What Is The Best Type of Garage Door?

The market is full of garage doors in a range of sizes, types and brands, all offering something different to the end user. So how do you know which is the most suitable choice for your home?

Sometimes it’s as simple as personal preference, budget, or the desire to replace an old garage door with a brand-new model. But what if you’re undecided, or don’t know what would be best?

Well, it’s always good to get a second opinion, so we’ve compiled a list of garage door types, along with their advantages and disadvantages, just to give you a bit of a helping hand.

Roller Shutter Doors

Roller shutter garage doors are a great choice if you need to make the most of your garage space or require greater clearance for your vehicle at the garage entrance. Opening vertically and rolling neatly into the garage space, these door panels do not need external space to swing out and are therefore ideal if you have a short driveway.

Thanks to how they operate, roller doors are suitable for most shapes and sizes of garage opening and they are available in a wide choice of finishes to suit your colour scheme and budget.

Advantages of Roller Garage Doors

•    Well suited to automation
•    Vertically opening
•    Increased garage space – side walls can be used for storage
•    Suitable for most shapes and sizes of garage
•    Well suited to automation
•    Vertically opening
•    Increased garage space – side walls can be used for storage
•    Suitable for most shapes and sizes of garage
•    Improved security

Disadvantages of Roller Garage Doors

•    Only one design available – Horizontal Ribs

Up and Over Garage Doors

Up and over garage doors are a popular choice and simple to use, as well as being extremely secure.  As they can be manufactured using a range of materials, including steel, GRP and timber, up and over doors are a great choice no matter what your budget.

These doors are available in two gear options – canopy and retractable – with over 70 standard sizes available as well as a bespoke option, you can be sure we have a door to fit almost every opening. There’s a huge range of designs and colours available and all of the doors can be manual or automated.

Advantages of Up and Over Garage Doors

• Simple operation – easy to maintain
• Can be produced in a range of materials & designs
• Suitable for a range of garage sizes
• Can be automated
• Security upgrades available
• Doors available to suit all budgets

Disadvantages of Up and Over Garage Doors

• Doors are not insulated and there is a working tolerance between the frame and door, in other words, ‘a gap’.
• Doors swing out on opening cycle – you will need to park away from the door

Sectional Garage Doors

Opening vertically before sitting on a horizontal track, sectional doors slide into the ceiling space of the garage.  This makes them a great choice if you have a short driveway or need to make the most of the space within the garage.  A full height and width drive-through clearance is obtainable on some of the doors, depending on gear type and how they are fixed. Sectional garage doors are insulated up to 67mm, making the garage space ideal as a playroom, workshop or office space; this is also important if there are rooms directly above the garage as it keeps the warmth inside the property.

No matter what your requirements, personal tastes or budget, sectional garage doors can be manufactured in a range of colours and materials, so there’s always something to suit your style.  Whatever material you choose, you can be sure that your sectional door will be secure and robust, as well as practical and easy to use. They will also work beautifully when automated.

Advantages of Sectional Garage Doors

• Maximum drive-through width and height is achievable
• Double-skinned for effective levels of insulation
• Suitable for almost all sizes and shapes of garage entrance
• Can be automated
• Vertical opening – ideal for short driveways
• Extremely secure

Disadvantages of Sectional Garage Doors

• As they slide into the ceiling space of the garage, it’s not possible to use the roof as an extra storage space
• Limited in design to Horizontally Ribbed or Georgian (square panels)
• May require more regular maintenance

Side Hinged Garage Doors

Often opening outwards, side hinged garage doors operate without the need for springs, cables or horizontal tracks. They are favoured by homeowners who require easy access to their outside spaces and come in a variety of models, including ½ and ½ split and ⅔ and ⅓ split. As with every door in our range, side hinged doors can also be fully automated. 

At Doorfit, we offer side hinged designs in various finishes and colours, with many timber and steel options available. Whilst we have a range of single skin doors which are perfect if you’re working to a budget, we also install a range of insulated doors, which appear frequently on converted garages, providing warmth and security to custom-built offices, gyms and playrooms.

Advantages of Side Hinged Garage Doors

• No tracks, springs or cables required
• Personnel door makes garages easy to access
• Insulated doors and security upgrades available
• Can be automated
• Available in various colours and finishes

Disadvantages of Side Hinged Garage Doors

• Can’t be used where the drive-way slopes towards the garage
• Limited opening width

Automated Garage Doors

Almost any garage door can be automated, including roller shutters, sectional doors, up and over and side hinged models, so whether you want to upgrade your existing door with a convenient and reliable automatic mechanism, or you want a brand new automatic door, you can be sure that it will make the most of the very latest technology.

Easy to operate and loaded with security features, automatic garage doors can improve access. No matter what your budget or your requirements are, there’s an automatic solution to suit you. Whilst each unit includes two transmitters for opening and closing the door, upgrades include fingerprint recognition and mobile app operation. The Supramatic E and GaraMatic 10 units also come with Bluetooth as standard.

It is a legal requirement when installing an automated garage door that the installation conforms to CE legislation under the machinery directive (not to be confused with the CE marking of the actual product). Doorfit ensures all automated door installations conform to the legislation and include a CE certificate where required.

Advantages of Automated Garage Doors

• Improve access to your garage
• Can be applied to most types of garage door
• Enhanced security and safety features
• Use the latest technology
• New and existing garage doors can be automated
• Increase value of your home
• Useful for those with mobility issues

Disadvantages of Automated Garage Doors

•    Will add cost to your garage door, but can be offered as a retrofit

Whatever type of garage door you decide on, it’s important that you get the opinion of an experienced garage door supply and installation company so that you choose the most suitable door for your requirements.

At Doorfit, we have been supplying and fitting garage doors for over 50 years, offering our services to individuals and property developers throughout the UK.  Our range includes doors by some of the leading manufacturers, including Garador and Hormann, and a selection of products we offer are available to view in our showroom.

Our team are here to provide you with any advice you need, and we offer a made to measure service to ensure that your garage door is perfect for your property and your needs. When it comes to fitting, we only use the very best in the industry, so you can rely on us for a professional, reliable all-round service.

Why not get in touch to find out more?