It’s happened to the best of us—you’re building a garage or considering a new door and you don’t know a whole lot, but from what you’ve seen doors look pretty similar, right?
Wrong.
There’s no such thing as a standard garage door when it comes to sizing.
Yes, you heard that correctly. The world of garage doors is a complex one and there are plenty of variables and considerations that have to be factored in. you can’t just call a garage door retailer and ask for a “standard single door”, no matter what you’re considering.
You might picture a ‘typical’ door to be white with no windows, measuring about eight feet wide. Someone else might think of “standard” and picture a beige door that’s 16 feet wide and features three or four windows. There’s just so much variety available today that you really have to make sure that you explore all of your options.
Sure, it’d be easier if there were standard sizes, but then you wouldn’t be able to have as much customization in your garage. People demand options, and that includes sizing.
To handle those demands, there are several styles and colors that can be customized to just about any taste. It can often feel overwhelming, but you shouldn’t let it stress you out. We’re here to walk you through every step of the process to choose the perfect door.
So, here’s the caveat. While there’s not one standard size, there are some sizes that are seen more frequently than others. Those include:
Widths of 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, and 16 feet
Heights of 7 and 8 feet
When you’re just starting your garage door shopping, these are good dimensions to keep in mind.
If you like the modern style, check out this double garage door in the Moderno Multi design, 16’ x 7’, Black, Azur windows. It’s gorgeous and features windows to let in natural light.
Important things to consider before choosing a garage door
So, now that you know that you do need to calculate the size, how are you going to do it? Are you building new construction or is the size based on an existing space?
If you’re replacing a door on your current garage, we’ve got the tools to get the exact calculations. You’ll need to know the space required for the lifts, which refers to the space available in your garage to install the tracks to lift the door. There are different types of garage door lift available for various ceiling considerations.
When building a new garage, you will determine the door size(s) and quantity based on the intended use of the space.
After all, although several factors are involved, the use of the garage impacts width more than anything else.
What kind of vehicles will go through your garage door?
For example, if you need to store an RV in your garage, you’ll need a lot more space than if you’re parking a motorcycle or a compact car. Perhaps you’re parking two or three cars. You’ll need to factor in what you want to keep in the garage to help you choose the right size door.
For single cars, 7-10 feet in width is usually good. You’ll want more room for larger cars, but you can get away with 7 feet for a smaller vehicle. The ideal fit for easy parking and access is 8-9 feet wide.
If you have a truck or larger SUV, you’ll want to go even bigger and install a door that is 9-10 feet wide to leave plenty of room. Luckily, we’ll make doors to your exact measurements, ranging from 4 to 20 feet.
In some instances, the door size will also depend on the garage size. That is unless, for example, you have a larger garage but only want to install a single door for a small car. Two garages can be the same size with different door sizes and vice versa. It’s all about customization, remember, so keep that in mind.
Our single doors range from 7-12 feet, while our double doors range from 14-20 feet, typically.
If you’re looking to park two cars in the garage, 16 feet is our best choice. You could go with 14, but then you’d risk having to squeeze in and out or park at an angle to fit. It’s just not worth the hassle usually.
What about that teen that just got their license or your spouse who’s not so great at navigating openings? No worries—go as wide as you want, up to 20 feet.
Now you know that a single-wide door won’t be enough for two cars, but now you have to decide if you’ll choose to upgrade to a double door that’s 16+ feet wide, or if you’ll install two 8-foot doors.
There are pros and cons to each, which is why we bring it up. For starters, imagine that the garage door completely refuses to open for some reason. If you have a larger double door, you’re essentially a sitting duck. If you’ve got two doors, though, you can still make it out and get to work on time and deal with the problem later.
What about pricing? We’re glad you asked! It’s actually about the same money-wise when it comes to choosing between a double door or two singles. The extra expense would come if you decided to add a garage door opener—you’ll need two for two doors, so you’ll spend a little more here.
Need a new shed garage door? This garage door is a Grooved design, 6' x 7', Ice White, Clear windows.
For garden sheds, we even have smaller doors so that you can get tractors and other equipment in and out with ease. These doors range from 4-6 feet in width.
How about a door opener to go with your new garage door?
If your garage door isn’t balanced, or even if you buy a larger door, it could prove to be more difficult to open manually. You could take the work out of it by choosing an electric opener but be sure that you choose the best and call a professional for installation.
Speaking of the best, we love the LiftMaster brand! They have several models available from basic to high-end, such as the LiftMaster 87504-267. For those who like tech, this one has WiFi so that you can monitor and control it from anywhere on your smartphone. Plus, LiftMaster opener systems deter theft—if they notice a forced opening, the electric opener will push the door in the opposite direction.
You should explore the residential garage door models available.
Your garage door size sometimes affects to overall appearance of your door
All of our doors are designed to fit as snugly as possible and are cut to the nearest inch for that reason. Weatherstripping adds the final touch and ensures the door is properly sealed and installed.
And, since all of our doors come custom-made, you’re not going to pay extra for that special touch.
Keep in mind, though, that the design you choose might not fit within your size constraints. 2 doors of different sizes can have a similar pattern, but the spacing will be different and could ruin the appearance if the design doesn’t fit the size appropriately.
If you want to be sure that you choose the perfect door for your garage, check out the tools in our free Design Centre!
Need help to choose your garage door style
Your garage takes up a fair portion of your property’s real estate. You want it to look as good as it works to increase your curb appeal and give you a home that you can be proud of.
To help, we’ve created 3 main styles: Traditional, Modern, and Carriage House. Explore them all to find the one that fits your home and then customize it to your exact tastes.
With so many doors to choose from, it can be difficult to decide. Call us now to discuss with one of our experts at Hicklin Door Services. If you’ve managed to make a choice, ask if we can email you a free quotation.
To ensure that you get a trendy garage door that also fits your measurements, call us!
Ames: 515-233-4210
Des Moines: 515-276-3700
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