Measuring for Sectional Garage Doors

Here we’ll look at how to measure up for sectional doors.

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The majority of sectional door manufacturers offer doors that are designed to be installed inside of a garage door opening. This is because it’s usually preferable to maximise the opening width and height and to make use of the curve of the tracking behind the lintel. However, it may be preferable to maximise the length of the garage, in which case it can be better to install the door in-between the opening.

Fitting a sectional garage door inside the structural opening makes the best use of the drive-through dimensions. The width is usually measured as the size of the structural opening plus 90mm on each side. The height is usually the height of the lintel plus an additional amount that will be different for each manufacturer. You should also measure the inside faces either side of the opening, as well as the headroom available inside. Finally, measure the depth of the room from the top open face to the back garage wall.

Some people assume that if they measure that their opening is 12’ x 8’, that means they need to order a sectional garage door that is 12’ x 8’, but this is not correct. Sectional garage doors always have a sub frame that they are attached to and manufacturers will take this into account.

Firstly you need to measure the width of the opening from left to right in several places. Now measure the height of the opening from the inside from the floor to the bottom of the lintel in several places. Finally measure the depth of the garage from inside top open face to the back wall. You must take the smallest measurements that you make and use these as your ordering measurements.