Is there a standard garage door size?
Not really. New Zealand doors are generally built to the opening rather than picked off a shelf. Dominator says all of its doors are custom made to the exact size of the opening, so the width that matters is the one on your own garage.
What the makers do publish are limits on what they can build.
Garage door widths the makers publish
| Width | Height | |
|---|---|---|
| Dominator Series A roller door | 1250mm to 3200mm | 1300mm to 3200mm |
| B&D NZ sectional door | Up to 6.5 metres | Not published |
| Dominator Flex-A-Door | Made to fit the opening | Made to fit the opening |
What changes with a double door
Width is the first thing. Dominator's Series A stops at 3200mm, so a wide double opening points you towards a sectional door, which B&D NZ makes up to 6.5 metres wide.
Weight comes next. A double door is a bigger door, and Dominator rates its Smart Pro, Smart and Secure openers for doors up to 18m2, with weight limits of 300kg for the Smart Pro and 235kg for the other two. Ask the door specialist to confirm the finished door sits inside those limits, especially if it is insulated.
A single door has the same questions on a smaller scale. Space matters more in a narrow garage, where the sideroom for the door's tracks or drum can decide what fits.
Measuring your opening
Width
Measure across the opening at the top, the middle and the bottom, and note the smallest figure.
Height
Measure from the floor to the underside of the lintel on both sides.
Headroom
Measure from the top of the opening to the ceiling, or to the lowest thing hanging from it.
Sideroom
Measure from each side of the opening to the nearest wall, shelf or pipe.
Backspace
Measure how far back the garage runs from the opening, for doors that travel along the ceiling.
Looking after a bigger door
Upkeep doesn't change with size, but the job does take longer. B&D NZ's care guide asks for a wash every 14 days, and it suggests a service in the first 12 months and every 2 years for a sectional door, and every 12 months for a roller door.
What we would do
Give the door specialist the smallest width and height you measured, not the average. Older openings can be out of square, and the smallest figure is the one the door has to fit.