Love to mix different prestigious textures and details like stone, wood, and window shutters and then add some curves to these straight lines with arches over a bay window, entry doors, and the garage door? We do too! Love the timeless appeal of the Traditional Style? Let us introduce you to the Prestige XL Design garage door, here shown in single size, Chocolate Walnut color, with Pinhead windows.
After years of planning, you’re finally entering the initial phases of breaking ground for your new house. One of the most exciting elements of this project is the detached garage you’ve been planning to use as a football shrine and game-viewing area.
Homeowners should enjoy the benefits of having their own garage. When a larger family comes into the picture, this is even more vital. There are countless numbers of memories associated with a garage, and we’re not just talking about the things stored inside.
The pandemic age has given new importance to the benefits of having a garage. No longer are they considered simple storage locations for vehicles or a space to put boxes of junk. Homeowners are more frequently transforming these spaces into home offices because of remote work and social distancing. Some families have decided to craft their own gym to stay out of public places. Today, garages are considered a safe haven more than ever before.
Most homeowners get the most excitement from the idea of selecting a garage door. Naturally, this is the largest portion of the project that visitors will view the most. However, you should understand the characteristics of the five types of garage door lifts before you pull the trigger.
High Lift Options, the Only Choice When You Want Windows Above the Garage Door
This modern home has 2 single black Vog garage doors with windows overhead to match the design of the door. The bigger the windows, the better the style!
High lift garage doors expand the tracks of your garage door, so it holds tight to the wall and elevates before the horizontal curve. The vertical space in your garage is utilized in a more efficient manner, giving you at least 12”-15” more overhead space in your garage by moving the tracks closer to the ceiling.
Take a look at how this lift hardware adds to the overall industrial look of this layout. See how it incorporates various textures? Whether you’re using a California all-glass garage door in your cottage to open up the space in your yard, or you have cathedral ceilings, a high lift is what you need.
High Lift Is the Appropriate Option for These Situations:
- The garage door is incorporated into the overall visual element of your home when high ceilings are involved. See the picture above.
- If there are windows above the opening of your garage door.
- If you require efficient storage space above your garage door, lift as many items off the ground as possible. There’s more availability in the overhead space when you have more wall space.
- If you do mechanic work and require a car lift for your garage, you’ll need as much clearance as you can get.
- If you’re planning ahead and thinking of converting your garage into a man cave, an office, or a fitness center one day. It’s important not to have the garage door directly above you, and you can maximize your space.
In this technical drawing, you can see that part of your high lift garage door will be a straight track and part will be angled slightly away from the wall.
What Do These High Lift Garage Door Components Look Like?
These installations alter how the door travels along the tracks. The door actually travels up more than it travels back. This will put a different amount of pressure on the parts. It also requires a few parts to change altogether.
1. The Tracks of the Garage Door:
Every project is unique, depending on the style of your garage. If the ceilings are 10 feet, and the door is 8 feet, the tracks have to be at least 2 feet longer than the standard hardware that comes with the garage door.
2. The Torsion Spring:
Most people assume the garage door opener does the heavy lifting. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. The torsion spring is the component that completes the hard work. However, to accomplish this, the spring must be balanced properly, so the door opens properly and remains in safe operation.
3. The Garage Door Opener:
You don’t want to ruin the look and style of your garage by having the opener rail get in the way of everything. When you have a design like the one above, you can’t install the rail in the window above this beautiful black garage door (Flush Design).
Maybe you need a wall-mounted garage door opener.
We would suggest purchasing the LiftMaster 8500W. This has much lower sound levels than a standard chain-drive system. There’s also an automatic locking function that provides additional security and extra horsepower for high-lift purposes for vertical door applications. Additionally, if you use the MyQ app, it can be operated from any location via your smartphone.
If You Have a Cathedral Ceiling, You Need Inclined Garage Door Tracks
Have you ever seen a little kid draw a picture of a house? Can you recall what the roof looks like? Each time the garage door reaches the opposite side of the roof, you require Inclined Garage Door Tracks.
A picture is worth 1,000 words! When your garage door must follow the slope of the roof, it requires Inclined Tracks, like for this timeless beauty, also called the Eastman E-12 Design, here shown with Claystone color for the door and Ice White color real overlays.
What Are the Exact Differences Between Inclined Track Components and High Lift Hardware?
- Inclined Tracks stick to the same shape as your roof’s incline and ensure the door stays flat against the ceiling. Before the pitch, High Lift moves the door to the ceiling, leaving a gap at the beginning of the slant of your roof.
- The torsion spring needs to be properly balanced and incredibly strong. It should equal the power of the High Lift Garage Door since there is additional stress and pressure on these parts as well.
- When the garage has a steep roof at a strong angle, you need a wall-mounted LiftMaster 8500 garage door opener.
These charming yet elegant Carriage House single garage doors are from the Townships Collection, in the Eastman E-11 design, with Moka Brown colored doors, and Desert Sand colored overlays, with 4 vertical-lite Panoramic windows.
You’ll Need Inclined Tracks for Your Hardware in These Situations:
- There is a cathedral ceiling in your garage
- The garage has a vaulted ceiling
- If the garage door is installed on the same side as the slope of your garage’s roof
If Your Space Is Limited, You’ll Need Front or Rear Low Headroom Hardware
You’ll need Front & Rear Low Headroom Lifts Hardware In These Specific Situations:
- If the ceiling of your garage is extremely low
- You’re replacing very old swing doors installed on an antique garage or old shed. Can you believe in the 60s that only 2 inches of space were required for these doors to clear and open?
- If you want to understand more about the operation of Low Headroom Lifts and Openers, read this FAQ.
The California full-view garage door of this She-shed had less than the 10 inches needed to install Standard Lift hardware. As well, the homeowner wanted the garage tracks to be as invisible as possible since this was her retreat from it all and she wanted the space to be pretty, cozy, and elegant.
When Do You Have to Make the Decision Between Front or Rear Low Headroom Garage Door Components?
- If your garage has available headroom over the door from 7-10 inches, it’s a REQUIREMENT that you have FRONT Low Headroom Hardware Lifts.
- If the space over your garage door is between 5 and 7 inches, you are REQUIRED to have REAR Low Headroom Lifts.
- What is the difference between Standard Lift hardware and Front and Rear Low Headroom Hardware Lifts? Your garage door has a lower amount of overhead space to shift from the vertical to the horizontal position. Because of this, the rollers and dual tracks propel the upper portion of the door exclusively. This allows the opener to move the upper portion enough so the lower portions will efficiently follow on the bottom track.
- Despite what most people believe, when there’s not a lot of space above your garage door, you must install a ceiling-mounted garage door opener. A wall-mounted opener would never be able to fully move the door to the open position. If you still decide on this, remember that about 8 inches of the door will remain at the top of the opening hole of the entryway. We recommend the LiftMaster 87504-267 opener. This is the subsequent release of the LiftMaster 8550.
- These versions of lifts probably aren’t your initial option but may act as a last resort when nothing else will fit in the room you have on hand.
The Most Common Lift Is Standard Garage Door Hardware
This is an interesting case! The garage door on the left needs inclined tracks while the one on the right side will be fine with a Standard Garage Door Lift. By the way, did you know Architects and Designers are rediscovering garage doors with an arch? If you enjoy the long-lasting chicness of Traditional Style, these single garage doors in the Classic MIX Design will make your eyes smile.
When Should Your Option Be a Standard Garage Door Lift?
- When the overhead space for your garage door is beyond 10 inches.
- You can decide between extension springs positioned above the dual tracks or torsion springs. Most specialists actually end up suggesting torsion springs.
- If you want to incorporate an electric, ceiling-mounted opener similar to the newLiftMaster 87504-267. This is the second and latest version of the popular LiftMaster 8550.
Important Things to Consider Before Choosing Your Door, Opener, and Constructing Your New Garage
For a successful yesteryear swing door effect, the North Hatley SP garage door design is perfect! Here shown in Ice White to match the windows and entry door color, with Richmond Arch window Inserts and decorative hardware
Is Insulated or Non-Insulated a Better Choice for Me?
There are some instances when we construct something from the ground up or partake in a large DIY project, we may consider cutting corners to save money. At the moment, deciding on a non-insulated garage door might seem like a wise choice.
Consider the following:
According to House Beautiful, the biggest element regarding energy consumption is heating and cooling your house. This makes up half of the total energy a homeowner uses. One of the best things you can do to save energy and “go green” is to put a stop to hot and cold air escaping from not having proper insulation installed. The main culprit of this is the inefficient door and window seals.
Even if you’re not heating your garage, you should still treat it like you are. This will end up paying huge dividends by making it cheaper to keep important areas of your home toasty.
According to Green Builder Media, polyurethane or other spray foams provide the most efficient R-value per inch. It provides a huge amount of insulation into tiny spaces and shuts the door on leaking air. If you choose GARAGA Standard+, you’ll receive significant benefits. This is rated at an R-16 in terms of the R-value. This can have a substantial impact on your utility bills for over a quarter-century. We can all agree that everyone could use these types of savings over the long run.
Make Your Property More Visually Appealing
A quality garage door should last over 25 years and provide the best resale value of any other DIY project for your home. You should choose a garage door with the following benefits and characteristics:
- Decide on a garage door with windows. Natural light is your friend.
- Do not choose a boring design or anything white.
- Remember, one double garage door is the same price as the cost of 2 single garage doors. Read more on this here. Choose the look that suits you best. You’ll be stuck with this decision for a long time.
Isn’t this brick and wood texture amazing? You can barely tell that it’s a detached garage. The Shaker-Flat XL garage door design, with Stockton window inserts and Chocolate Walnut shade, adds a deep layer much needed to enhance all these light colors.
Regardless of Your DIY or Garage Project, You Should Choose an Expert for Peace of Mind
It doesn’t matter if your transforming your carport into a garage, or building your detached garage or your attached garage, at Laurent Overhead Door Systems, we’ll hold your hand through the entire process. One of our proudest characteristics is the fact we offer customized garage doors and all related hardware. This means we provide answers to any unique projects you’re involved with. Is it a ventilation pipe you can’t remove that’s obstructing the garage doorway? Maybe you have an old shed you want to make up to date with a brand new garage door. Come see us with the plans you have cooked up, and we’ll make it a reality.
Call us at 603-524-4778.
Did you know most homeowners will only buy one…MAYBE TWO garage doors during their lifespan? Don’t make this decision by yourself. Overhead doors and garage door openers are what we live for. We can’t wait to guide you into selecting the right specs for your project. It’s important to us that we assist you in picking something that suits your style, matches your home, and doesn’t break your bank.
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