The exterior of your house is like a business card representing its owner. The front porch is on display, and the place where you keep your vehicle is open for people to see. When you think about which one is better for your house, the external appearance is not the only thing your choice should be based on.
Summary
A standard, single garage door is 8 to 10 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet in height. The easiest way to find the standard dimensions of different garage door sizes is to use the chart below. Here’s a quick overview of the most common sizes:
- A standard 2-car garage door is 16 to 18 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet tall.
- A standard 3-car garage door is 24 to 32 feet wide and 7 to 8 feet tall.
- A standard RV garage door is 10 to 14 feet wide and 10 to 14 feet tall.
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Consider how much space your garage entrance has and what door size will suit it best. Not least important is your budget and how much energy the opening mechanism consumes. After all, you don’t want this purchase to be out of your financial capabilities. The first step you should take that will lead you towards a well-considered purchase is finding out what types of garage doors are available on the market.
It’s no different from making sure you get the right luggage size. They come in a variety of sizes and materials, including PVC.
What is the size of a standard garage door?
It may seem surprising to you, but garage doors are often customized according to the demands of a customer. One of the important factors that play a major part in your choice is the size of the entrance and the proportions of your car. If you recently bought a bigger car than the one you used to have, you’ll need to spend some money on selecting a suitable door for its size.
If your car is similar to the average vehicle in your city, you can stick to the market’s standard sizes. Most manufacturers offer single garage doors ranging from 8 to 10 feet in width and 7 to 8 feet in height. If you have an unusual car or more than one vehicle, there is also a possibility to choose a door that fits your needs.
Most options on the market have 1/8 inch thickness. If you use your space for other purposes than keeping a vehicle in it, you can invest in insulation. It will not only keep away disturbing noises from outside but also sustain a comfortable temperature during the winter and summer.
Garage door size chart
| Doors | Common Widths | Common Heights |
| Single | 8, 9, or 10 feet | 7 or 8 feet |
| Double | 16 or 18 feet | 7 or 8 feet |
| RV | 10, 12, or 14 feet | 10, 12, or 14 feet |
| Notes | Widths available in 2-inch increments | Heights available in 3-inch increments |
For your convenience, there is a garage door size chart showing all the available options you can choose from. If you have an average vehicle that is not too big or too small, you can purchase a single piece with standard measurements. Those are 7 or 8 feet in height and 8 or 10 feet in width. It will be more than enough for an unpretentious car.
There is also a possibility to purchase a smaller door if you’re a golf cart owner. On the other hand, it may not be the best choice because you may buy a normal-sized vehicle in the future. You can always fit a small car into wide doors, but going with a bigger car through a narrow entry is problematic.
If you have a big family with more than one vehicle, two garage doors are what you should consider. It is from 7 to 8 feet in height and from 16 to 18 feet in width. If you use the space in your garage to store different items, it’s better to have this wide and easily accessible exit.
When it comes to huge vehicles, there’s no need to leave them in the parking lot unprotected. If you’re an RV owner, you can install an RV door. Its height and width range from 10 to 14 feet. It is unnecessary for your car to rest unsheltered when purchasing a suitable RV garage door is a special safe option.
Here’s a list of the biggest manufacturers.
| Manufacturer | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| Amarr | Winston-Salem, North Carolina |
| Clopay | Mason, Ohio |
| CHI | Morrow, Georgia |
| Wayne Dalton | Mt. Hope, Ohio |
| Overhead Door | Mt. Hope, Ohio |
Springs
A spring is part of a door opening mechanism without which it cannot operate. There are two types of springs you can choose from. The first one is called an extension spring. It is cheaper but less durable than torsion springs.
If you don’t mind changing extension springs once in a while when they get out of order, you should figure out what size is best for your opening. In order to find the right one, you should know the weight of your garage door. The most popular way to do it is by using bathroom scales, but follow the instructions in DYI.
A common practice among most manufacturers is to paint the ends of the strings with specific colors that indicate how much weight they can lift. The tricky part is that sometimes each manufacturer has its method of marking. Before purchasing, check their official site to see their markings.
Extension spring size chart
| Extension Spring Chart | ||
| DOOR WEIGHT | SPRING CODE | COLOR |
| 10 LB | 25-42-10 | WHITE |
| 20 LB | 25-42-20 | GREEN |
| 30 LB | 25-42-30 | YELLOW |
| 40 LB | 25-42-40 | BLUE |
| 50 LB | 25-42-50 | RED |
| 60 LB | 25-42-60 | BROWN |
| 70 LB | 25-42-70 | ORANGE |
| 80 LB | 25-42-80 | GOLD |
| 90 LB | 25-42-90 | LT BLUE |
| 100 LB | 25-42-100 | TAN |
| 110 LB | 25-42-110 | WHITE |
| 120 LB | 25-42-120 | GREEN |
| 130 LB | 25-42-130 | YELLOW |
| 140 LB | 25-42-140 | BLUE |
| 150 LB | 25-42-150 | RED |
| 160 LB | 25-42-160 | BROWN |
| 170 LB | 25-42-170 | ORANGE |
| 180 LB | 25-42-180 | GOLD |
| 190 LB | 25-42-190 | LT BLUE |
| 200 LB | 25-42-200 | TAN |
| 210 LB | 25-42-210 | WHITE |
| 220 LB | 25-42-220 | GREEN |
| 230 LB | 25-42-230 | YELLOW |
| 240 LB | 25-42-240 | BLUE |
| 250 LB | 25-42-250 | RED |
| 260 LB | 25-42-260 | BROWN |
| 270 LB | 25-42-270 | ORANGE |
| 280 LB | 25-42-280 | GOLD |
| 290 LB | 25-42-290 | LT BLUE |
| 300 LB | 25-42-300 | TAN |
If the door weighs 115 to 125 lbs, it’ll need a green extension spring which is 25’’ long at rest and 67’’ when stretched. It has a 150-inch wire diameter and 1.34’’ outside diameter when the spring is at rest.
The blue color is for ones that weigh 135-145 lbs. They are 170’’ in wire diameter and 2,50’’ of o/d. Accordingly, the length in the rest state is the same as in green and the other following colors.
For 155-165 lbs of weight, you’ll need a purple spring that is 160’’ o/d and 180’’ of wire diameter.
Finally, the orange color is the one you should choose when the weight fits into the range of 175–185 lbs. In this case, the wire diameter will be 195’’ and o/d 1,75’’.
Commercial
Depending on what kind of industrial enterprise requires a commercial garage door, there are a few popular options on the market. Overhead ones are about 32 feet wide and 24 feet high. If those measurements do not satisfy your demands, you can look for other alternatives. The things that might attract you to buy overhead doors are their:
- durability
- resistance to harsh weather conditions
- and low energy consumption.
Roll-up commercial doors are often 30 feet in width and 28 feet in height. They are suitable for a few bigger cars but also 28 feet in height. They are suitable for a few bigger cars but also need a more spacious opening. The advantages of this one are its high-security level and supreme endurance. There is also the option of insulating commercial garage doors so that the interior space is not damaged by moisture or extreme temperatures from the outside.
Two-car
There are three possibilities for rooms for your two vehicles. If you do not have much square footage and your cars are tiny, you can fit them in 20×20, which is 400 square feet. The other commonly suggested option for two vehicles is 24×24 (572 sq ft). The more spacious and better variant is the 43×40, which equals 720 square feet.
2.5 car
The standard measurement of a 2.5-car garage is 24 feet in width and 26 feet in depth (24×26). This amount of space will not accommodate three cars, but it can provide a shelter for two. For three cars, you should at least have 32×22 space. With this one, there will be a little extra room for storage purposes at your disposal.
If you have an SUV or a relatively big truck, 24×26 space is a good measurement for a car to be saved from accidental damage that often occurs when there is too little space. If you’re in a hurry, there is often a chance to hit the walls while opening the door. That’s why it’s better for you to be reasonable rather than economical.
RV
When it comes to garage size for an RV, there’s no single correct measurement for all of the RV types. In fact, you should measure your RV first. Then ensure that your garage is about 6-8 feet wider and 10’-12’ taller than the vehicle.
If you have a large class A motorhome, it’s better for you to measure it because it comes in:
- small (22’-26’)
- medium (28’-32’)
- and large (34’-44’) variants.
If yours is a standard class B RV that is about 12 feet wide and 14 feet high, you’ll need your garage to be at least 24 feet deep and 8 feet wide.
As you can see, each vehicle has an individual measurement. If you know the exact model of your RV, you can search for its size on the internet. In other cases, use a measuring device to be sure the vehicle will fit into a given space.
Types of garage doors
When it comes to your options, your choice should be mainly based on how you want your garage door to open. Here you can choose between five different variants. Those are:
- sectional
- roll-up
- tilt-up/up-and-over canopy
- slide to the side
- and side-hinged garage doors.
Each of them has a specific way of operation and can come in different colors and materials, including:
- Steel
- Aluminum
- Wood
- Wood composites
- Vinyl
- Glass
Sectional
One of the most common choices for garage entrances is a sectional door. This one consists of sections that are attached to one another with hinges. At the edge of each section are wheels that move through the vertical trail fastened to the sides of the entrance. In the open variant of this door, the panels are situated in parallel with the ceiling.
The sectional variant also has special high-tension springs that prevent the door from moving downward in case you leave it halfway open. The advantage of this option is its low maintenance and the possibility to choose the material, color, or even insert windows.
Roll-up
The second, quite popular choice, is the roll-up option. If you have a little space in the ceiling area, a roll-up unit is most suitable for your garage entrance. The special feature of this variant is its slat sections, usually made from steel. When opened, they roll inside the compact drum attached to the ceiling.
The good news is that those doors will never get any rust or corrosion because they operate without any springs. Unfortunately, for those who don’t have the financial freedom to choose whenever they want, roll-up units cost from $850 to $3,000. In comparison to this, the price for a sectional one ranges from $750 up to $2500, which is a slightly cheaper alternative.
Tilt-up/up-and-over canopy
If you choose to install tilt-up/up-and-over canopy doors, you will pay from $600 to $2,000. However, this type requires more space than other ones. Instead of sections, this type is just one solid unit that tilts up inside and rests parallel to the ceiling.
Investing in a tilt-up/up and over the retractable door is also an option for this model. Because of its complex retracting mechanism, this one is more expensive and needs even more free space than the canopy variant.
slide-to-side
If you have slopes on the ceiling, you can think of buying a slide to the side door. It has an easily operated mechanism that should be attached to the adjacent wall. The sliding side unit has a special motor that makes its movement inside easy and automated. This type also does not have balancing springs, which will spare you from trouble with uneven and unbalanced doors.
Side-hinged
Last but not least, side-hinged doors can be something that you want to have. They have become quite popular over recent years because of their unpretentiousness regarding space. If you have a small room for keeping your vehicle, they are perfect for it.
You can order a side-hinged variant with a frame so it will easily fit into the entrance. There is also an option to choose an automated version. It will save you from constantly getting out of the car to open or close the door.
It’s true that appearance matters when it comes to something that is situated in front of the house. However, you wouldn’t want to buy a beautiful piece for your opening and find out that it does not fit. That’s why the best you can do is to run through the standard garage door size chart. After that, you’d have no trouble with installation.
