TL;DR can I paint something like the Cloplay Coachman garage door which is made from "4-layer construction (composite overlay-steel insulation-steel)". What else aesthetically is lost going to a "cheaper" door. I have a rental property that I need to replace the garage door on. It's a 1920's bungalow in Northern California, with detached garage. The house was my own house before I got married, and I am attached to how it aesthetically looks (and remains to look). The garage door is prominent in the curb appeal of the house because it sits to the side of the house (not in the back like you see with most 1920's detached garages). It's constructed with multiple layers of wood. I looked about 8 months ago and got quotes from $4-6K for similar replacements. I'm now looking at Home Depot's website. Just as an example is a Cloplay Coachman 9x7 for around $1800 (I know that doesn't include installation). It says this is made from " 4-layer construction (composite overlay-steel insulation-steel). https://www.homedepot.com/p/Clopay-Coachman-Collection-9-ft-x-7-ft-18-4-R-Value-Intellicore-Insulated-Solid-White-Garage-Door-CXU13-SW-TOP11/204598554 One thing that is most important to me is that I can paint the door, so I'm not stuck with this big ugly white door at the front of the lot. Is that possible with that door? I know I'm not going to stain the door, so I don't need it to be stain-grade finished. What will I lose with going with this or a similar door vs going back to something closer to my original? Is it difficult for the paint to adhere to this surface? I know I can think of one thing already - well, maybe not so if I chose something like the Clopay Coachman which doesn't have windows. My current door is probably 5 or 6 inches deep. So there's some real character depth with the windows. If I switched to one of these Cloplay doors that did have windows, the door is only 2 inches thick so I'm sure I'd get a much shallower look to it.

Also, which door is your front door? The one to the far left or the one to the immediate left of the garage doors? The front door should be the focal point and looks nice the color it is now (black). I assume the far left door is the actual front door and the door next to the garage doors is a secondary door that family uses for entry. The garage door(s) and secondary entrance doors should blend in with your stone so they fade into the background rather than become a feature (utility doors such as garage doors and secondary doors are rarely a feature you want to accentuate).

I like the cedar because it’s organic ... something important in mid-century aesthetics. Something like this would look great, I think, or no windows as shown above. Yes, this is very MCM: And if you like that look, it would work, but I personally would go with something more mid-century traditional than literal MCM, due to where the garage is oriented with your split-level house. It’s really just personal preference. I like your mock-ups with the painted ones, too, which would be the least unobtrusive look and fit your house fine. Your era and style of house had a wide variety of garage door styles, no one universal type.

We are doing a new build and I'm currently swimming with door construction thoughts. We live in the high western desert, so 100s in the summer and single digits in winter (though usually 20s). Dry, little humidity. I grew up in New England, where garage doors were WOOD! But I'm not sure wood is good in this dry climate. We want something nice looking, as the door faces the street. Quality, but not $$$$ or cheap. Thoughts and recommendations? We are looking at Clopay (ok, not impressed with the finishes on the modern steel door) and Martin (looking this week, like the faux wood options). Do I go steel? Faux wood composite? We are going for a flat plank, plain look as house is modern farmhouse. THANK YOU!