When you're hungry for a delicious meal, you fire the car up and ride across town to your favorite restaurant. After entering and being seated, you wave the server over without looking at the menu. When they ask what you'd like, you politely reply, "food, please."
You would never order a meal like this at a restaurant. There are way too many choices to ponder to reply with a generic answer, such as "food". Why would you expect to select a garage door this way? In the same manner, it would be a mistake to attempt to purchase a garage door without browsing a menu.
There are literally thousands of combinations of garage door sizes, styles, and designs.
There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all garage door. When you drive down any city street or through any neighborhood development, does every garage look the same?
Even in the most cookie-cutter-style neighborhoods, the answer is no. At the very minimum, the color is different. A contrast also exists between the number of single-door and double-door garages.
A regular garage door is not a term that can be defined because it doesn't exist. Color is one of the simplest decisions you will make when selecting a garage door. There are many other elements that go into this purchase.
A regular garage door for you could be an 8-foot brown door with a single stall for one car. Of course, this is normal because you have a green house that matches the brown and you're single (this is just an example).
Normal to the neighbors is a beige garage door because they have a blue house, and the double-door with a three-car stall is standard because everyone has four kids, right?
Purchasing a garage door is something that requires thought and planning. However, it shouldn't be overwhelming or confusing. We should be able to provide some help.
A good starting point when choosing the right door is usually the size. These are the most common garage door sizes in width:
- 8-feet
- 9-feet
- 10-feet
- 12-feet
- 14-feet
- 16-feet
Height is another important factor. Usually, 7-foot and 8-foot options are standard for residential construction. However, there are factors that could change this. We'll get into that later.
After choosing the appropriate measurements for your door, you can begin to work your way forward, conquering one characteristic at a time.
Take a look at this gorgeous double door. This model is a Moderno Multi design, 16’ x 7’, Black, Azur windows.
Things to Ponder Before Purchasing a Garage Door
If you're replacing the old door and keeping the entryway the same size and shape, your job is easy. You'll require the same measurement that your previous garage door came in.
However, it's not always this simple. Let's assume you've decided to completely overhaul the garage and entryway.
There are tools available to help you figure out the size door you'll need for a pre-existing structure. If you're renovating, you'll need to know these measurements before you can move forward with purchasing a door. You need to know how much space available in your garage to install the tracks to lift the door. There are different types of lifts, depending on your needs and available space.
If you are building a new garage, step number one is deciding what activities the garage will be dedicated to.
Door widths can be decided after you figure out what your garage will turn into.
What is the Garage Being Used for?
Do you know what you're using the garage for? If you do, you can move on with selecting your width. If you haven't, you might want to consider these options.
- Car or truck storage
- RV or boat storage
- Hosting parties
- Box and household storage
- Dedicated plant area
- Fitness area
- Extra bedroom
- Laundry and mud area
If you're going with car storage, you'll need between 7 and 10 feet for the width of the door.
If you have a larger car or a truck, any width closer to 10 feet is going to be more accommodating. We can design doors of up to 20 feet if you have the need for large sizes.
Consider the number of vehicles you will park in the garage, as well.
Single car widths vary between 7' and 12', while 2 cars will need a clearance of 16' total or more. If the vehicles are mid-to-large size, you'll need 20' or better.
An 18' door will allow you to park 2 vehicles without a problem. If you have tiny vehicles like a Smart Car or Mini, you can probably get away with dipping down to 14' or 16'.
Trucks and larger vehicles will require closer to 20'. You want to be sure the vehicles don't stand a chance of being scratched when they're being parked.
Another option if you are planning for more than one vehicle is installing two doors. If you have two trucks, you could install two 10' or 12' doors instead of a 20' or 24' single door.
Buying 2 doors means maintaining 2 doors. You’ll need double the weatherstripping, double the track maintenance, and double the batteries for the garage door openers.
However, this also could mean that each door gets used less frequently than having one and could lead to a longer life for the two doors you install.
Look at this nice, shed garage door. This is a Grooved Design, 6' x 7', Ice White, Clear windows.
The above garage is designed for parking Smart Cars. No, we’re just kidding. If you were wondering why smaller doors of the 6’and 7’type existed, the picture above is your answer. These small sheds are perfect for parking lawnmowers, 4-wheelers, and other small yard machines.
Consider Adding a LiftMaster to Your Package
Our technicians are great at making your life easier. They can arrive at your home twice per year to perform routine maintenance and balance your garage door. They’re also very well-skilled at installing LiftMaster packages to your setup.
LiftMaster offers many electric openers that can make your life more convenient. For example, check out the LiftMaster 87504-267. This model is Wi-Fi-connected and can be controlled from your phone or tablet. Plus, LiftMaster door openers are good protection against burglars. Most of the models have a form of security attached to them that can alert you to an intrusion.
Check out all the options available from LiftMaster!
Designing Your Garage Door
Weatherstripping will fill any leftover space after your garage door is cut. Typically, we get to the closest inch anyway, so there won’t be a large gap in the finished product. We know insulation is important.
All of our doors are custom made since we don’t carry a standard garage door you may have been looking for in the beginning. This means you won’t pay extra for receiving the door you pictured having.
One thing you should remember is that garage doors always look different in the final setting than how the floor models are. When they’re set against backdrops and other patterns, the design may not be what you wanted.
This is what makes Design Centre so important. This awesome tool gives you a real look into how the door is going to fit after it’s finally installed.
The Style of Your Door
You’re going to be stuck with your garage door for a while. It’s natural to want something that’s pleasing to the eye, especially since they take up a large amount of the front of your home.
Traditional, Contemporary and Carriage House are our three base styles. From there, they branch out into more specific patterns, designs, and colors.
You can always discuss with one of our experts how you should select your door. At ACS Door Services of Omaha, we’re standing by to give you a free quotation by email whenever you’re ready.
Contact us at 402-333-8988. We love making your neighbors jealous when you show off your amazing new door.
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