When it comes to garage door and accessories, there’s no denying the fact Wayne Dalton is a well-established brand in the industry. Even if you don’t own any of their products, chances are you have seen one of their well-crafted beautiful garage doors before. The company, since 1954, has manufactured innovative, durable, and reliable garage doors and garage door openers.
In this article, we will review the most popular models and series of Wayne Dalton garage doors to help you with your purchase decision. Also, keep in mind this dedicated to only garage doors made by the company. If you are looking for a review on their garage door openers, read this post. Now, let’s get into it.
Here are the most popular Wayne Dalton garage door series and models available
- 9100 and 9600 Model Garage Doors
- 8300 and 8500 Model Garage Doors
- 8850 Model Garage Door
- 8700 Model Garage Door
- 7400 Series Garage Doors
- 7100 Series Garage Doors
- 300 Series Garage Doors
- 40 Series Garage Doors
Wayne Dalton 9100 and 9600 Model Garage Doors
If you are in the market for a steel garage door with the great build quality and beautiful design, the 9100 or 9600 model garage door from Wayne Dalton should be one of the options to consider.
Construction
These two garage doors were built based on a concept Wayne Dalton calls 3-Layer construction. This simply means they layered three materials to construct the garage door panels. The three layers of the 9100 model are Steel > Insulation > ToughGuard backer. The 9600 model is a little bit different. The three layers used for its Construction is Steel > Insulation >Steel. This design concept makes the panels very sturdy and robust.
To make this garage door more robust, Integral Struts are installed on both models. This does not only improve strength but makes the garage door moor rigid and helps in smooth operation when it is connected to a garage door opener.
To also improve the overall home efficiency, both models are equipped with polyurethane insulation. For those interested in the numbers, the R-Value of the insulation is 9 in the 9100 model, and 11 in the 9600 model. Polyurethane is also a material that reduces noise and keeps your garage door quiet when in operation.
Design
Wayne Dalton offers five different garage door panels for both the 9100 and 9600 models, and each comes with a unique design. Besides, you can choose one of the seven standard colors provided by Wayne Dalton for the panels. These are gray, green, desert tan, brown, taupe, and white. Something to note, however, is, green is only available for the 9600 model, while the gray is available for the 9100 model. If you prefer a custom color that will fit perfectly with your home design, you are in luck. That’s because Wayne Dalton offers TruChoice™ Color System. That gives you 6000+ more color options to choose from.
Another thing you can do to enhance the aesthetics of the 9100 and 9600 model from Wayne Dalton is adding windows. Whether you prefer a modern window design or something vintage, there are a ton of options available for the 9100 and 9600 models. These models are also compatible with Ranch panel windows as well as Sonoma panel windows, giving you some options to choose from. Check out all the windows available for these models here.
In a nutshell, the durability of steel doors, with excellent insulation, and high customizability makes the 9100 and 9600 worth every penny. You should consider this when you prefer a steel garage door.
Wayne Dalton 8300 and 8500 Model Garage Doors
Another excellent steel garage door option from Wayne Dalton is the 8300 – 8500. This garage also comes with high-performance features as well as attractive design options to choose from. First, let’s talk about this garage door’s constructional features and performance.
Construction
Just like the 9100-9600 model garage doors, the 8300 and 8500 models come with a 3-Layer Construction. The three layers are Steel> Insulation > Steel. Where these models shine, the most is insulation.
The 8300 and 8500 models are rated as the best insulated Wayne Dalton door on the market. If you are interested in the numbers, the 8300 has an R-value of 12.12, and the 8500 model has an R-value of 16.12. This is really impressive, compared to other residential garage doors on the market. This simply means you’ll have a much quieter garage, the garage door will operate much smoother than the others, and the thermal efficiency of the garage will be improved.
Nylon garage door rollers installed on these models make for quieter and smooth operation and can last for years with less to no maintenance. Bottom weather seal and joint seals prevent dust and debris, as well as air to enter your garage. If you stay in a hurricane-prone area, then you are in luck. That is because you can get WindSafe® installed with these models for extra reinforcement. WindSafe® compatible garage doors can withstand high winds and storms without any damage.
Design
Now let’s talk design. The 8300 and 8500 come with five uniquely designed garage door panels. Some are more contemporary and modern, and the others have a more classic and vintage look. Besides the standard factory colors offered by Wayne Dalton, there is an option with a wood grain finish, giving your door a wooden look without the need to maintain it. TruChoice™ is also available for the 8300-8500 models, so you have a lot of choices when it comes to custom color for your garage door.
Several windows can be installed with these models. One thing to note is not every window type is compatible with every panel. So your panel choice will decide which window design you can choose.
Wayne Dalton 8850 Model Garage Door
The 8850 model from Wayne Dalton is designed for homes with a more modern and contemporary look.
Construction and Design
The 8850 has a straightforward yet elegant design. Frames of the door are made of aluminum. You can get the aluminum in various finishes and coatings listed below.
For anodized finishes, your options are Clear, Bronze, and Brown
If you prefer to paint, you can get in White or Brown
For powder coat finishes, your options are Dark Bronze and Black
If you prefer more color options, RAL Powder Coat from Wayne Dalton gives you up to 200 colors.
Because this is a garage door with glass panes (more on that later), there is no insulation for this garage door. However, there is an insulated aluminum frame option available. Because of the thin nature of the frames, polyurethane is used to fill the rails and stiles. This means the insulation efficiency is not as good as the steel doors discussed. However, you get a maximum R-Value of 4.06
The 8850 also comes equipped with joint seals. That helps block wind and rain from entering your garage. In an effort to keep the door running smoothly for years, there are reinforcing fins installed on every top section.
Glass Options
Wayne Dalton provides seven different glass options for the 8850 model garage door. They are listed below.
- Clear
- Bronze Tinted
- Gray Tinted
- Satin Etched
- Obscure
- Green Tinted
- White Laminated
For a more visual representation of these glass options, check the image below
In Conclusion, the 8850 model is not for everyone. This is for the person looking for that beautiful garage door to compliment his home. If you are looking for a more thermally efficient and overall robust garage door, you should look at a different model.
Also: Wayne Dalton Garage Door Parts – Complete List and Buying Guide
Wayne Dalton 8700 Model Garage Door
Personally, this is one of my favorite garage doors made by Wayne Dalton. Model 8700 is one of the most sought after garage doors because this door does not rust, cannot bend or crack, and its color never fades. Yes, that is 100% true. Now let’s talk about its construction.
Construction
The primary material used in making the 8700’s panel is vinyl. This is a material known to be extremely tough. That is why this garage door can last a lifetime without breaking or having any dents. Vinyl is also resistant to salt air, so if you live in a coastal region, I highly recommend this model.
To protect the sections of the door, UV-Resin is used in the construction. This means ultraviolet rays from the sun cannot damage the door. As always, polyurethane insulation was also added to improve thermal efficiency. The 8700 model has an R-Value of 11.75. This door is also WindSafe® compatible. So for those living in harsh weather areas, this can be a great choice.
Design
8700 model garage door from Wayne Dalton comes with two uniquely designed panels. They are called Colonial and Sonoma. They all have similar specs, just a design difference. Feel free to choose any option depending on your taste.
You have four paint options to choose from – Adobe Cream, Glacier White, Monterey Sand, and Cape Cod Gray. One thing to know about these paint finishes is that scratches on the surface will not be visible. That’s because the color is just not on the surface but goes deep into the vinyl material.
There are four window options for this model as well: Cathedral 1, Ruston, Stockton-1, and Williamsburg-1. All of these designer window options will work for any of the two panels.
Also: Wayne Dalton Garage Door Repair Guide – Ways to Fix Common WD Door Problems
Wayne Dalton 7400 Series Garage Doors
If you prefer wooden garage doors, the 7400 series garage doors from Wayne Dalton is something you should consider
Construction & Design
Wayne Dalton did a great job with the 7400 series, in my opinion. This door was constructed with four layers, which include polystyrene insulation. And they all add up to be about 2 inches in thickness. All the models in this series have an R-Value of 4.7, which isn’t really great, as compared to other Wayne Dalton doors.
With eight uniquely designed garage door panels, you will have something that fits perfectly with your home design and personal taste. Besides the standard eight models, you can mix and match different elements on their website to create a custom door, and they will build it for you. These are the eight different models inside this series:
- 7400 Delmar
- 7401 Preakness
- 7402 Churchill
- 7405 Remington
- 7406 Belterra
- 7410 Saratoga
- 7411 Belmont
- 7412 Derby
Now let’s talk about wood. The models in this series are not differentiated only by design. The choice of wood used for these doors differs from model to model. There are stain-grade woods for those who like the wooden look and paint-grade wood options if you intend to paint your garage door. The five main types of wood used for the 7400 series are Cedar, Hemlock, MDO, Plywood, and Mahogany. These are all popular known high-quality woods for making premium doors.
Your door can be designed to look like a regular door with hinges, but still function as a sectional garage door. This means, regardless of the looks, it can be operated with a garage door opener. The 7400 series garage doors also come with several decorative hardware kits to customize the look on your garage.
Just as most of the door models we have already discussed, there are several window options available for the 7400 series as well, if you need that extra customization.
Online Door Designer
One cool thing about this series is, Wayne Dalton has a dedicated page on their website where you can customize everything about the garage door before you order. From the model design style, the number of sections, type of wood, window design selection, and the type of glass you prefer installed in the window. Check it out here.
Wayne Dalton 7100 Series Garage Doors
7100 Series is another great wooden option from the company. In terms of constructional features, this is the same as the 7400 Series. So anything that applies for the 7400 series applies here.
What makes the 7100 series different is design. This series comes with nine distinct but beautiful panel design.
- 7101 Clydesdale
- 7101 Clydesdale Grooved
- 7102 Appaloosa
- 7102 Appaloosa Grooved
- 7103 Mustang
- 7104 Palomino Narrow
- 7104 Palomino Wide
- 7105 Stallion Narrow
- 7105 Stallion Wide
Something worth knowing is Model numbers, 7101, 7102, 7103, and 7104 is either a paint-grade or has an MDO (Medium Density Overlay) surface. Except model 7105. It comes with hemlock raised panel and can be either stained or painted.
As mentioned earlier, everything else about this garage door is the same as that of the 7400 series. They all have the same wooden options, windows, decorative hardware, and polystyrene insulation (optional) with R-Value of 4.75
Wayne Dalton 300 Series Garage Doors
The 300 Series is yet another classic wooden series garage doors from Wayne Dalton. It has a simple yet elegant design.
Construction and Design
This thickness of all the models in this series is 1 3/8 inches. Unfortunately, this series does not come with insulation. So if thermal efficiency in your garage is something you care about, then look at another option. Mortise and tenon joints were used for all the doors in this series. And to make it even more reliable, the joints have been glued and pinned with Steel. Galvanized Steel was used to make the tracks. Not only are they durable, but they are also rust-resistant.
Let’s talk about wood. Hemlock and Cedar are the two primary kinds of wood used for the construction of the 300 series. Most of the models come sanded, so you can go ahead and paint or stain it. Cedar doors, however, don’t come sanded.
Models in the 300 series are 310, 311, 314, 315, and 316.
There are window options available for this series as well. Check out the photo below to know the different options on the market.
The 310 and 311 models are compatible with Sunray, Cathedral, Stockton, and Clear
With model 314, 315, and 316, there are more options to choose from. These are Elongated Stockton, Colonial Stockton, Sherwood, Ruston, Bachelor, Cathedral, and Sunray. Keep in mind that photos may be slightly different from the actual product.
Wayne Dalton 40 Series Garage Doors
The 40 Series is handcrafted garage doors by expert craftsmen over at Wayne Dalton This series combines minimalism with excellent craftsmanship. The design of this door makes it a perfect fit for both contemporary and traditional homes.
Construction and Design
The 40 series is constructed with high-quality western wood, which has been dried by a kiln. Polystyrene insulation was used on all the models of this series. It has an R-Value of 4.75, just as most wooden door series we have already discussed. All wood frames were meticulously structured by craftsmen and handled with care. It’s worth knowing that all ordered doors come sanded, and you can paint or stain right away.
This door comes in three models: Model 42, 44, and 45. Although they have the same design, they can be differentiated by the wood used in the exterior. Model 42 has a 3/8″ Rough Sawn Plywood exterior, model 44 has a 5/8″ T1-11 plywood with 1/4″ grooves, and model 45 1/4″ smooth plywood.
There are two window options for the 40 series: Sunray and 3 over 3.
Conclusion
There you have it. The eight most popular Wayne Dalton garage doors. Which one should you go for? Short answer, it depends. If you prefer a more robust garage door that requires less maintenance, then I recommend you go for the 8700 model or any of the steel garage doors. If you are looking for something more modern to compliment your home, then I suggest you take a lot at the 8850 model. I recommend the wooden doors for anyone who prefers a more traditional looking garage door which is high quality.
