Your options on garage door mechanisms might not be as many as the choices for materials. However, choosing one that will befit your style and the available garage space you have may not be as easy as you think.
Retractable garage doors are named as such because the door panel retracts fully into the garage when it is open. These do not require cables in the lifting process. Rather, lifting arms with tensions springs are mounted on the sides, which open the door into the garage on horizontal steel runners using rollers at each corner of the panel as support.
Canopy garage doors are the most common type when it comes to mechanisms. This type is built from a single rigid panel, which usually requires springs for counterbalance as it lifts open upwards and backwards. As the name suggests, it swings towards the outside as it opens and then slides upwards to the ceiling.
Sectional garage doors are made up of several panels that are hinged horizontally. The sections slide up on vertical tracks and then slide into horizontal tracks adjacent to the garage ceiling. The main advantage this mechanism has above the "up and over" (retractable and canopy) types is that it does not swing outwards when opening or closing.
Roller garage doors optimize the height and width of your garage because they do not take up a lot of space. This type is made of narrow horizontal slats that lets the door rise vertically and then roll up into the garage ceiling. This mechanism is ideal if you have a short driveway because you can park your car close to the garage door.
Henry Baldwin is a garage door expert and a contributing author for Garage Door Superstore. He specializes in educating purchasers about the following types of garage doors: Up & Over, Roller Doors, Sectional Doors, Side Hinged, and Personnel Door. He is also an expert in the following brands: Cardale, Cedar Door, Garador, Hormann. Seceuroglide, Novoferm, Teckentrup, and Wessex. Garage door openers by Hormann and Seip are his specialty as well!
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