Sectional Garage Doors, Roll-Up Garage Doors, or Up-and-Over Garage Doors: Which Solution is Best for You?
When it’s time to install garage doors, you generally have three options: sectional garage doors, roll-up garage doors, and up-and-over garage doors. The prices for these types of garage doors vary, with up-and-over doors being the most affordable. Each of these solutions has its advantages and disadvantages, and the best option for you depends on your garage’s construction and your specific needs.
Sectional Garage Doors – The Most Common and Reliable Solution
One of the most popular solutions is the sectional garage door. These doors are made up of segments that slide along tracks. When opening, the entire segmented panel, which is flexible like a roller shutter, lifts and slides along the ceiling tracks. This design means that no space is required in front or behind the door for opening, which is especially important in cramped urban areas.
Additionally, since garages in urban settings often have limited space, the walls remain completely free, allowing for storage of shelves, tools, and more. If the ceiling height is insufficient or already occupied, sectional doors can be installed with a side-sliding opening option, where the segmented panel slides along one of the garage’s side walls.
Price, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Sectional Garage Doors
Some advantages of sectional garage doors have already been mentioned, and it’s important to note that they can be insulated. In this case, thicker segments filled with insulating foam are used. The tracks and the bottom strip where the door rests are equipped with sealing strips, making sectional garage doors ideal for garages used as workshops or any other heated space.
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The price for a standard-sized sectional garage door (95 x 80 inches) starting around $650. If the customer wants a pedestrian door within the sectional door for easier access without a car, the price is about $200 higher. These doors are equipped with motors for automatic lifting and lowering via remote control, safety sensors to prevent injury, and manual opening options in case of a power outage.
Roll-Up Garage Doors – A Reliable Solution
Roll-up garage doors are similarly constructed to sectional doors. They are also made of segments, but these segments are narrower, about 4 inch wide, allowing the panel to be more flexible and roll up. The principle is the same as with window shutters. One drawback compared to sectional doors is the need for a box to house the rolled-up door.
Sometimes this isn’t an issue, but other times there might not be space for the box, or it might not fit aesthetically. Various color combinations are available, and the box can be installed inside or outside, depending on the need.
It’s also important to note that roll-up garage doors are inferior in terms of sound and thermal insulation compared to sectional doors, which should be considered before purchase. Additionally, roll-up doors provide lower security against break-ins compared to sectional doors.
The price for standard-sized roll-up garage doors (95 x 80 inches) is around $700. Roll-up garage doors also offer motorized opening with remote control, and manual lifting in case of a power outage.
Up-and-Over Garage Doors – The Most Affordable Option
Up-and-over garage doors were popular decades ago and are still available today. These doors are of a simple construction, consisting of a single panel that lifts and moves under the garage ceiling.
However, since the door does not fold like a sectional door but lifts in one piece, it requires more space to open, both inside and outside the garage. This can be a problem, but if space is not an issue, this solution is equally practical.
This type of door offers less sound and thermal insulation, making it suitable only for garages and spaces that are not heated. The simpler construction of up-and-over garage doors, compared to sectional and roll-up doors, reflects in their lower price. For a standard size (95 x 80 inches), the price starting around $400.
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