Sectional and roll-up garage doors are the most common, but did you know there are 8 types of garage doors? The most popular garage doors look similar from the outside but don’t open the same way. The true distinction between garage doors is how they operate.
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional garage doors are the most popular in the United States and are likely what you have in your home. Built from sections attached by hinges to the track, these doors operate with rollers. The door operator powers the open/close action on sectional garage doors. Sectional doors are common in homes and businesses.
How many sections are on my garage door?
For most 7′ tall garage doors, a residential steel garage door will have 4 sections or panels. If your garage door is 8′ tall, it will likely include 5 sections. Steel garage doors sections for homes come in 2 heights, 18″ & 21″
Can you replace a damaged section of a garage door?
Yes, but only if the manufacturer still builds the same style. A common service call is to replace a damaged garage door section dented from a car. We do our best to replace a single section, but the majority of dented garage doors result in a new and improved door.
Carriage House Swing Out Garage Doors
Carriage-house garage doors are authentic hand-operated garage doors. An astragal is attached to the meeting edge of two doors, sealing off air, water, and noise. Active panels have an astragal, and the passive panel could be fixed or operable. Today’s carriage-style garage doors have the look of old but are sectional garage doors, powered by electric operators.
Why did true carriage house garage doors go out of fashion?
A swinging-style garage door requires specialized and expensive hardware and controls to operate. As we all upgraded from hand-operated to electric operation, swing-out garage doors faded. The cost of the hardware to power true carriage house garage doors can be more than $2,000. That is 3 to 5 times more expensive than LiftMaster operators.
Can I still buy carriage house garage doors?
Yes. There is a handful of swing-out garage door builders in the US. Real Craft Carriage Doors makes beautiful carriage house garage doors. Ziegler also handcrafts architectural carriage house garage doors. It has been 3 – 4 years, but we also make them.
Sliding Garage Doors
Whether single or bi-parting, sliding garage doors are uncommon. We can remember completing two of these in recent memory. Sliding garage door motor and track mount to the ceiling or wall above the door. An arm is then connected to the door and opened with the click of a button. During operation, the door(s) slides back and comes to rest along the side of the wall.
Why buy a sliding garage door?
If you are a fan of vertical panels, a side sliding sectional door could be a great solution. These contemporary garage door designs can elevate curb appeal. You can achieve a similar look by crafting a wood dir with vertical panels and painting it.
Can you change from an overhead to a sliding garage door?
Yes. There are various opening options for side sliding garage doors and most can be adjusted according to your existing walls.
Where can I buy sliding garage doors?
We found Ryterna and Rundum Meir to be reputable sources on sliding garage doors.
Rolling Sheet Doors
Not beholden to traditional widths, rolling slat steel garage doors fit most buildings. From storage units to folding docks, rolling sheet doors have several performance options. Moving from light-duty to heavy-duty, wind-load sheet doors increases investment and durability.
What’s the max size of a rolling sheet garage door?
Wind load sheet garage doors from Amarr have a max width and height of 20′. Their economical self-storage style doors max out at 10′ wide by 12′ tall.
How thick are rolling sheet commercial garage doors?
Curtain steel thickness ranges from 26 gauge steel to 24 gauge steel. The difference may seem small, but a 24 gauge steel should last and look better over time.
Tilt-Up and Over Canopy Garage Doors
Canopy-style doors, like the side-hinged garage doors, are made of one solid section. They’re attached to a pivoting hinge that allows them to tilt up and over the garage, as the name suggests. When open, tilt-up doors sit parallel to the ceiling and extend outward beyond the opening like an awning over the garage entrance.
Tilt-Up and Over Retractable Garage Doors
Retractable doors are unlike canopy garage doors in that they don’t leave an awning over the front of the opening. These doors instead lift up and backward into the garage, suspending from the garage door frame.Before buying a tilt-up retractable garage door, make sure you have enough space in your garage. While tilt-up canopy doors are great for limited spaces, retractable doors need more backroom. Buyers should also keep in mind that they cost more than other garage door styles and are usually a little harder to operate.
Bi-Fold Garage Doors
These garage doors can fold up or to one side, resulting in jaw-dropping operation. Not for the faint of heart, these are custom fabricated and are the most expensive garage doors we’ve seen. Whether you need to house farm equipment, a plane, or are building the next sports stadium, hydraulic bi-fold garage doors are sure to be a showstopper.
Where can I see bi-fold garage doors?
Schweiss is the world’s leader in bi-fold garage door fabrication. Check out this completed bi-fold garage door for a client in The Woodlands, Texas.
Rolling Slat Commercial Garage Doors
This type of garage door is great when you want to shut off access to an area within a building. These doors can be used in climate-controlled environments and stand up to extensive use.
What businesses use these types of garage doors?
You’ll find these garage doors in offices, gyms (think of the concession stand), and other businesses that need to protect what’s behind the door.
Can I get an insulated rolling slat garage door?
Yes. Our Amarr commercial garage doors offer insulated and non-insulated doors. Polyurethane insulation delivers an 8.0 R-value on the Amarr 4100.
Garage doors can be a big investment, so we want to make sure you find the perfect one for your home or business. We’ve provided some information on the 8 different types of garage doors available, as well as some common questions. If you need more garage door info, please contact us. We are here to help.
