However, using traditional cast stone or architectural concrete around such wide openings presents enormous engineering challenges. In such cases, it is necessary to install heavy steel lintels, use lifting equipment, and employ complex anchoring systems — all of which inevitably lead to budget overruns. Budget alternatives, such as thin vinyl or brittle foam with an exterior insulation and finish system, or EIFS, quickly develop cracks due to vibrations from the garage door mechanism.

As a company built around custom architectural foam fabrication, Decorative Architectural Shapes offers a solution that eliminates most of these manufacturing challenges. It is a premium garage door surround kit — essentially a complete garage door frame kit — made from high-density EPS with a protective coating of 60–100 mil of polyurea hard coat. While this kit serves a decorative purpose, it is, in fact, more than just a trim piece. It is a complete facade system that realistically replicates the surfaces of traditional materials.

How our products are built from the inside (and why they’re so reliable)

To understand why our garage door surround trim outperforms any comparable product, you need to look at its layer-by-layer construction. We design our products to withstand extreme loads.

Cross-section A-A (profile body):

• Core: The core consists of architectural grade EPS (density 1.5–3.0 lb/ft³) or HDU. This material allows us to create shapes of varying complexity (Tuscan, Doric, Corinthian profiles, or modern minimalist designs). The high density of the foam also gives the products the properties of acoustic panel systems — the tight seal around the door acts as a sound silencer, dampening vibrations and street noise that penetrate the room.
• Coating: The key to durability is a layer of industrial polyurea (60–100 mil). Unlike the classic EIFS base layer with plastic mesh, which inevitably cracks at the joints due to vibrations from the garage door mechanism, elastomeric polyurea has a tensile strength of up to 300%. It forms a monolithic, water-resistant capsule (Shore D 60).
• Finish: Our craftsmen apply acrylic or elastomeric compounds by hand to create the appearance of natural stone, wood, or concrete. The coating is UV-resistant and does not fade. Whichever finish you choose, the finished piece functions as one continuous garage door frame trim rather than a set of separate moldings — many customers simply call it a garage door enclosure for the opening.

Cross-section B-B (joint and installation):

The garage door surround seal and trim are installed using a hybrid method, wrapping the opening much like a traditional garage door jamb wrap. We use concealed aluminum or PVC clips (Z-clips) in combination with professional-grade structural polyurethane adhesive. Anchoring is performed directly into the wood framing or masonry of the facade. Because the entire garage door trim kit weighs less than 3–6 lbs per linear foot, there’s no need for steel load-bearing brackets above the opening.

Loads, safety, and compliance with standards

Our full garage door systems are designed in accordance with strict U.S. building codes: 

• Wind Resistance: Designed to withstand wind loads per ASCE 7 standards, important in coastal areas (e.g. South Florida). 
• Fire Safety: Where required, we use special fire-retardant coatings allowing our products to meet Class A fire safety standards per ASTM E84 (Flame Spread Index ≤ 25). 
• Moisture Resistance: With polyurea, our components have zero water absorption, decreasing the likelihood of black mold growth and rot in the facade around the garage door. 

These qualities make full garage door surround kits a popular choice for coastal residential and light-commercial facades in wind-prone regions like South Florida, where a rigid, crack-resistant frame around the garage door opening is essential.

Why Decorative Architectural Shapes?

First and foremost — because you won’t have to worry about how to adapt the products to your project. We’ll take care of that for you, starting right from the design phase. Each garage door surround is custom-designed and produced in-house through our own architectural fabrication process. You’ll enjoy complete transparency in communication, and our management personally oversees deadlines and quality of execution. And finally, you’ll receive a complete full garage door kit that’s perfectly compatible with any facade system (from classic stucco to ventilated facades). If your project also calls for a matching entry, our door surrounds collection offers the same architectural finish for front doors.

As you can see, our acoustic solutions and facade elements are an investment in your property’s resale value. By choosing Decorative Architectural Shapes, you eliminate the risks of cracks, delamination, and water saturation, resulting in a facade that looks flawless for years to come.