Types of Garage Doors
JUMP TO:
SECTIONAL GARAGE DOORS
Sectional garage doors are characterized by their horizontal panels that are hinged and which (guided by rollers) roll along a system of tracks that runs up alongside the garage door opening and curve at the top into horizontal tracks to follow the garage roofline. The weight of the door is balanced by either a torsion spring system or a pair of tension springs (* see below). Sectional doors do not require any space outside the garage to open. A vehicle may park very close to the garage before opening the door.
The individual panels have two rollers per panel giving a very rigid and positive movement. The number and size of panels will depend on the size of the garage door opening, and they are available in single, double, or custom sizes. A typical sectional door for a double garage usually has five hinged panels from top to bottom. A door can be ordered that has the top row of panels containing windows.
Sectional garage doors are manufactured and available in a number of designs. They can be made from fibreglass, alu-zinc, or wood. Wooden sectional garage doors are the most costly but they enhance the elegance of the home with their rich appearance. They however require a lot of maintenance from the homeowner in order to maintain their quality. When choosing a wooden sectional garage door it is important to know what wood the door is made of and how that wood is joined. Alu-zinc doors are designed for houses very close to the ocean as they are more resistant to corrosion, however they do tend to scratch easier than other doors. Fiberglass doors are the most cost effective doors and by far the most popular. They are easy to maintain, light, and tend to keep the garage cooler than wooden or alu-zinc doors.
Sectional Garage Doors come in a number of colours, and can be manual or automatic, the latter being the more popular, simply because you do not have to leave the car to open the door yourself, which would be an inconvenience in bad weather and might put you at risk from possible hijacks. These openers usually feature an automatic lock that locks itself when the door reaches its fully closed position
Due to the multiple parts in sectional garage doors, there are high chances of damage and need for replacement. Nevertheless, components for sectional garage doors are much more readily available and cheaper than other door types. Service of these doors is relatively cost effective, and regular services can prevent any future failure or damaged components. Remember, garage doors are generally the largest moving components of a house and just like anything that moves, they require regular servicing and maintenance. All garage doors require yearly services to ensure smooth and continuous operation
The mechanisms of operations coupled with the design make the overall sectional garage door prices high in comparison with their alternative. However, with the comfort and efficiency they bring, they are worth their value in money.
Torsion Spring Mechanism
Tension Spring Mechanism
ROLL-UP GARAGE DOORS
Roll up garage doors are made out of chromadek, Alu-zinc, or plain galvanised steel. The door is designed in such a way that they consist of one large corrugated steel curtain, these corrugations give the door strength against impacts and allow the curtain to roll, through guides, and eventually around a drum placed above the doorway on the interior wall.
A roll up garage door has preloaded springs inside the rolling mechanism. The springs reduce the effort required to open the door.
Roll Up garage doors can be manual or automatic, the latter being the more popular, simply because you do not have to leave the car to open the door yourself, which would be an inconvenience in bad weather and might put you at risk from possible hijacks.
These openers usually feature an automatic lock that locks itself when the door reaches its fully closed position. Metal Roll Up garage doors are available either as a galvanized, plain steel colour, or in a number of chromadek colours, which can be chosen to suit the decor of the exterior of your house.
Roll up garage doors are made out of chromadek, Alu-zinc, or plain galvanised steel. The door is designed in such a way that they consist of one large corrugated steel curtain, these corrugations give the door strength against impacts and allow the curtain to roll, through guides, and eventually around a drum placed above the doorway on the interior wall.
A roll up garage door has preloaded springs inside the rolling mechanism. The springs reduce the effort required to open the door.
Roll Up garage doors can be manual or automatic, the latter being the more popular, simply because you do not have to leave the car to open the door yourself, which would be an inconvenience in bad weather and might put you at risk from possible hijacks.
These openers usually feature an automatic lock that locks itself when the door reaches its fully closed position. Metal Roll Up garage doors are available either as a galvanized, plain steel colour, or in a number of chromadek colours, which can be chosen to suit the decor of the exterior of your house.
TILT-UP GARAGE DOORS
Tip-up garage doors consist of one large panel. These doors are available in a number of designs but generally operate with side mounted lifting arms (jamb arms) with tension springs attached on either side of the door.
These open the door into the garage on horizontal steel runners using rollers. Opening the solid panel to a position half in and half out of the garage door opening. Tip up doors are an older design of doors and are very rarely installed these days due to their high costs and difficulty of repairs/maintenance.
The only application where tip up doors are installed in recent years is where the garage has very little headroom above the door (The space between the lintel of the garage door opening and the ceiling).
A disadvantage of tip-up doors is that the swing up arc of the door occurs partially outside the garage. This means a vehicle must stop and park several feet in front of the door to avoid being hit by the garage door when it is opened.
Tip-up garage doors can be manual or automatic, the latter being the more popular, simply because you do not have to leave the car to open the door yourself, which would be an inconvenience in bad weather and might put you at risk from possible hijacks. These openers usually feature an automatic lock that locks itself when the door reaches its fully closed position.
Tip-up garage doors consist of one large panel. These doors are available in a number of designs but generally operate with side mounted lifting arms (jamb arms) with tension springs attached on either side of the door.
These open the door into the garage on horizontal steel runners using rollers. Opening the solid panel to a position half in and half out of the garage door opening. Tip up doors are an older design of doors and are very rarely installed these days due to their high costs and difficulty of repairs/maintenance.
The only application where tip up doors are installed in recent years is where the garage has very little headroom above the door (The space between the lintel of the garage door opening and the ceiling).
A disadvantage of tip-up doors is that the swing up arc of the door occurs partially outside the garage. This means a vehicle must stop and park several feet in front of the door to avoid being hit by the garage door when it is opened.
Tip-up garage doors can be manual or automatic, the latter being the more popular, simply because you do not have to leave the car to open the door yourself, which would be an inconvenience in bad weather and might put you at risk from possible hijacks. These openers usually feature an automatic lock that locks itself when the door reaches its fully closed position.
So what are the best garage doors for security?
Many companies may boast they have this lock and that locking system but some doors just don’t have the initial panel strength to make the locking much use and the panel can be bent easily in a corner to gain access so one of the starting points for a secure garage door is a strong, well built door panel, or panels.
How the door is actually secured to the garage structure will also have a massive bearing on whether the final result is secure or not.
For the best in security when security really is the single most important factor then the question shifts from “What door is best?” to “which installer is best?”. At Durban Garage Doors, your safety is our priority, and we take care to ensure the best possible installation and repair of all our garage doors. Garage door installation, whether manual or automatic, can be both difficult and dangerous. Unless you are an expert this is not a job to be undertaken lightly. Unless the installation is done correctly and above all accurately, you can end up with years of problems ahead of you.