News From Fimbel Architectural Doors

The Technical Side of Beauty

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We talk a lot about our factory finish. We talk about the aesthetics and the application and the lasting satisfaction, but today we will dig a little deeper into the technical side of beauty. Beyond the artisan craftsmanship to apply the color into what's beneath the surface, and why does it matter?

If you want to skip the details and head right to the final result, you're welcome to head back to our blog posts from September with the nuts and bolts of our factory finish or our six steps to designing your door, but if you want to dig in further, stick around! 

Image: American Legends LV13-S Wright with Fimbel Green factory finish.

Fimbel Factory Finish is exclusively applied by a skilled and trained team of finishers utilizing a four-layer proprietary process. The result is the highest quality finish in the garage door industry and that of architectural paints and applications. Additionally - we choose products and partners with a shared passion for preserving Mother Earth, and our paint operations support our vision for a cleaner, greener world!

We use AquaSurTech D200 High Performance Paint system that has been thoroughly tested and is the best paint on the market for our applications. This is an exterior waterborne/water based coating system designed for sustainability and aesthetics and is considered non-hazardous by EPA standards. D200 exceeds all environmental and performance standards. To look further into their materials and commitments to sustainability, find their website here. 

Image: American Legends Raised Panel with Sunray top and faux stain.

Some of the highlights of D200 go beyond its beautiful surface. It is extremely fast air dry and quick clean up offers efficient processes for in-factory and DIY finishing. It utilizes superior technology by providing a molecular bond and has exceptional heat reflectance along with long term color/gloss retention. It is formulated with heat reflective pigments to minimize heat gain for dark colors allowing for the vast color options in our palette regardless of exposure. The weather resistance of D200 doubles that of other paints as it is solar reflective and has high resistance to UV, salt, and other environmental factors. It also provides stone, chip, and grit erosion resistance.

The finishing program offers myriad options to satisfy the needs of your project. From solid colors covering the entire door or perhaps used in a two-tone application, we offer custom color matching in addition to our extensive standard offerings. 

Image: Roaring Twenties RT15-A Patterson with two-tone paint finish.

The magic of this paint system is the versatility allowing us to create our faux stain! Using a two part process of the same paint we use to coat our doors, our team of Artisans use their trained

hands to apply first the grain design and then the top coat offering the final overall richness of color. The result of this process allows us to increase grain depth or decrease it as needed as well as custom color match to your desired finish.

Highlights of our Finishing System:

  • Using our application, we deliver a cabinet-like finish
  • Long lasting for continued satisfaction
  • Custom color matching available
  • Water-based coating
  • Safe, odorless, and non-toxic
  • Passes test requirements for AAMA615 (Organic Coatings on Plastic Substrates)
  • Low heat absorption due to heat reflectant pigments
  • Excellent adhesion and abrasion resistance
  • Excellent elasticity can withstand thermal expansion
  • Excellent impact resistance
  • Low VOC
  • Non-flammable
  • Lead and chromate free
Image: Roaring Twenties RT17A Norfolk with faux stain and decorative hardware.

In addition to all of this, we offer a reliable and lasting 10 year factory finish warranty that covers the longevity and durability of the products we craft. We proudly offer a door with a low-maintenance lifestyle, but it is important that the doors are properly maintained to be covered under normal conditions from peeling, cracking, blistering, or significant ultraviolet discoloration.

Additionally, we offer a 3 year application warranty which applies to the paint or stain application and any failures as a result of the application process. Additionally, aligning with our 3 year limited door warranty, it covers any other commercial defects in material and workmanship.

We pride ourselves on our commitment to quality, safety, and satisfaction, so you can count on us to provide the right door with the right finish for you and Mother Earth. For more details and to take a peek at our standard paint and stain offerings, visit our website at www.fimbelads.com. 

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Gain your 2022 Vision

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Add curb appeal to your home by choosing the right window design, placement, and size for your desire! From the big, beautiful windows of classic American carriage house doors to the geometrically shaped and varied placement of modern doors to personalizations for you alone, all Fimbel window sections offer unmatched beauty and durability.

Before we get into what you will find in a window section of a Fimbel door, let's take a look at what you may be surprised not to find:

  • You will not find plastic inserts creating the design.
  • You will not find seams and cracks separating overtime through age and use where the design has been pieced together.
  • You will not find limitations in the size for the width or the height or the corners or the arch or the arches or virtually any other design feature you desire.

What you will NOT find makes your life more durable and more beautiful! To get a closer look at what's offered, we share a PDF at the end of the blog to provide visuals, so read on to get to know our doors (and our company) from the inside out! 

Presidential Series - Adams PR11S Trifold design.

Where many others use window inserts or have to joint the pieces together, our tops are made of solid, one-piece material. This means the entire face of the window section is one quality sheet of carved material to provide the highest quality and customization available.

Value

In the recently published Cost vs. Value Report from Remodeling Magazine, Garage Door replacement sits at #1 with a whopping 93.8% Return on Investment at resale! Whoa! It is clear that curb appeal is greatly enhanced with a quality garage door!

One way to increase curb appeal is by adding a top section to make the door more inviting. Since 71% of Americans use their garage door as the primary entrance to their home, we proudly offer a warm invite with the nearly unlimited customization as well as beauty and durability of our top sections! 

Presidential Series - Lincoln PR12 with custom lite complimenting various architectural design features yet standing out uniquely.

What sets us apart

Others find themselves limited in their window design options while we have crafted ourselves to be nearly limitless. Because of the single sheet application, we can provide nearly any window configuration and design without inserts. The patented construction of Fimbel doors allows for either larger or smaller window options and are available in 1" height increments (all series) and 1" width increments (excludes the American Legends which offers 3" width increments) for greater flexibility.

The precision fit machining of the Estate Collection allows for a tight seam between the top section and the section below. Where others may have a rounded edge all of our doors with meeting rails will have a precise clean fit.

All of the sections of our doors, including the top section, provide you with a low maintenance lifestyle. Through basic cleaning and annual proper maintenance, you can keep the exterior looking smooth and clean, maintaining the cleanliness of the glass, gives the whole door a shine and the appearance of brand new. 

Euro-Dor Series - Euro Raised Panel with Sunray top design and faux stain.

Get Creative with our Construction

Using patented processes we blend old school craftsmanship with new-school innovations to offer you more in your garage door! You can choose from either the Traditional or Euro style top (shown below) as well as a C-profile or a V-profile (shown below) to complement the details of your home! While we offer a vast library of standard designs from carriage to traditional to modern, we don't stop there!

To truly make this your own, custom designs and arches are available in nearly any configuration of simulated divided lites, but we also invite you to explore our options for scroll tops, architectural designs, and unique window options. You can further make it your own by choosing specialty glass for your door! As you can see from the variety of samples shown below, if you can dream it, we can make it! 

C-grille profile has a rounded design and the V-grille profile has a sharp design.
Traditional style and Euro style tops are available; various design options.

Take a peak!

Depending on the style of your home and door, windows can truly add to the look of a home's overall appearance whether it's at the beach, the suburbs, or the mountains! Take a journey to get an idea of what's available for you!

One with an arch top and 16 lites/windows (left) speaks to the traditional appearance of the home. The open lites of the (right), with the complementary transom, shines with a modern edge. These two literally live beside each other, are built from the same model door, and have been individually selected to complete the varied appearance of the exteriors. Imagine how this style could complement your home with the right design! 

Euro-Dor Series - EU505-Athens (left) with 32” Euro top (16 lites) and EU504-Brussels (right) with 26” Custom top (2 lites)

At Fimbel ADS, much like at Burger King, you can have it 'your way'! We pride ourselves on offering you more in your garage door, and want to inspire you to think beyond the traditional and carriage style designs of many doors today and explore a door with a modern twist! 

Euro-Dor Series - Modern with horizontal v-grooves, rectangle lites, custom glass, and faux stain.

Typically window sections will be designed and installed at the top of the door, but there is no limit to where you can add the windows or the window section! In the image below, the double window section adds to the farmhouse feel of the home! 

Euro-Dor Series - Santorini EU18S with double window section with custom, open lites.

To spruce up the interior and bring in the appearance of true divided lights, we offer an interior grille insert (grille is the technical name for the narrow stips that create the panes of a window). Don't be fooled though, this is not a plastic insert pieced together to complement your design. The same quality of the exterior, visible grille and whatever design and configuration you've chosen, can be replicated on the interior of your Fimbel Door. This small upgrade finishes off the door with a clean, high-end look. 

Roaring Twenties Series - interior grille inserts.

Remember that 'single sheet' construction we mentioned earlier? Here's one area we allow it to shine! Using the same process used to create the standard window designs, we can carve intricate scrollwork (and more) into the design. Using a two-tone paint application, we can then make it look like wrought iron for an elegant and timeless look. 

Presidential Series - Roosevelt PR13A with two tone paint and custom scrollwork.

We love to honor history and the incredible evolution of architecture over time, so preserving history through restorations makes our hearts swell. But we know those projects can often have unique openings and demands from local historic preservation organizations. For this we are able to customize the size of the door as well as any arches or designs. Custom and elliptical arches are available as well as Colonial corners and so much more! 

American Legends Series - McCormick LV15A with custom arch top.
Roaring Twenties Series - Detroit RT11S with Traditional style top and custom arches.

Not only does a window section add to the overall design of the door, adding this element will add natural light to your garage! 

American Legends Series interior.

Insulated Glass Package:

With options for an insulated glass package you can avoid condensation and other unsightly results when combining a heated or temperature controlled garage with insulated glass. This package will add a more robust set of interior hardware to accommodate the weight of the insulated glass itself, but we can engineer our way around anything and make sure your door functions as it should. For more information, you can catch up on the conversation by reading our Condensation Blog.

With this package you can improve energy efficiency and avoid condensation as well as keep heat in during the winter and keep heat out during warmer temperatures. Managing the temperature of your garage reduces the demands on your home's heating system and finances. 

Euro-Dor Series - Athens EU505 with custom arch top and faux stain.

Here's what NOT to do:

Brace yourselves - the following images may be upsetting to anyone who loves garage doors the way we do. Each of these projects could be properly designed to complement the opening rather than simply closing it, and we have the solutions to do just that at Fimbel ADS.

This first example is just all wrong. The American Legends doors were made as they were ordered, but the options to make it right were not addressed.

  1. Note that the doors are even with one another - the driveways are at different elevations. This small impact shows the difference in the reveal (the exposed material) at the top. We could have addressed this issue by adjusting the size of each section to keep the sections like up and the reveal at the top even with the other.
  2. Note that the corners of the window section are covered by the opening's Colonial Corner design (sometimes referred to as clipped, Dutch, or chamfered corner). This issue is seen all too often and can be easily addressed by sending us the measurements to complement the opening. 

In our experience over the last (almost) 100 years in the industry, we believe that custom openings deserve custom arches. As seen in this image, the custom arch of the opening is not the same as the standard arch we offer. Do you see the difference in the reveal from the middle to the sides? This could have been easily addressed with a few basic measurements. We believe your home deserves the best. That is all… 

And one more with the arch issue mentioned above. This project has a custom 'salmon' color factory finish to complement the bronze details around the home's architecture; however, the ample reveal in the middle is in contrast to the lack of reveal at the corners. This small aspect detracts from the quality that surrounds the detail. 

Why Replace the Garage Door

The most obvious reason to replace your garage door is to improve the curb appeal of the home. The term applies to the aesthetic appeal of a residential or commercial building as perceived from the street, and it was made popular in the 90's with the release of HGTV's show "Curb Appeal". As you may know, the entry door of most homes only constitutes 8% of the home's frontage while the garage door often consumes 30%, we can see the potential for impact with a new door. With the impressive ROI, utilizing the capabilities we offer through our manufacturing as well as additional options such as finishing and hardware, updating the garage door is a slam dunk! To learn more about designing like an architect, please enjoy the attached blog post where we take you through the process!

We manufacture our doors using smooth, solid Versatex for our unfinished doors and innovative, durable Tricoya for our factory finished products. For the factory finished doors, we use AquaSurTech paint products for not only their quality finish but their durability and commitment to the planet. We are pleased to offer this to you in virtually any custom color and faux stain.

Fimbel doors offer you a low-maintenance lifestyle. The clean appearance of the door should last for years to come with a gentle clean with mild soap and water. No harsh abrasives or undue elbow grease necessary.

Fimbel doors are manufactured to be safety first. You, your family, your home, and your belongings will rest safely behind our door. Our doors are engineered for durability! We know that poorly fitted doors are not only unsightly but also allow unwanted openings. Since we can match nearly any opening, weather, burglars, and bugs will not have access to your home through the garage door, and our energy efficient construction allows you to conserve on financial costs and increase comfort!

Let's do it!

You will not find a more durable, customizable, and sustainable door in the garage door industry.Using our one piece construction method to eliminate the gaps at joints and unsightly plastic inserts of other door models, our interior grille option enhances the character and depth of the top section!

We pride ourselves on the ability to offer you solutions! We offer everything from

creative designs to funky features to matching uneven floors and odd heights and widths. Whether it is aligning with the requests of the local historical society, fulfilling a technical

or design challenge, or simply satisfying a whim, we are enthusiastic about taking on your vision and building to your one-of-a-kind requirements!

Find a dealer by visiting our dealer locator and let's get started on your perfect door!

Download our Product Guide here!

Link to our online Glass Section Literature. 

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2022 Garage Door Trends

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We turned the page from 2021 to 2022 wondering where the time went! Wasn't it just December of 2019 as we looked with anticipation at the new decade? While many things have changed, one thing hasn't: The return on investment for a quality garage door leads the list of home renovation products. This is our FIRST TREND to note for 2022.

Remodeler Magazine's annual Cost vs. Value Report presented Garage Door Replacement in the #1 position 3 of the last 4 years.

  • 2021: 93.8% ROI (#1)
  • 2020: 94.5% ROI (#2 behind manufactured stone veneer)
  • 2019: 97.5% ROI (#1)
  • 2018: 98.3% ROI (#1)


It is clear that the world has finally caught on to what we have known all along (at least since 1924 when our Great-Grandfather started our family business): The garage door is a critical aspect of your home for its incredible function, efficiency, and safety, and it also happens to really boost curb appeal which results in a higher value added to your home.

We know that replacing your garage door is a no-brainer for value, but you can see in this report, the numbers really do add up! Right now is the best time to replace your garage door. Not only do we have the highest quality materials, most diverse design opportunities, we also offer you quality, service, and safety to last.

The SECOND TREND we are seeing taking place in the garage is a dedication to safety and security. Protecting the home with an insulated and energy efficient garage door, will support your sustainability and financial goals. But there is more you can do. Installing the modern openers with smart home technology and applications for security lighting controlled through the smart home will bring further confidence. So be sure to talk with your dealer about the options to enhance the safety and security of the garage door through technology offered.

The THIRD TREND is all about design. While Carriage Style doors lead the pack of desired designs, we are seeing more and more modern and glass doors coming down the pipeline. Known for their sleek, simplistic aesthetics that tend to blend both durability and beauty, homeowners are complementing their homes with bold window designs, geometric attributes, diverse colors, and architectural features in the garage door. This trend is promoted by the increased number of purposes people are finding for their garage space and craving the function and the fashion for their door.

Modern Garage Doors 

Euro-Dor Series - Modern Style with staggered lites and custom glass and hand-applied faux stain

Modern garage doors are sleek and alluring with their clean geometric lines, simple proportions, and stylish glass, and they truly add to your home's motif when paired appropriately. This style is descended from international architectural styles, which were developed in the 1920s and 30's and spanned through the latter part of the 1900's with the architectural brilliance of designers like Frank Lloyd Wright.

Due to our process for manufacturing, we are able to add windows and designs to nearly any placement and in any shape you wish to compliment your home as seen in the featured image of a Modern Euro-Dor. Adding glass into your unique preference, whether frosted or otherwise obscured, can control the level of light and privacy in your garage. Selecting the right paint or stain color will complete the look for your updated exterior!


Carriage Style Doors 

Roaring Twenties Series - Carriage Style RT11A Hartford Design with decorative hardware and Cashmere factory finish

Carriage style doors are as timeless as Bette Davis and Greta Garbo's smiles and still as beloved today.

In 1923 C.J. Johnson patented the overhead door that quickly replaced swing style doors on garages across the United States welcoming the Model-T Fords to roll right in. The production of doors that swing up and over the head versus out into the driveway changed life at the time, but we held on to the gorgeous appearance.

One of the predominant features found on a classic American carriage style door are the big windows. This highlight of the product is one to truly make it stand out. Where many others use window inserts or have to joint the pieces together, our tops are made of solid, one-piece vinyl material. This means the entire face of the top, or grille as it is referred to, is one quality sheet of carved material with no joints or inserts to truly replicate the look of wood.

You will often find decorative hardware adorning the face of many carriage style doors. Original swing doors would have straps and hinges to secure them to the frame and provide strength to the structure. They would also have handles at the center to allow the doors to be pulled open. Adding this element to today's overhead doors gives authenticity to the door and complements many homes; however, this feature is not required to allow the beauty of a carriage style door to add impact to any home.


Traditional Garage Doors

Euro-Dor Raised Panel Series - Long panel sections with sunray top design and hand applied faux stain

Traditional raised panel doors are iconic in the garage door industry. When the roll-former was introduced to manufacturers across the country, the opportunity to mass produce with repeatability became a reality. You know these doors. You have seen them since you were a kid, and they served the market well for a long time.

The long and short panels offer symmetry and accommodate nearly any opening. The style presents the appearance of the frame and panel construction used by millworkers for cabinets and furniture. The result is the illusion that a floating panel sits inside the frame except we run the look on one full sheet of composite material. Similarly the recessed panel door is equally as timeless showcasing the pronounced frame with a slightly more shallow, or depressed, panel.

Both styles offer a standard look meant to comply with nearly any design style, but if your home or project has personality beyond Traditional, we have many options for you!


Design your Door

Every Fimbel door we make is uniquely crafted for you. Our doors come in a range of styles and price points with capabilities for customizations to satisfy your design desires. Using multiple design patents with materials and processes engineered for beauty and durability, we offer you more.

It starts with the material and the construction.

  • Vinyl - BEST: Offers beauty, durability, and design flexibility with the look of painted wood but is weather-resistant, so it will not rot, split, or crack like wood. It is virtually maintenance-free and comes naturally white.
  • Wood Composite - BETTER: Has the look and design flexibility of wood or vinyl, but unlike wood it does not require maintenance. Requires initial finishing but can be painted or faux stained regardless of exposure to head and the environment. It will not rot, split, crack, or rust.
  • Both of these options are constructed using a wood frame, insulation, vinyl backcover, and the composite material on the face. This leaves the complete section encased in protective, durable material that is engineered to last.
  • Vinyl-Coated Steel - BETTER: Smooth, natural white finish offers exceptional beauty and options for paint or faux stain finishing. Budget-friendly with many of the benefits of vinyl and steel combined. Weather resistant, durable, dent-resistant, will not rot, split, crack, or rust. This material is then insulated with a vinyl backcover for sustainability.


Using your unique design perspective, ambition, and talent, we offer you the opportunity to complete your vision with the quality and capabilities needed to truly round out your final project. Our doors allow you to capture architectural features used in original period designs or contemporary trends. For example, your windows can be nearly any configuration, any design, and nearly any location to tie features through the home to the garage door! You can accommodate any opening by customizing in 1" height and width increments or matching an uneven floor with a scribed bottom. The face of the door is fully customizable whether it's adding logos and routed designs to geometric shapes and windows to waves or anchors - you name it!


Fimbel Finishing

As you dream of your door coming to life, don't forget to consider your options. The color trends for '22 are calling for warm neutrals, moody blacks and charcoals, and diverse greens, and we can do it all. We are very proud of our factory finish and offer it in both standard and custom paint options but also in an array of hand-applied faux stains. The result is the finest finish in the industry and brings a furniture-like finish to exterior architecture. With a strong warranty and compassion for the earth, our paint is an excellent addition to your garage door.

Using heat-reflective high-performance paint, all Factory Finished products will be delivered with a clean finish to last! While most of our products do not require finishing and may remain natural white, adding color to your project can add the wow-factor that you are after! Our vast and ever-expanding color palette includes blacks, charcoals and dark greens as well as faux stains to truly replicate the look of wood without the maintenance. With solutions for replacement of damaged sections to navigating tough exposures to Do-It-Yourself options, our finish will brighten up your home and increase durability. To read more about it, enjoy this blog.


Before you Commit

A few things to consider as you finalize your color decision (from our previous Blog called "Opening Doors to Color Your World"):

  1. Your entry door is the focal point of your home. You do not have to match it! Do your best to complement it. Focus on matching the quality and design not the color.
  2. The garage door color works best on many homes when it is coordinated to the details of the home: the siding, the windows, the trim.
  3. If the overall design of the home is unique, we invite to think beyond standard doors and make it your own.
  4. While the garage can consume 30% of a home's frontage, the garage door should add to the overall feel - not stick out like a sore thumb. We offer a lot of options to make it unique without making it outlandish!
  5. Be sure you understand the material of the garage door. We know that vinyl can respond to extreme temperatures unfavorably when in dark colors. Be sure you have the right paint product on the right material (again, no worries here for us, because we offer you more).
  6. If you cannot decide on a color, a natural white finish is a tried and true solution! With our product and our ability to offer you the DIY kits, so you can change your mind down the road.
  7. Do you plan to sell your home anytime soon? If so, consider what a potential buyer might want for their garage door! In this case, purchasing a garage door with the after factory option of our DIY kits may be the solution.

Let's do it!

Read more about our American Legends Series and our Estate Collection Series to find your perfect door!

In the world of Fimbel, we do not believe in many limitations. We believe that if you can dream it, we can make it. What makes us different is that we build doors that last, reduce impact on the earth, and require very low maintenance and increased durability allowing you peace of mind. We have the best warranty on the market because we stand behind the product we make. We look forward to seeing your creativity and being able to give you a More in a Garage.

Why wait to bring your new doors home!

Find a dealer today at www.fimbelads.com/dealers. 

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Make your Neighbors Green with Envy: Sustainable Garage Doors

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As a fourth generation manufacturer we are acutely aware that we have taken from mother nature's bounty time and again. From our origins in manufacturing with wood doors to our time in steel and aluminum and beyond to our current processes that utilize composite materials, we know that we must preserve our precious Earth, and we know we have taken and must give back and continue to do better!

All Fimbel doors are constructed to be low maintenance today and tomorrow which means less stress and less waste! Our materials are innovative and developed with both the end user experience and our environment in mind. Our naturally white doors are made to be unfinished, but we offer a vast range of paints and stains in our unique system using water based and eco-friendly ingredients. Additionally, our headquarters and primary manufacturing plant draws 80% of electricity from solar panels on the roof to reduce our impact on Mother Earth.

Our hard word to reduce waste is not only built into the process but also into the resulting product which means less to the landfill and increases our product longevity. Choosing quality partners and instilling practices into our operations to reduce and conserve are critical to our goals.

Much of this vision is credit to Erin Fimbel, our President (and full disclosure: my sister). When she joined the company, an already existing mindset was converted to practices, innovations, and dedication as she brought our deeply held family values to life. Today she is leading us with clarity and commitment to these goals. "Continuous improvement, metrics-driven quality, and an exceptional customer experience will continue to be at the heart of everything we do." she recently stated. "Our family values are reflected in our commitment to our people, partners, and customers. We pride ourselves on doing what we say we will and providing a sustainable and reliable product that we stand behind."

From a sustainability standpoint, garage doors made of wood simply don't make sense. Wood rots, particularly in wet and humid environments, resulting in more frequent replacements. The garage doors made popular in the mid-20th century were made of steel, but steel rusts in the same places where wood rots. It also dents easily and has an undesirable fake wood grain often stamped into the face. Fortunately, there's a better, more beautiful option with our lineup of garage doors.

We use vinyl because it will not rot or rust, and while vinyl experiences seasonal expansion and contraction, it does so without cracking, and we have engineers our way around the obstacle. We even use vinyl to coat our steel section for the platform of our American legends series. Vinyl offers us the ability to make high-end products with the look and feel of a wood door, but our doors are maintenance-free and can survive in harsh environments, like the coast, where a wood door would deteriorate and standard steel would rust.

Every Fimbel door we make is fully insulated to support the demands of the many uses today for garage spaces. We also use top-grade components such as 11-gauge hinges where the industry standard is the thinner 13-gauge material. These are just a few ways we build in confidence to offer you a long lasting, beautiful door.

Through our partnership with One Tree Planted (501c3) we do our part to restore our generous forests and our planet. It is undeniable that mother nature's bounty has provided for the garage door industry and our family since we began manufacturing overhead doors in the early 1920's. Today, every single door sold by Fimbel Architectural Doors plants a tree through the hard work and commitment of our tree-loving partners. Together, we hope to make the world more beautiful and sustainable one door and one tree at a time #OneDoorOneTree.

We know we cannot change the world with only a door, but we can challenge how we operate in all aspects to make the world a healthier place. We do this with a focus to improve efficiency to reduce supply chain demand, retain and empower our Team, and build stronger communities. Our quality allows us to get it right the first time because our goal is to pave the way for the next generation.

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Your Door - Your Way: The Euro-Dor

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The Most Versatile and Sustainable Garage Door.

Life is full of choices. From what to wear now that many are headed back to the office to how to care for our loved ones during this unbelievable time to deciding between the various milk products offered today. Our days and our minds are plagued by choices, and choosing the right garage door should not be one of them. We make it simple with the Euro-Dor: the only door to offer everything you need at a price point sure to please!

Whether your goal is a design from our library of options or is notably custom, the Euro-Dor offers you options to properly compliment your home. As in the example below, you see the door design remains the same (three sections, two panels, V-Grooves, grille section); however, the selected top options allow for these neighboring doors to shine in their own way showcasing that small design choices can have great impact! 

Image: EU505-Athens (left) with 32" Euro top (16 lites) and EU504-Brussels (right) with 26" Custom top (2 lites)

One with an arch top and 16 lites speaks to the traditional appearance of the home. The other, with the complementary transom with rectangular lites, shines with a modern edge. These two literally live beside each other, are built from the same stock, and have been individually selected to complete the varied appearance of the exteriors.

After seeing these two 'fraternal twins', I set out to get to know our Euro-Dor a little more intimately. What I found is that this particular construction, material selection, and patented processes make it the most versatile door in the garage door market today. We find a lot of Euro-Dors living out their time at the Jersey Shore and in Coastal areas which makes great sense for many reasons, such as its ability to withstand harsh geographical impacts, but a closer look reveals the Euro-Dor also accommodates virtually all architectural aspects because of its ability to transform its design and appearance to accommodate your desires. It is the chameleon of garage doors!

The Construction:

The Euro was the first vinyl product of its kind, and its patented innovation allows us to break boundaries in garage door design. Using a single sheet of material and dynamic machinery, we are able to run the design from section to section without interruption. This allows us to not only provide a precise and detailed design, but we can also customize it without limitation.

Here's how: Using a hand placed wood frame and nesting in our insulation, we laminate a vinyl back cover and a solid vinyl exterior that encases the face. This construction approach also provides significant structural stability to the door whereas many others use MDF and other composite materials to frame the inside. This slab now becomes a blank slate to bring you more for your door. Combining stability with sustainability, we chose smart material to provide both beauty and durability. The Euro-Dor wears 3/8" material on the face and edges, Versatex for unfinished and Tricoya for finished doors, that offers a smooth and clean aesthetic. We have options to add select profiles, such as V-Groove or Beadboard or Raised Panel, and nearly limitless designs to satisfy inspiration. 

Image: Euro-Dor standard profile, smooth face, tongue and groove, encased in vinyl

When looking at the garage door market today, we found doors that were made with formed vinyl, but their material, construction and design options clearly lack the level of quality and durability we hold with our nearly 100 year legacy. We also found doors that look quite like ours, in fact using the exact same vinyl material, yet they paled in comparison. What they lack is our sturdy wood frame and the single sheet of material on the face. This feature alone will provide sustainability and satisfaction for years to come, not to mention added design capabilities. With no overlays or section joints to contend with, the vinyl can live significantly longer.

Where others find themselves limited in their top and window design options we have crafted ourselves to be nearly limitless. Because of the single sheet application we can provide nearly any window configuration and design without inserts. Add to this our precision machining, and you can count on a replacement section (versus having to purchase the entire door as others require) when little Tommy hits the hockey puck into a section. 

Another distinguishing feature we found is the smooth, natural finish of our vinyl. VERSATEX is manufactured with the tightest tolerances, the brightest white, and the smoothest finish in the market. Our manufacturing techniques carve clean crisp profiles into the face of the door leaving edges sharp and finished smooth.

The Diversity of Design:

Using your unique design perspective, ambition, and talent, we offer you the opportunity to complete your vision with the quality and capabilities needed to truly round out your final project. Our doors allow you to capture architectural features used in original period designs or contemporary trends. For example, your windows can be nearly any configuration, any design, and nearly any location to tie features through the home to the garage door! You can accommodate any opening by customizing in 1" height and width increments or matching an uneven floor with a scribed bottom. The face of the door is fully customizable whether it's adding logos and routed designs to geometric shapes and windows to waves or anchors - you name it!

Image: Euro Raised Panel with Faux-Stain and Sunray top (top left), Custom Euro with carved design in wave form (top right), Modern Euro Plank design with Faux Stain (bottom left), EU505-Brussels with Black Factory Finish (bottom middle), EU18S-Santorini with double Grille top (4 lites each).

Color selection is a huge aspect of design. Using our D200 High performance finish, all Factory Finished products will be delivered with a clean finish to last! While most of our products do not require finishing and may remain natural, adding color to your project can add the wow-factor that we are after! Our vast and ever-expanding color palette includes blacks, charcoals, and dark greens as well as faux stains to truly replicate the look of wood without the maintenance.

With a cabinet like finish each door leaves our factory pristine and poised to last. We offer a standard color palette for solid finishes, but we also offer custom matching of any color you choose. If the desired look is to replicate a wood door, we offer nine standard faux finishes, but we also offer custom stain matching as well.

With additional options for decorative hardware, specialty glass, interior upgrades, and more, you can bring your dream door to life!

Image: Flush Euro with Factory Finish Cade Grey (top left), EU504-Brussels Overhead (qty.2) & EUQ10 Swing (top right), EU505-Athens Overhead (qty.2) & EUT100-A Swing with decorative hardware (bottom left), Factory Finish Faux Stain on EU with VG (bottom middle), GR24 Long Panel with Prairie Short Grille (bottom right)

The Lasting Benefits:

When we build, we build for beauty and durability that will last because we care about your satisfaction as well as our environment. From our processes to our products, we reduce, reuse, and recycle everything we can. We run on solar, and we love to help reduce your overall maintenance efforts and costs.

Doors in the Estate Collection offer efficiency and noise reduction by laminating the insulation to the interior of the door to keep it in position and reduce pockets where air can reside. Tight construction and quality materials offer you confidence and savings. Providing a sustainable product is important because we believe our legacy has a responsibility to generations that come after us. We want this door not only to last but to provide energy efficiency for your home.

Fimbel doors offer you a low-maintenance lifestyle. The clean appearance of the door should last for years to come with a gentle clean with mild soap and water. No harsh abrasives or undue elbow grease necessary. This aspect may be overlooked, but when we consider the supply chain for cleaning products, the effort to implement the cleaning, and the residual waste moving into the earth, we see our processes make way for sustainability.

One of the longest lasting aspects of our doors is the contribution made upon purchase. For every door we sell, we work with our partners at One Tree Planted to plant a tree on your behalf. We know the resources generously given by Mother Nature need replenishing, and we want to pay it forward!

Make it a Fimbel:

When it comes to choosing your garage door, we have made that easy for you with the Euro-Dor (part of the Estate Collection). This choice offers you long term satisfaction at a price point packed with value. Originated on the foundation of old-world craftsmanship and classic designs, we have added innovative technology and materials to offer unmatched beauty and durability. Using patented processes, this door was the first to show a continuous design from section to section using a single sheet of material. This innovation allows us to break the boundaries of what you THINK you can do with a garage door.

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