New Garage Door - Too Many Choices, So Much Confusion (Home Depot, laminate)

[beb0p]

Maybe I'm old school, but when I replaced my last garage door, it was - measure the size, pick a color, done. If I wanted to be fancy, add small glass windows near the top. Done.

Now, I decided to get the new glass panel doors that is the rage these days and I'm lost! Acrylic panel, aluminum panels, tinted, not tinted, obscure, frosted, not frosted, clear, laminated, bronze, gray.... what???

I've tried talking to Home Depot, the guy was always busy and just wanted to get rid of me so he could get to the next customer; and there wasn't a show room where I could see the thing. A brochure drawings are what I have to work with. I tried googling but there is surprisingly little information about the different types of doors. I came across many images, but there is usually no description that tells me what type of door it is.

So anyway, I just need a modern looking garage door that people cannot see into from the outside.

What I think I've learned so far - unless I get a laminate or frosted glass, then people can just see through the panels into the garage, even if the panels are of a darker color, am I right?
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[Barking Spider]

If you want the glass panels just for looks from the outside, and not because you want the light coming into the garage, just paint the inside of the glass black. From the outside it will look like regs;ar glass, but no one can see inside. You could also just add cardboard panels over the glass on the inside.

[BostonMike7]

Originally Posted by Barking Spider

If you want the glass panels just for looks from the outside, and not because you want the light coming into the garage, just paint the inside of the glass black. From the outside it will look like regs;ar glass, but no one can see inside. You could also just add cardboard panels over the glass on the inside.

Or tint. 5% tint is very hard to see into, but will let some light into the garage so you aren't walking around in the pitch black if you can't get the lights on right away.

[Brian_M]

Rattle-can frosted glass, I used it on the 3 3x6 windows, 4 glass garage door panes and walk-through door window to allow for light transmission and add some obscurity to my garage.

BUT, I think you should skip the big box store and go with a company who A) has actual customer service and B) their business revolves around garage doors. Overhead Door Co is the big name company around my neck of the woods, but there are another 4~5 local companies who will come to me (I'm 2 hours from 3 different large metro areas).

[K'ledgeBldr]

Just do polycarbonate. It comes in a myriad of colors- solid colors, no light, no see-thru at all; yet has the look of glass.

And as an added bonus- it doesn't break!