When standard isn't quite right
Most garage doors are chosen from catalogs of standard sizes, styles and colors, and for many homes that works perfectly. But sometimes standard isn't enough. The opening might be an unusual size or shape. The house might be architecturally distinctive and deserve a door to match. You might want a specific wood species, a color that matches your trim exactly, or a design you've sketched yourself.
That's where custom garage doors come in. New Berlin Garage Doors works with you from first idea to final installation, coordinating with manufacturers and craftspeople to build a door specifically for your home.
What can be customized
Size and shape
Older homes, coach houses, detached garages and custom builds often have openings that don't match standard door sizes. Custom doors can be made to almost any width and height, and in shapes such as arched or eyebrow tops. We measure precisely and coordinate with the manufacturer so the door fits perfectly.
Material and species
Choose from real wood species like cedar, hemlock, mahogany or fir; premium wood composites; steel with custom finishes; aluminum and glass; or combinations. Real wood doors can be built in layered constructions that resist warping and include insulation.
Design and panel layout
Customize panel designs, board widths, overlay patterns, crossbucks, arches and trim. You can bring a sketch, a photo of a door you love or a design inspired by your home's details, and we'll help translate it into a buildable door.
Windows and glass
Choose window shapes, placement, grille patterns and glass types, from clear and insulated to frosted, seeded, rain or tinted glass, and even decorative or leaded designs.
Color and finish
Color match the door to your trim, siding or front door, choose a factory stain on wood, or opt for wood-grain finishes on steel and composite.
Hardware
Select decorative handles, hinge straps and clavos in finishes such as black, bronze, pewter or stainless to complete the look.
Custom vs. semi-custom
Not every project needs a fully custom, handcrafted door. Many manufacturers offer semi-custom lines where you start with a base design and choose from a broad range of sizes, colors, windows and hardware. These offer much of the personalized look at a more accessible price and shorter lead time. We'll help you decide which approach makes sense for your home and budget.
| Semi-custom | Fully custom | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Manufacturer's design line | Your design or concept |
| Sizes | Wide range of sizes | Virtually any size or shape |
| Materials | Steel, composite, some wood | Any, including premium wood species |
| Lead time | Moderate | Longer |
| Budget | Moderate | Higher |
Our custom door process
- Consultation. We visit your home, measure the opening, look at your architecture and talk about your vision, budget and how you use the garage.
- Design. We present options, drawings or renderings and samples, and refine the design with you.
- Quote. You receive a detailed written quote covering the door, hardware, installation, any framing or track changes and removal of the old door.
- Build. The door is built to order. We keep you updated on progress and timing.
- Installation. We remove the old door and install the custom door with tracks, springs and hardware sized for its weight.
- Finish and walk-through. We balance and test the door, connect or install the opener and explain care and maintenance, especially for wood.
Custom wood doors in Wisconsin weather
Real wood custom doors are stunning, but they live outdoors through New Berlin winters, humid summers and spring rain. To get the best from a wood door:
- Choose species and constructions suited to our climate; cedar and well-engineered layered constructions resist moisture and movement.
- Ensure the door is finished on all sides, including edges, before or immediately after installation.
- Plan for regular refinishing, typically every year or two depending on sun exposure.
- Keep snow, ice and standing water away from the bottom of the door.
- Consider a wood composite or wood-look steel door if you want the appearance without the maintenance.
Springs, tracks and openers for custom doors
Custom doors are often heavier than standard ones, especially wood doors, oversized doors and doors with a lot of glass. They require springs sized precisely for their weight, heavier-duty hinges and rollers, and sometimes reinforced tracks or specialized track configurations for low headroom or high-lift applications. Your opener needs to be rated for the door's weight. We engineer the whole system, not just the door, so it operates smoothly and safely.
Ideas for New Berlin homes
- A stained cedar carriage door with arched windows on a stone-front home
- A matte black aluminum full-view door with frosted glass on a modern build
- A flush wood-tone steel door with a narrow window strip on an updated mid-century ranch
- A custom color carriage door matched to shutters on a colonial
- A pair of single doors designed to echo the front door's panel layout
Who chooses a custom garage door?
Custom doors aren't only for luxury homes. Many of the custom projects we take on in and around New Berlin come from practical needs as well as design goals:
- Older homes with nonstandard openings. Some older garages and detached outbuildings were framed before today's standard sizes. A custom-sized door avoids costly reframing.
- Renovations and additions. When a home is remodeled, the garage door should match the new exterior, sometimes including stone, timber or specific trim details.
- New construction. Builders and homeowners often want a signature door that ties the whole facade together.
- Detached garages and coach houses. Carriage-style custom doors suit detached garages at the back of a lot, where traditional character fits.
- Garages with special uses. Workshops, home gyms and hobby spaces may call for full-view glass, extra height for a vehicle lift, or exceptional insulation.
Budgeting for a custom door
Custom door pricing depends on size, material, construction, glass, finish and hardware, and the range is wide. A semi-custom steel door with a custom color and upgraded windows may cost only somewhat more than a standard door. A handcrafted cedar carriage door with arched glass and forged hardware is a much larger investment. During the design phase, we'll show you how each choice affects the price, and we'll suggest ways to get the look you want within your budget. For example, a wood-look composite instead of solid wood, or decorative hardware on a simpler panel design.
Installation, any necessary framing or header changes, specialized track and an opener rated for the door's weight are all part of the complete price, and we include them in our written quote so you can plan with confidence.
Custom doors and lead time planning
Because custom doors are built to order, plan ahead, especially if the door is part of a larger renovation, a new build or a home sale. Order early enough that the door arrives before the exterior work is finished. If your current door is failing and you need a working door in the meantime, we can make repairs to keep it safe and usable until the custom door is ready, and we'll make sure those repairs are no larger than necessary.
Our design approach
A good custom door starts with the house, not the catalog. We look at rooflines, window proportions, trim profiles, materials and colors, and design a door that belongs with them. We'll suggest panel proportions that line up with nearby windows, glass patterns that echo the front door, and hardware finishes that match exterior lighting. The goal is a door that looks like it was always meant to be there.
Caring for a custom door
Custom doors deserve a little extra attention. Wash painted and stained finishes gently a couple of times a year, rinse road salt off the bottom section during winter, and inspect wood finishes each spring for wear on the sunniest side. Keep hinges and rollers lubricated, and schedule an annual tune-up so springs stay matched to the door's weight. We're happy to set up a maintenance reminder after installation.
Have an idea in mind, or a photo of a door you love? Call (262) 555-0172 or use the form above to start designing your custom garage door. We serve New Berlin, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Muskego, Waukesha and surrounding communities. See also styles and materials.