Toronto’s urban home landscapes are changing. More and more GTA homeowners and commercial businesses want to hit all the marks of curb appeal, eco-friendliness and modern design while still maximizing their smaller and more compact city lots. One of the latest eye-catching home trends? Combine your garage door with an exterior living wall.
Whether your vision is a sea of green wrapping your entry or a smart, minimal approach to integrating a garage with an exterior wall of plants, trees and even edible gardens, merging green with your garage door can add to your home’s value, health and, of course, wow-factor.
Legacy Garage Doors is all about thinking outside the box (and inside the garage) with our repair, installation and upgrade services. If you’re considering trying out living walls, vertical gardens or unique green space designs combined with your garage door, keep reading. We’ve got tips, inspiration and advice to help make your creative garage landscaping goals a reality.
Why Pair Garage Doors With Living Walls?
Pain Points Of Urban Homeowners Addressed
- Limited green space on small Toronto lots: If there’s precious little room for traditional back or front yards, living walls make use of often-wasted vertical real estate.
- Boost privacy and add curb appeal: A living wall, planted to frame your garage door, can soften the overall architectural effect and even help you feel more separated from traffic and your neighbors.
- Improved insulation, comfort and air quality: Added natural insulation, absorption of pollutants and a more-cooled microclimate can make both your garage and adjacent interior spaces more comfortable to be in.
- Potential for a property value boost: Excellent exterior landscaping with some real eco-sustainability results will impress buyers and improve your home’s overall value.
Design Ideas: How To Make It Work For Your Toronto Home
1. Frame the Garage With Living Panels
Install vertical planters, plant boxes, or a trellis system along the side (or both sides) of the garage door to make a living “entryway” effect.
Mix and match evergreen vines or evergreen trees, seasonal annuals, or even edibles or herbs for all-season interest and visual appeal.
2. Above-the-Door Green Canopies
Living green panels or trailing vines can be installed above the garage door to create a hanging, canopy-like effect.
The plants or trees can add shade (to help with interior summer cooling) as well as a striking architectural look.
3. Living Wall “Door Wraps”
It’s even possible to combine the front of the door with a modular, lightweight living wall system.
The right garage doors can be adapted or ordered to support the extra weight and hold a vertical garden on its face.
This option needs to be carefully engineered by a professional-extra weight can strain the door opener and torsion springs, so this is not a typical do-it-yourself project.
Consult with Legacy Garage Doors first. Added weight to the front of the door will require either custom garage door opener replacement or a heavier-duty opener to handle the job.
Key Considerations For Garage Doors And Living Walls
1. Structural Support & Safety
Proper support of the living wall itself and its attachment to the wall of the home or garage is crucial.
Modular, lightweight, or hydroponic systems may place less stress on the wall and home foundation and may even avoid direct attachment.
NEVER plant, add greenery or otherwise obstruct the operation of the garage door. If in doubt, go with a free-standing living wall to the side of the garage, not attached to it.
2. Moisture & Weatherproofing
Living walls add a new source of moisture, plants and humidity to your home exterior. When combined with a garage door, consider:
- Waterproofing, drainage and moisture barriers: Any wall near a garage door should have sufficient waterproofing, especially with the door opening to the elements.
- Plan carefully so that water, moisture, or even just humidity from the plants do not make it into the garage, damage the garage door or cause rust, warping or mold.
- Keep garage door weatherstripping, tracks, sensors and the door face itself clear of plantings. The door should be free to fully open and close without impediment or damage from the landscaping.
- Call for garage door repair Toronto or maintenance as soon as you suspect problems.
3. Smart Opener Compatibility
A heavier system, additional load-bearing features or even just the proximity of an automated garage door may mean that the opener needs to be upgraded.
This could mean simply adding smart capabilities, or it could require a stronger or more heavy-duty garage door opener replacement with more lifting power.
Call Legacy to learn which are best for green wall adjacent living spaces.
Maintenance & Care To Keep It Looking Great For Years
- Keep greenery trimmed and maintained to ensure your garage is still accessible and your living wall is beautiful.
- Don’t let plants become entangled with the door or spring mechanism. Trim branches regularly.
- Keep an eye out for insects or nesting: Green spaces of any kind can bring along not just pollinators but even the occasional unwanted pests.
Schedule regular inspections: Legacy’s preventative maintenance packages, including weatherseal inspections and opener performance, can help catch early signs of moisture problems, pests or other challenges with living walls that could impact your garage door.
Emergency and Year-Round Support Available
Toronto’s weather can be unpredictable and summer storms or overgrowth may have even the best-laid landscape and exterior design plans suddenly in need of some assistance. We offer emergency garage door service GTA for even the most specialized repairs or maintenance.
Legacy Garage Doors has Your Back (And Your Front Door) In Green-Home Innovation
- Decades of experience with Toronto installations: From the top manufacturers to creative upgrades, custom solutions and yes, even green home innovation, we can help.
- Always honest, upfront and realistic: There’s no shady advice or pressure selling at Legacy. We’ll be straight with you about what’s practical or not for your unique garage door and home.
- Full-service local support: Energy-efficient garage doors, opener and hardware installations and maintenance, DIY tips and guidance on all those smart, long-term goals and how to get them.
Got a real-life project? We’ve got a rapid-response team and emergency repair services to help even the most unique residential and commercial projects (flexible scheduling, even during Toronto’s busy times of year).
Ready to Green Your Garage? Call Today For Your Free Consultation!
Want curb appeal and sustainability? Add function and eco-friendly design with an exterior living wall and a durable, smart and highly-functional garage door installed and maintained by some of the GTA’s most-trusted pros. Whether you’re hoping to DIY the whole thing or you want complete design-build assistance, Legacy Garage Doors is ready to help.
Call now and get a free estimate, creative consultation or schedule the next service visit for your garage door. Let’s make living with curb appeal a reality with Legacy.
