The choice of garage doors is one of the key stages in garage design. Such important characteristics as safety, ease of use, and economy of both internal space and the area in front of the garage directly depend on the type of gates design.
Gate selection criteria
The choice of the type of garage gates depends on several factors:
- Budget;
- Availability of free space in front of the garage;
- The size of the opening for the installation of the gate;
- Aesthetic appearance;
- Control method.
The garage door opens almost every day, so it must be resistant to wear and tear, protect the building from illegal access and comply with the overall design of the facade. To make the gates strong and resistant to impacts, it is made of metal (solid sheets, lamellas, sectional blocks). Ease of use depends on technical features, including the type of mechanism involved in opening and closing.
Different types of garage gates design
There are 5 main modern types among the variety of models, each of which has its own advantages. They are equipped with different control systems, differ in design and operational properties, and the presence of automation.
Swing gates
Swing models consist of 1 or 2 leaves, which are hinged to the side surfaces of the opening or to special supports (side posts). They open inward or outward.
The advantages of swing gates are:
- the simplicity of design;
- affordable cost;
- sufficient reliability;
- ease of installation;
- the possibility of arranging an additional entrance;
- the ability to make gates for almost any size of the opening.
The disadvantage is that most swing gates open outward and therefore require an amount of free space in front of the garage. However, this problem can be solved by installing the gate so that it opens inward. But this leads to another drawback – the sidewalls of the garage become non-functional since it will not be possible to install racks or work tables along with them. Plus the total width of the openings cannot exceed 6 m.
Sliding garage gates
Sliding panels are reliable and easy to use. Manufacturers equip them with an electric drive, and you do not need to leave the car to open them. The sheet of steel or aluminum is moved by rollers to the side, which does not require additional space in front of the building. The system is suitable for openings of all sizes, without restrictions on height and width.
The gates can be single-leaf and move to the right or left or bivalve – move apart in two directions. It also can be folded – consisting of several sections, which fold as accordion doors when opened.
The advantages of sliding garage gates are:
- unlimited size;
- long service life;
- strength and reliability;
- free space in front of the garage.
The disadvantages include insufficient thermal insulation. Also, if the door leaf is jammed, it will be quite difficult to open it manually.
Sectional garage gates
Such models consist of interconnected metal horizontal or vertical panels, the width of which does not exceed 50 cm. A swing-lifting mechanism is also used to open them. They are suitable for all types of openings and save space in front of the garage. Another advantage is good tightness. The metal profile with polyurethane foam filling and rubber seals help maintain the set temperature inside the garage.
The structure can be overhead-sectional – when the door leaf rises up along special guides and is located under the ceiling or sliding – when the open leaf is located along the sidewall.
Such gates are easy to operate and provide good thermal insulation. The disadvantages include a decrease in the free internal space of the garage, especially when using a side type of structure.
Lift & turn garage gates
In this case, the door leaf first makes a turn around the horizontal axis and changes its vertical position to horizontal, and then goes to the ceiling along with special guides when it opens. The advantages of lift & turn garage doors include:
- reliability and high burglar resistance;
- saving space;
- the possibility of installing an automatic opening system.
The main disadvantage is that this type of door can only be installed in rectangular openings.
Lifting garage gates
When opening lifting models, the door rises and takes a position under the ceiling. It is made of solid metal sheets and comes in a variety of styles, so the possibilities for decorating it are endless. These models are reliable, burglar-proof, and easy to use thanks to the electric drive. But to install them, you need to provide free space under the ceiling.
It does not fold or transform when opened but simply rises up in a vertical direction. This saves space inside the garage and also provides airtightness, thermal insulation, and safety. However, the space on the ceiling should be free. A significant drawback is the need to replace the entire door mechanism in the event of even minor damage.
Roller garage gates
Garage roller doors consist of metal slats, which are firmly connected between them. When opened, it is wound around the shaft, which is located above the opening. Such models save space, are convenient to use, and reliably protect the garage from burglary. The shaft is enclosed in a protective box that can be installed both outsides and inside the garage.
The advantages of roller garage gates are:
- lightweight;
- affordable price;
- saving space;
- the ability to install in an opening of any size;
- the possibility of automation.
The disadvantages include a decrease in the strength of the structure with an increase in its size and low thermal insulation. However, when using additional protective equipment, for example, a weather seal from NationalGarage, such a gate will reliably protect the property from all weather conditions.
Control systems
By default, the standard cost of the gate assumes the use of a manual control system. Modern designs make it quite easy to raise or lower the gate leaf with little physical effort. Also, the manual control system provides a lower cost per set.
The automatic control system will have an obvious advantage in terms of comfort – you can operate the garage gate without even leaving the car, which is especially convenient during heavy precipitation. The automatic systems are equipped with a remote, which usually has a range up to 50 m. Opening and closing can also be done using a button that is installed directly on the outside of the garage wall, but this option is considered less comfortable.
Minimum and maximum sizes of garage gates
Any type of garage gate has limitations in the form of the minimum and maximum size of the leaf:
- The standard minimum size of sectional doors is 2000 × 1800 mm, the maximum is 5000 × 3000 mm;
- Lift-and-turn type – 2250 × 1920 mm and 5000 × 2125 mm, respectively;
- Roller doors – 2000 × 1500 mm and 6000 × 5000 mm.
Depending on the manufacturer, the size step is 20-50 cm in width and 5-15 cm in height.
What else to pay attention to
Once you have decided on the design, make sure the product meets the following guidelines:
- It must have a protective coating that resists the formation of corrosion and rust. This will significantly extend the service life;
- Pay attention to the material of door insulation. It is preferable to choose polyurethane, which does not deform even after several years of operation and does not lose its properties;
- Gates of any kind must have internal metal stiffeners. They will provide a more reliable fastening of the gate and prevent deformation of the leaves over time;
- If a sectional type gate is chosen, there should be no large gaps between the plates;
- If the system is equipped with torsion springs, a locking device must be installed for safety reasons. If the springs break, the mechanism will lock the sash and prevent it from falling on a person or a car;
- Burglary resistance is an important criterion. You should understand that any, even the most modern and expensive doors can be hacked, the main parameter is the time that an attacker will have to spend on it. The more difficult it is to break the gate, the more chances that the security service will arrive in time;
- And most importantly – pay attention to the availability of the warranty and its duration. A quality product from a good manufacturer will have at least a 5 years guarantee.
