When it comes to choosing a garage door for your home, Clopay and Wayne Dalton are two of the most popular brands. Both offer solid construction and plenty of style options, so when deciding which door is right for you, it’s important to understand their differences.
In this blog post, we’ll break down their history, product options, and advice to help you make the most informed decision about which garage door will best complement your house. Read on for a side-by-side comparison of Clopay vs Wayne Dalton garage doors.
At Doorvana, we sell both brands, as well as Amarr garage doors. If you’re looking for wood garage doors, we make various styles of those as well. The common thread among our door options is that they’re built to last. When you do business with us, you’ll always get straight answers to garage door questions about price, availability, and quality.
Overview of Clopay Garage Doors
Clopay Garage Doors has been a fixture of American homes since the mid-1960s when Clopay Corporation first opened its doors. Founded in 1941 under the name Mohawk Steel and Iron, the company started off manufacturing tailor-made metal doors and panels. The turning point came in 1964 when they introduced America to its first residential garage door with an embossed wood grain finish, transforming the way homeowners viewed their front entrance. This revolution eventually led to Clopay becoming one of the largest manufacturers of residential and commercial garage doors in North America and continuing its proud tradition of producing high-quality and durable products for everyone’s home or business.
Overview of Wayne Dalton Garage Doors
Wayne Dalton has been a leader in the garage door industry since it was founded in 1954. Their pioneering design and attention to detail ensure that all of their custom-made products, including the Wayne Dalton garage doors, are of the highest quality. With a variety of models and styles, it’s easy to find a door that matches your home’s aesthetic perfectly. Whether you’re looking for a traditional wood look or something more modern, Wayne Dalton has you covered with attractive and reliable products. Plus, safety features are standard on every single one of their garage doors – so you can rest easy knowing your family will remain safe behind them. For nearly 70 years now, Wayne Dalton has consistently delivered top-of-the-line garage doors.
Where can you buy Clopay or Wanye Dalton garage doors?
Clopay & Wayne Dalton offer dealer locator tools to help you locate reputable garage door companies near you. If you prefer to do business with big box retailers like Costco, Home Depot, or Lowe’s, you may be able to find garage doors and operators there.
If you choose a local service provider from their dealer networks, you should receive better service than from the national retailers. Local garage door repair companies with great reviews and helpful staff are the lifeblood of main street, so we recommend working with a local dealer. However, we understand that sometimes it’s reassuring to work with a national company with a large footprint.
Where are Clopay and Wayne Dalton garage doors made?
If you like to buy products made in America and are wondering “where are these garage doors made?”, rest assured you can confidently buy from these two brands.
Wayne Dalton and Clopay are the two leading global brands when it comes to garage doors. Wayne Dalton’s products are proudly manufactured in four plants located in Ohio, Texas, Illinois, and Missouri.
On the other hand, Clopay’s products are crafted at five different manufacturing facilities in Ohio, Georgia, Tennessee, Indiana, and Arizona. Between them both, you can be sure that your new garage door is made from only the highest quality materials and components available.
How to install Clopay and Wayne Dalton garage doors
Both garage door manufacturers produce sectional garage doors that are installed the same way. Starting with the base track, each section slides into the track, followed by incorporating rollers into the hinges. Prior to the final section being loaded in, the remaining track is installed.
Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster vs Clopay torsion springs
The main difference between Wayne Dalton garage doors and other brands, like Clopay, Amarr, or our Doorvana wood garage doors, is that WD uses a proprietary spring system.
The Wayne Dalton TorqueMaster® Plus garage door counterbalance system is a unique and innovative design that provides extra safety and convenience features. Unlike standard garage door systems that use exposed torsion springs, the TorqueMaster® Plus system hides the springs inside a metal tube, resulting in a cleaner appearance and less accumulation of dirt and grime.
Moreover, the TorqueMaster® Plus system includes an anti-drop safety mechanism that prevents injuries caused by accidental tension release. Suppose a spring breaks when the door is open, the anti-drop protection device will prevent the door from falling suddenly, which can cause property damage and even harm people nearby.
On the other hand, Clopay doors usually use the traditional torsion spring system that operates by applying torque to a shaft that runs above the door. Torsion springs are exposed, which causes them to collect dust and grease over time, making them more susceptible to breakage
The TorqueMaster® Plus system is easier to adjust than the standard torsion spring system. The tension adjustment only requires a simple turn of a bolt instead of the use of winding bars, making maintenance and operation a breeze.
What type of garage doors do they make?
Clopay and Wayne Dalton make the full complement of garage door products. From standard steel sectional doors to full-view garage doors, you can probably find the finish and style you’re looking for.
For more information, you can view each of their garage door collections from the links below
Clopay Garage Doors
- Clopay Modern Steel
- Clopay Canyon Ridge Carriage House
- Clopay Coachman
- Clopay Reserve Wood Limited Edition
- Clopay Reserve Wood Semi-Custom
- Clopay Avante
- Clopay Canyon Ridge Modern
- Clopay Reserve Wood Modern
- Clopay Classic Wood
- Clopay Reserve Wood Custom
- Clopay Classic Steel
- Clopay Gallery Steel
- Clopay Grand Harbor
Wayne Dalton Garage Doors
- Model 8024 and 8124
- Model 8000, 8100, and 8200
- Model 9100 and 9605
- Model 8300 and 8500
- Model 9510
- Model 9405
- Model 6600
- Model 9700
- Model 8850
- Model 8450
- Model 9800
- Model 8700
- Custom
- Model 7400
- Model 7100
- Model 300
- Model 40
- Model 100
Are they good garage doors?
Both companies offer builder-grade and premium garage door products. If you’re a homeowner looking for a garage door to last 10+ years, we don’t recommend entry-level products from any garage door manufacturers.
Before buying a new garage door, we recommend asking a few key questions.
- How thick is the material used on my garage door? With steel garage doors, a lower number like 24 or 25 means your door will be more durable. Garage doors at 26,27, or 28 ga are significantly thinner and should only be used with insulation. Without an insulated backing, thin steel garage doors oil can or appear wavey.
- What is the overall thickness of my garage door? Standard thickness is around 2″, while thinner options are usually 1-3/8″.
- What rollers are going to be installed with my new door? Ideally, your new garage door will be installed with nylon rollers that have encased ball bearings. Some plastic rollers are used in standard installations, and that can be okay. However, double-check to set your expectations accordingly.
- What type of spring system is used? Torsion springs are the most common garage door spring system and are what most local garage door repair companies can fix. If you choose a door that requires the Wayne Dalton torque master spring system, keep in mind only certain dealers can work on them, without performing a torsion spring conversion. It’s important to know this info ahead of time because it’s typically harder to find and more expensive for a local garage door repair company to work on a torque master spring system.
- What’s my finish, hardware, and workmanship warranty? Don’t buy based on warranty, but it’s common to pass on a door because of a very poor warranty. Most garage doors should have at least a three-year warranty on finish and hardware.
In conclusion
When deciding on a new garage door, you want to make sure you’re aware of the durability and product quality to get the most out of your investment. With both Clopay and Wayne Dalton garage doors offering designs for multiple price points, you shouldn’t have trouble finding one within your budget.
However, always do some research to ensure you know exactly what you’re getting and how it will benefit you. If you need help with weighing the pros and cons of each brand or would like to explore options, contact our experienced team. We want to help you find the perfect garage door solution for your home or business, so we would love to work with you together to find the ideal fit that best suits your needs. Call us at 817-500-5988 to get started.
