Garage door comparison by ACE Garage Doors in Stevenage

Although a garage is predominantly somewhere that a car is kept when not in use, a great deal of people tend to use the garage for extra storage space or as a workshop. The car rarely, if ever, finds its way inside, but this can cause issues depending on the type of garage door that is fitted.

Many of our customers in Stevenage have complained that they have a rather short driveway and end up with their cars protruding onto the pavement in order to open their up and over garage door. Similarly, some say they have to reverse their car a short way in order to be able to open their garage door. This is simply because a good distance must be left for the garage door to open outwards and upwards. Below we will discuss the differences between an up and over, sectional and roller garage door.

Up and over garage doors

One should remember that an up and over garage door is a one piece door, usually made from metal, that can be extremely heavy and sometimes difficult and noisy to open and close. When I was younger I remember knowing when my dad returned home from night shift at the local Stevenage store as the entire neighbourhood would be woken up by the high pitched squealing and clattering of his garage door opening and closing.

As the years go by and we get older, the sheer weight of the garage door becomes more of an issue owing to a loss of strength. The same applies to the mechanisms of old up and over garage doors, they become worn, possibly rusty and can begin to stick on one side more than the other and become a pain to open and close. In some cases, the mechanism can fail completely and the garage door can fall, with the potential to cause serious injury or damage to your car. A modern up and over garage door will be a safer option as the design and mechanisms are far better and safer than they used to be. Another reason for their popularity is that the up and over garage door has the most styles on offer and this is sometimes the most important factor when choosing a garage door to compliment your home.

How many of us recall having an old up and over garage door that was held open with a sturdy wooden post on one or both sides? Although the up and over garage door can come in a vast array of styles and designs, the roller or sectional garage door are certainly becoming more popular as time goes by.

Sectional garage doors

The sectional door runs on tracks, much like the up and over garage door and slides up into the roof space of the garage. The sectional garage door comes in a traditional Georgian style and in a selection of widths of horizontal panels. These panels will usually slide along the top of the garage roof space in tracks, which can impact on ceiling storage in the garage. They are frequently operated by an electrical motor and sectional doors rise vertically, so no extra room in front of the door is needed.

The sectional garage door seals with a rubber strip all the way around and it is almost 100% sealed. This is particularly appealing if you spend a good deal of time in the garage working on DIY projects. These doors are very effective at keeping the heat in with 42mm foam filled panels.

Roller garage doors

The roller garage door rolls up into 300mm of space above the head of the garage opening, so it's vital that you have enough space above the garage door opening for the 300mm x 300mm roll of garage door. Generally most garages in Stevenage have enough room.

Many of our Stevenage customers opt for a roller garage door so that they can get rid of the tracks and automation unit of the sectional garage door that takes up such a lot of valuable ceiling space in the garage.

If there is a draft in your garage from the all gaps around the edges of the up and over garage door, or you use the garage for a lot of work projects, then these issues can be solved with an insulated roller garage door. This is because the roller garage door runs in guides with soft brushes in them. It closes with a neat rubber seal on the ground and the last slat shuts firmly against the head of the garage opening. This offers far superior weather and heat seal than an up and over garage door. If insulation is not something that you are particularly worried about, roller garage doors can be of a single skin construction too.

The roller garage door comes in one design, although there are many colour variations. The horizontal 77mm slat is attractive, clean and modern. They have a lovely sleek appearance that will enhance any property.

So if you would like to discuss a new roller garage door, or any other style of garage door, why not drop us a line today for a free, no obligation quote. We are often in Stevenage fitting doors for new customers so it is no problem to come along and have a look for you.

Further Information

If you would like to know more or are interested in a quote we would be happy to help. Phone us on 01438 742 664, email us at info@ace-garage-doors.co.uk or fill in our enquiry form and we will be in touch as soon as possible.