You decided it was time to leave the hustle and bustle behind. It was time to buy a vacation home right on the water, whether that’s a lake, a river, or the ocean. Now you have your own getaway where you can relax and rejuvenate. It took some work, of course, but eventually, everything came together.
Now you have the total package – a gorgeous house and a boat. Of course, your boathouse door is probably still an eyesore. There’s good news! Getting a new marine door is simpler than you might think.
Looking for a new boathouse garage door? The right door will add style and panache and will last for decades to come. Image sourced at Pexels.
Protect your boat with a boathouse secured with a modern marine garage door
Choosing a garage door will require considering different models. The first thing to do is define your preferred role, and that will help you choose the right option. How do you do that? Just answer some basic questions:
- Do you want to show off your boat?
- Do you want a door that offers ironclad protection against intruders and nature?
- Do you want a door that’s both affordable and reliable?
In this post, we’ll explore what you need to know about choosing a marine door for your boathouse, whether you live on a lake, a river, or the ocean.
This stunningly modern design lets you show off your boat with all-glass garage doors. It was designed by PattyMac.
Choice #1 – A Full-View Garage Door Let’s You Show Off Your Boat
Want an all-glass style door like those found on this boathouse highlighted on Houzz? With a full-view California garage door, you can add plenty of natural light to your own boathouse.
To be honest, the main appeal of this garage door is clear (pun intended). It’s the huge windows! They let in plenty of natural light, while also showing off the boats inside. You’ll also discover that the door frame is made of aluminum, a corrosion-resistant material.
It’s never been easier to show off your beautiful boat. With a panoramic garage door and lots of crystal-clear glass, your boat can stay safe inside the boathouse while also being visible to all.
Of course, an all-glass garage door isn’t just for showing off your boat. Do you work in your boathouse? You’ll need ample light for anything like that, and the California is just the trick.
Is your boathouse exclusively for boat storage? Perhaps you’ve converted it into a place for additional R&R. A panoramic garage door lets in all the light you want, just like this beautiful boathouse project by PattyMac.
With a panoramic garage door, your boathouse will quickly become your go-to destination for resting and relaxing. Whether you’re watching the sunset, playing a game of pool, or just want a place away from bad weather, this is a great choice.
The dark charcoal color of this boathouse is complemented by the black-clad garage doors. It’s an exquisite example of modern boathouse design from Houzz.
Of course, you might think an all-glass garage door is a great idea, but you could be worried about accidents.
Maybe you have a teenager, and they took the boat out for a ride. On the way back, they didn’t realize the door was closed and crashed the boat through the door. Flying shards of glass could seriously harm your child, right? There’s good news. Using tempered glass means that this won’t happen!
Tempered glass is specially designed to be five times stronger than conventional glass. Plus, it’s like auto glass in that when it’s hit hard enough to shatter, it crumbles into harmless pieces rather than sharp shards.
These California garage doors offer ample light but plenty of privacy. They measure 6' x 8'6" and 16' x 8'6", with a Black aluminum frame and Sandblasted glass.
You’re not limited to clear glass, either. The California full-view garage door can be outfitted with quite a few different glass options to help you get the look and feel you want. These include the following:
- Clear: Clear glass gives you a full view from the garage door and of your boat.
- Sandblasted: Sandblasted glass allows light into the boathouse, but prevents people from seeing in.
- Tempered: Tempered glass offers outstanding protection and can be added to sandblasted or clear glass.
- Polycarbonate: This glass alternative is made from plastic and is highly impact resistant. Not sure if it’s right for you? Check out this FAQ to learn more about care and treatment.
Of course, one thing that you’ll need to consider with the California door is condensation. It’s a problem with all glass garage doors, and your position on the water only makes it more likely to happen. Make sure to clean and maintain your boathouse and the garage door, and try to keep the door open as often as possible to eliminate some moisture.
Choice #2 – Steel Construction and Craftsman Style with a Garage Door from the Townships Collection
Love this farmhouse style? It offers a marine door that will last for a very long time, and the wood-like appearance is undeniably beautiful. Image sourced from Pinterest.
Love the look of wood, but don’t want to commit to that kind of maintenance with your garage door? Check out Townships Collection to see what it offers your boathouse.
The Princeton P-12 design measures 8' x 7' and is featured in Iron Ore Walnut with Black overlays, and 8 lite Panoramic windows. It offers a sleek, modern look.
Want strong protection, but you’re worried about rust Galvanized steel is the answer. Check out the Township Collection for solutions that will ensure your garage or boathouse looks great for a long time to come.
It’s not just about rust resistance, though. You’ll find that these garage doors offer an R-16 value, which means you also get great insulation and temperature control. That’s really important for vacation homes that are connected to a boathouse, where the boathouse continually siphons temperature from the living space.
Love this look? It’s an Eastman E-21, 9' x 7’, with Claystone doors and Ice White overlays, 8 lite Panoramic windows. It offers a rustic, country look for any boathouse and is a garage door in the Townships Collection.
Wood doesn’t do well when exposed to the weather for a long time. Thankfully, this door offers PVC overlays. They look just like natural wood but don’t come with the same maintenance concerns, so there’s no need to paint or sand. You get the Craftsman look you want for the boathouse, plus the option to choose X, V, A, or I-shaped overlays. Make sure to explore all the options in marine doors within the Farmhouse and Modern Farmhouse styles.
V-shaped overlays make this boathouse stand out from the crowd. Designed by Makow Associates Architects Inc.
You’ll be happy to know that these marine doors are equipped with Dura+ hardware.
Dura+ hardware is perfectly suited for a boathouse because it’s designed to withstand moisture and weathering. It will also extend the garage door’s lifespan. It features galvanized steel tracks, nylon rollers, and corrosion-inhibiting design factors. It’s also suitable for use in boathouses in both fresh and saltwater environments.
Choice #3 – The Acadia 138 and Regal Garage Doors Help You get a Great Price/Performance Ratio for Your Marine Door
We’ve covered a lot of great options, but maybe you’re looking for a garage door that’s a little more affordable. A marine door doesn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg, and you can still get the durability and style that you crave. Check out this FAQ about what factors affect your overall garage door costs.
Consider These 2 Doors
1. The Acadia 138 garage door
This is an Acadia 138 North Hatley LP. It measures 9' x 7', is available in Desert Sand, and offers windows with Richmond Inserts and decorative hardware. It would be an incredible addition to any boathouse.
The Acadia 138 features galvanized steel construction and an R-12 insulation rating. You’ll notice traditional garage door hardware, too, but you can upgrade that to Dura+ hardware for your boathouse if you want (for an additional cost).
2. The Regal garage door
Sink into the deep brown of this Regal Classic Long garage door. It measures 9' x 7', with Clear windows and a traditional embossed design.
The Regal garage doors are available uninsulated or they can have polystyrene insulation. Both options offer cost savings, but they will allow cold temperatures to enter your boathouse.
Have a small boat? No worries!
Need a boathouse for something small, but are concerned that the marine door won’t be up to the task? We offer garage doors as narrow as 4’. Of course, we can also build them up to 20’wide if you’ve got a large boat to store in that boathouse. Each garage door we make is customized to your unique needs.
What dimensions do you need? Check out this information about how to size your garage door.
Ready to add a garage door opener to your boathouse?
By this point, you should have a good idea of what garage door you want for your boathouse. But how will you open it? With an electric garage door opener!
Push-button operation is really a must for any boathouse. Picture it – you’re headed back from a great day on the water. You press the button on the garage door remote, and the boathouse door gently rolls up, allowing you to get in without any fuss. We offer a full line of LiftMaster doors to suit your needs.
Of course, any garage door opener used in a boathouse must be highly durable and designed for the unique environment. We offer 2 commercial models that can both be ordered with a car wash kit that makes them waterproof.
When it comes to your boathouse, we really recommend LiftMaster’s H and J commercial door openers.
The LiftMaster H and LiftMaster J garage door openers are wall-mounted. That offers several benefits, including a reduction in both noise and vibration within the boathouse and any attached home, patio, or other space. Wall-mounting the openers also ensures plenty of ceiling space throughout the boathouse if you want to raise the boat during the off-season.
Check out how much space can be saved with this unique garage door opener design. Image from Houzz.
How a LiftMaster garage door opener protects your boat
A LiftMaster garage door opener does more than just letting you get into and out of the boathouse easily. It also offers great security and peace of mind through advanced functionality, including the following:
- Unique code – Every time the door cycles, it uses a different code to prevent thieves from picking up on the code used to operate the opener.
- You benefit from invisible light beams. These are designed for safety, but if someone breaks a beam while the door is closing, it will open again.
- Camera – With the optional camera, you can always keep tabs on what’s going on in your boathouse day or night.
- Is the door open? – Did you leave the cottage on the lake quickly and can’t remember closing the door? Use the MyQ app to check things out and close (or open) the garage door if you need to.
- Your LiftMaster garage door opener has even more features to explore!
Sold on the idea? Make sure you check out all the residential models!
Ready to buy a new marine door? We’ve got you covered.
Love this Eastman E-22 design? It measures 9' x 7', and has an Ice White door with Ice White overlays and Orion windows. How cool would it be to have this on your cottage garage door and your boathouse?
The Door Company has years of experience in selling, installing, and maintaining Canadian-made garage doors. Our team of experts has all the information you need, whether you’re just starting your comparison or you’ve chosen the marine door you want for your boathouse.
Get in touch by calling us at 613-821-2130.
Don’t want to talk to someone? No problem. You can use our Design Centre to explore the options available to you and even try them on with a picture of your boathouse. We want you to make the most informed decision possible, and offer over 100 unique combinations, including colour, type of windows, decorative hardware, and much more! When you’ve decided, just request a free quote from us.
Personalize your marine door!
We build every one of our garage doors to order, ensuring that they’re completely customized to your unique needs. We offer 10 color choices and over 35 different designs to make it simple to find the ideal marine door for your boathouse and make sure that your house on the lake looks amazing.
Contact us to learn more.
Add new comment