Which One is Right for You? The Three Most Popular Types of Industrial & Commercial Garage Doors

Are you considering a new set of commercial garage doors? Maybe you are buying your first commercial doors for a new business. In either case, there are things you should know before you start shopping.

According to homeowners’experiences, garage doors are all overhead sectional doors. They have hinged panels that raise up to rest parallel to your ceiling. However, garage doors are composed of far more than this type.

When you need a garage door for industrial, commercial, or agricultural reasons, there are several other types of doors to consider. Steel isn’t the only material that can be used to cover them; reinforced fabric and rubber are also available.

#1 The Number One Choice – Overhead sectional doors

Just like a residential garage door, these are designed for commercial purposes and come in various sizes. The doors are made up of panels, or sections, which are installed atop each other.

The significant difference is how the door operates and what hardware it uses.

Keep in mind that commercial buildings are often constructed with extremely high ceilings, which is done to ensure maximum clearance (or headroom) for the garage door on the outside of the building. The door will move up along the wall then turn at the ceiling.

Based on how high the garage door is and the height on the interior, several movement types can be implemented.

The 3 most common include:

• Standard: these are the same as the ones you see in a typical residential garage door
• High lift: these doors move up on the wall and then turn when getting close to the ceiling
• Full vertical lift: the third option is best for locations where loading and unloading is done

In most cases, sectional doors for industrial or commercial purposes are made of galvanized steel. Most of them will be injected with polyurethane foam, which offers exceptional insulation and more strength.

Also available are non-insulated garage doors. These are typically used in unheated buildings that serve, for example, to store agricultural machinery.

#2 The Second Option: Rolling steel doors

The name says everything. This door will roll over the door’s head and does not need horizontal tracks, which are often seen in sectional doors.

Each section of the door's height is exceedingly small, and the sections, in this case, are called slats. Having numerous slats is what allows the door to roll up. Every manufacturer has different slat heights, but the average size is about three inches high.

These doors can be used in multiple ways. But most often, they are used to compartmentalize and close off two interior sections of a building. One reason could be to avoid spreading dust from one area to another.

Based on insurance requirements, these doors may be of the “firewall” type to stop a potential fire from moving from one section to another inside of a building. These doors can be rated anywhere from 30 to 240 minutes of resistance to fire.

These doors can also be used as counter shutters, as seen in areas and food service counters. Others are made up of metal grilles, as seen in shopping centers.

A straightforward thing places them all together – they roll up.

The Final Option: High-speed roll-up doors

These are less common choices than the others but tend to be used in heavy industry (like rail transportation and mines), food, and distribution centers.

For example, in a food business, there will be areas in the building that are refrigerated. Even in a grocery store, you don’t want the door to stay open for long periods.

These doors open lightning fast at up to 96 inches in a single second! But don’t worry, it closes more slowly (at around 48 inches a second) to prevent garage events and accidents and maintain safety.

This type of door can be made of a thick rubber material that is great for handling large impacts. It can also be created of polyester (reinforced vinyl), which works best in a manufacturing environment.

Ready to learn more about these or other commercial and industrial doors?

If you’re located in the Leamington or Windsor areas, contact us now at 519-326-5888.

We are experts in commercial and industrial garage doors. Our years of experience and full knowledge of garage door characteristics make us the right choice to help you with your decision. We can also send you a no-obligation quotation by email.

Are you interested in seeing photos of the commercial door options?

Please take a look at our Commercial Door Pictures Gallery to get some excellent ideas.