Not too long ago, garages had little variety, with almost all of them having the same up-and-over door. Today, garages built with up-and-over doors, are few and far between. Now, after decades, sectional doors have become the industry standard. Each type of door has its own distinct advantages. Where a sectional door excels and dominates is its ability to retain the functionality of the space in front of the garage.
Sectional Garage Doors
Sectional doors have become the default choice for most new garages and there are good reasons for that. They’re made up of horizontal panels that hinge together, and the whole thing slides up and overhead on tracks. When the door is open, it sits flat against the ceiling, which is genuinely useful.
The most obvious and upstanding benefit is that you don’t lose any driveway space. Because the door goes straight up rather than swinging out, you can park right up to the garage without blocking it. This is especially important if you’ve got a short drive or limited space in front of the garage.
There is no mechanism taking up headroom when the garage door is open, providing unobstructed vertical space all the way up. This means you can safely consider adding shelving to the walls, for instance, or transform the garage into a workshop. Travertine door is a sectional garage door is the best choice for maximizing space.
In terms of security, the locking mechanisms on sectional doors are top tier. Some even come equipped from the factory with a multipoint locking system, which are very difficult to the forcibly opened from the outside. This enhanced security is appreciated by insurance companies.
The main notable aspect is the cost, which is higher than most doors of this size. They are also time-consuming to install, with a requirement for a fair amount of clearance above the door. This is especially an issue if you have a low ceiling.
Rolling Garage Doors
These doors operate on a system of interleaved, horizontally aligned metal slats, locking in place when fully down, and rolling up like a large shutter when opening. They have functional uses and work well aesthetically with modern builds.
Less overhead space is their biggest selling feature. The door rolls up to fit in a smaller space so you don’t need as much ceiling space in the garage. If you are low on headroom or want to maximize storage, roller doors are a logical option.
They’re also great for safety. When the door is closed, the slats lock into place on both sides, making them quite challenging to force open. Many roller doors have automatic locking as a standard feature, so you don’t need to manually lock them.
While foam-filled slats are still not as good as insulated sectional doors, the better roller doors have also improved in terms of insulation.
The housing box that is built to store the rolled door is the main drawback. If the box is external, it alters the garage appearance. Some people like the modern, clean look while others think it looks too industrial. Internal boxes don’t alter the appearance on the outside but they do take up some ceiling space.
The less expensive roller doors are also quite loud and the slats have a tendency to rattle, especially in windy conditions. This is usually fixed by spending a little bit more on a good quality door that has proper bracing.
Up-and-Over Garage Doors
These garage doors have historical significance, being the first style of garage doors manufactured and still manufactured and sold today due to their simplicity and affordability. These garage doors consist of a single panel that tilts upwards and outwards and then slides back above the garage on arms or tracks.
There are two designs for this type of garage door: canopy and retractable. Canopy doors are the cheaper of the two designs, and are more simplistic than retractable. With canopy doors, a third of the door protrudes outside of the garage when the door is fully opened. On the other hand, retractable doors do not project outwards when opened fully, as the entire panel of the door bolts to tracks and slides back to sit fully within the garage door frame.
The primary advantage of “up-and-over” is the cost, as they tend to be the lowest priced garage door style thanks to their longstanding popularity. Additionally, they are easy to install. This is beneficial to customers as rolldoor garage doors have very few parts and tend to be easy for fitters to troubleshoot. Even if they do have an issue, with their parts being low cost and readily available, they are quick to get the job done.
These doors are great for keeping the weather out of an enclosed space and keeping a garage secure. Because of this, if customers are working with a lower budget and do not need any active or funky features, up-and-over the garage doors are the right choice. However, the drawbacks with this door style relate to the space and convenience features. Because the door swings out, there is a very limited area to park in the space on the outside of the garage, which can be an inconvenience when driveways are short.
You are not wrong to think that single panel up-and-over garage doors are not all that secure. Up-and-over garage doors have one single panel that can be vulnerable to a forceful entry, particularly with cheap locks that can be quite easy to break. If there are any valuable items being stored inside, we recommend upgrading to a more secure lock.
Similar to sectional doors, most up-and-over garage doors are automatable. However, up-and-over garage doors do require stronger automative devices because the door swings rather than slides, which likely increases the cost.
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
Side-hinged garage doors are making a porition back to the garage door market after they were unfashionable for a long while. Uh, they are two side by side panels that are hinged on one side. We will have to say that from a design perspective, it may look a little dated, but it can work wonders in the right situation.
The major advantage over other door types is that they do easilt provide access for a pedestrian to walk on in to the garage. If the garage is being used as a workshop for any other activity, it can be tiresome to open a large door every time. Side-hinged doors allow one side to be opened to provide easy access while the large door is still in secuted closed position.
Since there is no overhead mechanism, they don’t need any ceiling space. This also is helpful for garages with low ceilings or if you have a lot of storage up high. Also, they’re purely mechanial, so you won’t need to rely on springs or electric motors, which means that there is less to go wrong with how they function.
If you fit proper locks, security is decent. Each door can have it’s own mortice lock, and you can add bolts top and bottom, for additional lock security. If you don’t skimp on locks, they’re no more vulnerable than your front door.
The obvious downside is that sub they need clearance in front of the garage in order to swing open. If you have a short drive, they might not work. Inside the garage, when the doors are opened, you also lose some width, as they take up space on either side.
Weather sealing can be trickier than with other door types. To keep out the wind and the rain, the meeting point in the middle and the gaps around the hinges need proper seals. This can be fine with good quality doors, but with cheaper doors, there can be draughts.
Making Your Selection
If working with a budget, things become a bit easier. Up-and-over doors are affordably priced and work well. If budget isn’t a worry, consider sectional or roller doors. They provide more security, better insulation, and more convenience.
Space is also a huge factor. Measure the space in front of the garage (for driveway clearance) and also inside (for ceiling height and headroom). This can eliminate some restraining options very early on.
Use of the garage is a big factor too. If the garage is only going to be used for the car, and only opened a couple times a day, then any option is fine. If in and out of the garage often, hinged doors work more conveniently. If the garage is going to be used as a workspace and/or needs maximum headroom, roller doors are the best option.
If a garage door is to be automated, sectional and roller doors are best, as they automate more easily and are more affordable. Up and over doors can also be automated, but comes at a higher cost. Side hinged doors can also be automated, but is less common.
The style of the house can also be a determiner. More modern builds work best with roller or sectional doors. More traditional homes often look better with side hinged in a wooden style. This isn’t a hard rule, but some combinations just look wrong.
No matter what type you go with, quality is paramount as opposed to what kind of door you get. In terms of lasting durability, structured security, and insulation, in a comparison of u-and-over to sectional doors, up-and-over doors will always be a better option as long as they are well made. Don’t go for the fanciest option just to check a box if it’s going to mean sacrificing the quality of the build.