Pro's Picks: Wayne Dalton Luminous Garage Door

Christian LeCates

President, Custom Specialties Group

Las Vegas, Nev.

Maybe one’s out there, but I have yet to see a better looking garage door than Wayne Dalton’s Luminous model. We installed our first one in 2016 on a contemporary-style home on the west side of Las Vegas, and to this day, it looks just as good as when we installed it, and the mechanics work just as well.

This is a garage door that blends into the home and creates a smooth transition between outdoor and indoor spaces. It’s a fully glass system, which installs much the same as any garage door, but in mounting the panels to its aluminum structure, you use a special adhesive—the same as they use on skyscrapers. You need the additional strength, because the panels are exceptionally heavy, as they’re entirely made of glass.

One of the most impressive aspects of the door is how the panels are linked. Wayne Dalton uses a vinyl seal, which helps to prevent breakage while allowing the panels to bend without creating gaps between them. It has the added effect of doubling as a really effective weather barrier, as well as a barrier against dust, dirt and other debris that might blow in from outside. 

It’s also worth noting that the door performs exceptionally well in most weather conditions. We’ve never had problems with the adhesive losing its grip, or the gaps between panels widening, or the panels themselves breaking from thermal stress. 

When you’re working on a sleek, modern home, it can be tough finding a garage door that balances what you want aesthetically with what you want functionally. The Luminous does that well.