How Much Do Glass Garage Doors Cost?

The average residential glass garage door costs $4,500, with a typical range between $2,500 and $8,000, not including installation. However, tall commercial sizes and custom varieties can exceed $10,000. Glass garage doors, also known as full view, contemporary or commercial glass, come in a wide range of materials, finishes, sizes, and designs—all of which affect the price. This guide covers full view types with glass from floor to ceiling, not traditional styles with only a few small windows.

Door Prices by Glass Type

The type of glass you have in your garage door affects the price you pay. Some common options you can choose from include:

Tempered Glass Garage Doors

Many manufacturers offer this type of glass as standard in their full-view garage doors. The average price for a tempered glass garage door is $4,000, but it varies considerably depending on size and design.

Heat-treated tempered glass is about four times stronger than standard glass, and if it breaks, it's into small, connected pieces, meaning injury from large shards of glass is unlikely.

Insulated Glass Garage Doors

Opt for thicker insulated glass rather than tempered glass if you want to increase energy efficiency and keep out more of the cold. This typically adds at least another 25% to your glass garage door price, with an average cost of $5,000.

Even with top-quality insulated glass, thermal efficiency will never be as high as an insulated steel or wooden door. However, you can increase efficiency by customizing an insulated aluminum frame and section rails, but this can increase the price dramatically. 

Laminated Glass

Laminated glass varieties are more resistant to shattering when compared to tempered glass and have better soundproofing qualities, so they cost extra. You might have to pay as much as 30% more for this type of glass garage door with an average price of $5,200.

Glass Door Cost Factors

It’s not just the size and glass type that influences how much you pay for a glass garage door. Below are some other major considerations.

Glass Thickness

Standard single glass panes are 1/8-inch thick. Although they’re the most economical option, most homeowners opt for at least 1/4 inch thick tempered glass. If you go for insulated glass, this is more expensive, and how much more it costs depends on how thick it is. Typical insulated glass thickness options are 7/16 inches, 5/8 inches, or 1-inch thick.

Garage Size

Frosted Glass / Opacity

If you want to increase privacy, reduce the amount of light let in, or you're going for a particular aesthetic, you can opt for glass with different opacity. On average, this adds at least 25% more to the price of the glass. Frosted glass garage doors are the most common choice, but you can also have the windows tinted or mirrored (typically the most expensive option). Some homeowners opt for black glass garage doors, for added privacy.

Door Styles

Because of the construction of the window panels in glass garage doors, they aren’t available in as many designs as standard garage doors are. The most common options (unless you go down the custom route) are:

• Rollup doors: Usually over $4,500. However, they’re typically more durable than swing-up sectional garage doors and require less maintenance when in regular use.  

• Swing-up garage doors: Less costly than rollup doors up front, but if you use the door regularly, the maintenance costs could be higher over time.

• Commercial glass doors: Custom-made doors that are generally larger and heavier duty than a standard residential glass garage door. They’re often used for businesses requiring easy access and high visibility (car dealerships, coffee shops or bars, firehouses, etc.).

Frame Type and Color

Most glass garage doors use a lightweight but durable anodized aluminum frame. Because the glass panels are already heavy, using a steel or wood frame would put even more strain on the mechanical elements of the door.

Many manufacturers offer different colored powdered coatings for the frame, but anything other than standard white usually costs more.

It’s possible to fill the frame, stiles, and rails with an insulative layer, but this level of customization adds considerably to the price.

Glass Garage Door Installation Costs 

As well as the cost to purchase the glass garage door, you’ll also have to factor in installation costs. 

Door Installation Costs

Garage door installation costs run from $700 to $1,500 for a typical project, but costs often run higher for complex, customized glass doors.

Garage Door Opener and Installation Costs 

You might need to upgrade an existing garage door opener because glass garage doors are heavier than standard garage doors. New garage door opener installation costs an average of $360, and the price of a heavy-duty opener is usually $300+.

Glass Garage Door DIY Installation vs. Hiring a Pro

It’s better to hire a professional to install a glass garage door. Not only are they heavy, but you’re also dealing with glass, high tension springs, and electrical installations. Professionals not only install this expensive item properly and safely, but warranty their work, usually for at least a year. Contact a professional garage door installer near you for free quotes and pricing for your area.

FAQs

Are glass garage doors good?

Contemporary and elegant glass garage doors can certainly increase your home’s curb appeal. They also make the inside space feel larger and let in natural light and views. However, they’re a sizable investment compared to a standard steel garage door, they’re not as energy-efficient (even if you use insulated glass), and their modern, minimalist designs don’t suit every home style. 

How likely is it for a glass door to break?

Although the thick, tempered glass panels typically used for full view garage doors are more durable and less likely to break than standard glass, cracks or breakages are still a possibility. However, good fitting and regular maintenance can help minimize the chance of these occurrences. Plus, because glass garage doors feature multiple panels, it’s possible to repair a single panel rather than the entire door.

Is it expensive to maintain and repair glass garage doors?

Maintenance for glass garage doors is much like it is for standard types. Things like lubricating moving parts, clearing the tracks, tightening the hardware, and inspecting rollers can help to keep the door operating smoothly.  Glass garage doors also need their glass cleaned frequently. One advantage is that powder-coated aluminum frames won’t need repainting the way that many standard metal or wooden garage doors will. 

The average garage door repair costs $250. For heavy glass garage doors with customized fittings, it could be higher. Another potential major repair cost is replacing broken glass panels. For tempered, insulated glass material and labor costs are likely to be $300 or more.