During the construction of your own garage, it is very important to correctly design the entrance and choose the right sized gate. The ease of movement of the car, as well as the functionality and aesthetics of the building itself, depend on how correctly this work is performed. In most cases, the width and height of the entrance to the garage are determined by the dimensions of the vehicle and the parameters of the gate. For this reason, before starting the construction of walls, you should consider the standard dimensions of the garage doors, the types of these structures and their main differences.
Types of garage doors
The modern market offers us several options for garage doors, which differ from each other in appearance, functionality and price. It can be both the simplest designs and newfangled automatic systems.
Five main types are widely used today. Namely:
• oar;
• retractable;
• sectional;
• lifting and rotary;
• rolled.
In each case, certain dimensions of the garage door are provided. Choosing this or that option, you should pay attention to how this room will be operated. Some types cannot be installed on garages intended for entry of two cars at once.
Next, we consider the features and parameters of the most common designs.
Swing gates
Swing gates are considered the oldest, but at the same time the most reliable and popular option. Usually they are presented in the form of two wings that open outward. The swing type gate requires a large amount of space in front of the garage for the smooth opening of the wings.
Such designs are distinguished by their simplicity, as they consist of only two wings, hinges and a box located in the entrance aperture. They are not difficult to manufacture, which allows the manufacturer to produce products according to the individual parameters of the customer.
The width and height of the swing gates are not limited by standards, so they are installed on garages for both cars and trucks.
Sliding gates
Sliding gates consist of one large leaf, which slides to one side parallel to the side wall. In some cases, the canvas may consist of two parts that move apart in different directions. Gate installation can be carried out both from the inside, and from the outside of the room. To install this type of structure, you must have enough free space on the front of the garage.
The maximum door sizes for a production garage can reach 4500 cm in height and more than 3000 cm in width. Most often, this type is used on industrial hangars and parking lots of heavy vehicles.
Lifting gates
Today, gates with hoisting mechanisms are becoming increasingly popular. They are distinguished by reliability, ease of use and beautiful appearance.
The most expensive and durable version is considered to be with a lifting-rotary mechanism. This view is presented in the form of a solid metal sheet, which, when opened, rises up. The standard parameters of such gates are 2.4 m in width and 2.2 m in height. In the open position, the sash is located under the ceiling, and some of it acts as a visor, hanging over the entrance to the garage.
Garage doors (lifting), the dimensions and characteristics of which are described in this article, include two more subspecies. Namely:
• sectional doors;
• rolled models.
Next, we consider what their differences are, and what parameters each option can have.
Sectional Varieties
When the space in front of the entrance is very limited, it is recommended to install sectional doors to the garage. The dimensions and the principle of operation of this type make it possible to use them even in very cramped rooms. Sectional doors are divided into 2 types:
• ceiling;
• side.
In the first case, the door leaf fits snugly parallel to the floor, moving on rollers along special guide rails located along the ceiling of the garage. This type of construction consists of three or six horizontal sections, the width of which ranges from 35 to 61 cm. A canvas assembled from several sections always has a height that is a multiple of 110 mm. The width of the ceiling gates varies from 2 to 5 meters.
With a lateral arrangement, the gate guide is located on the garage doorway and on one of its walls. Such structures can have a width of 2 to 3 meters and a height of 2-2.3 meters. This type can be used exclusively in garages intended for entry of one car.
Shutters
In cases where the owner’s budget does not allow the use of expensive options, you can install roller shutter gates to the garage. Dimensions of rolled products depend solely on customer requirements. The canvas is assembled from horizontally located thin strips that form a dense and flexible lifting structure. During the opening of the garage, the canvas is wound on a shaft that is located above the opening.
This option is very popular due to its low cost. However, when choosing a roller shutter, you should consider that their design does not allow the use of metal thicker than 2.5 mm, which makes them less durable compared to other lifting options. The width of the leaf can reach 4000 mm, while the maximum height of the gate is only 2700 mm.
Gate width for 2 cars
In cases where it is necessary to ensure the entry of several vehicles at once, it is necessary to more carefully determine the optimal dimensions of the garage door. Two cars can enter one wide aperture or each into separate gates.
In the first embodiment, the garage doorway should have a width of at least 4.8 meters. This is quite enough for a comfortable exit and entry of two cars at the same time. The height of the gate in this case is not regulated by the norms and depends solely on the dimensions of the car.
Entrance from two separate gates is arranged according to general rules.
How to determine the optimal gate size
Since modern cars do not have standard sizes, and a garage can be built for various purposes, it is simply impossible to determine the universal opening parameters that will be optimal in any situation. Based on the measurement data of your own vehicle, any motorist can determine the required size of entry into the garage.
For example, if the car has a width of about 180 cm, 40 cm from each side is added to this indicator and the required opening width is obtained.
The standard door dimensions for the garage are 2500 x 2000 mm. Such designs are installed only under the condition of operation of typical passenger cars. If the trunk is periodically installed on the roof of the vehicle, the height of the opening must be increased by at least 30 cm.
The dimensions of the gates for a garage intended for the entry of trucks are 3500-4000 cm in width and not less than 3000 cm in height. Here, the real dimensions of the vehicle are taken as the height of multi-ton trucks often reaches three meters. If a Gazelle is used as a commercial vehicle, there is no need to install a gate above 2.5 meters.
In this article, we examined the standard dimensions of the garage door, as well as several options for entering this room. I would like to note that universal parameters that are suitable for any case simply do not exist. When designing an entry, first of all, based on your needs and dimensions of your personal vehicle.