Sectional Garage Doors
Perhaps the most common type of garages for residential spaces are sectional garage doors. When opening or closing, the wheels located at the end of each metal panel will roll along a vertical track on the sides of the door’s opening.
A curved portion on the track also enables the door to rest parallel to the ceiling when the garage door is open, or in alignment with the walls when it is completely closed.
Such doors are usually made from steel and require relatively low maintenance. Some places even enable customization for different textures, colors, as well as levels of insulation.
Roll-Up Garage Doors
As a popular garage option for commercial spaces, the roll-up garage door is a no-frills option, best for spaces with limited ceiling space.
Made from 2-3 inches long steel panels, Roll-up garage doors are built to withstand heavy use and the best quality units can be constructed without the use of springs or closed off to avoid corrosion or rusting. Upfront costs for roll-up garage doors are usually higher than sectional garage doors due to its heavy-duty design.
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
Popular amongst old-school lovers, the side-hinged garage door resembles barn doors and swings open from hinges attached on both sides of the door frame. Though wood is the most common material used for such doors, some contractors offer galvanised steed as an option as well.
This is ideal for garages with lower ceiling heights, as space is conserved from the panels resting by the wall as opposed to the ceiling of the garage.
Tilt-Up Canopy Garage Doors
Similar to the side-hinged garage door style, the tilt up garage door is not made up of sections of panels. Instead, it is one complete piece that pivots around a hinge mechanism attached to the edge of the garage roof, allowing it to tilt up to open, and down to close. When it is open, it extends in front of the house and rests parallel to the ground.
Side to Side Garage Doors
The side to side garage doors roll along the track and rest against the wall of one side of the garage when open. Similar to the side-hinged garage door, it was initially designed for spaces with less headroom.
If you have slight sloping in your garage ceiling or floor, this could be the option for you as the lower trolleys that the door panels slide along are typically flexible enough to accommodate this.
With an in-built retractable motor in this style, balancing springs are not required, nor is there a need to mount an operator on the ceiling, as the doors are fully automated.
With these five types of garage doors in mind, you’ll now better understand what could work best for your garage!