of real wood. Side hinged timber doors are particularly popular for period properties. Each timber door is unique, with its own grain pattern, knots and character.

Common species include cedar, oak and idigbo. Timber doors can be stained to enhance the natural grain or painted in any colour. They are particularly well suited to period properties, conservation areas and listed buildings where planning authorities may require natural materials.

The trade-off is maintenance. Timber doors require periodic treatment, typically an annual application of wood oil, stain or paint, to protect against moisture, UV and general weathering. Without maintenance, timber will grey, crack and eventually deteriorate. Modern factory treatments have extended the intervals between maintenance, but timber will always demand more care than steel or GRP.

What Each Material Costs

Material is only part of the price: the door type, size and finish matter as much. As a guide, for a single door supplied and fitted (figures from our 2026 garage door price guide):

• Steel is the most affordable. A basic single-skin steel up-and-over costs £850 to £1,400 fitted, and our insulated steel sectional doors start at £2,000.
• GRP up-and-over doors and GRP side-hinged pairs are around £3,700 fitted.
• Real timber such as cedar starts at £6,000 fitted, and needs finishing every year.

Colour and insulation move the figure too. A non-standard RAL colour typically adds £100 to £200 on a single door, and an insulated door costs £700 or more over a comparable single-skin one. To compare finishes on screen, design your garage door and watch an itemised guide price build as you choose.

Which Material Is Right for You?

For most homeowners, steel offers the best balance of price, durability and design choice. GRP is ideal if you want a maintenance-free door with a timber-like appearance, or if your property is exposed to coastal conditions. Timber is the premium choice for those who value natural beauty and are willing to invest in ongoing maintenance.

We can help you choose. Book a free survey and we will measure the opening and give you three written fitted options, so you can compare materials on the same door. Or call 0118 336 0212.