If you have a section of your garage that you want to keep private, you can choose to only open one side! Shown here is the Princeton P-12 design in a 9’ x 8’ Iron Ore Walnut hue with Ice White trim, including eight Lite Panoramic windows.
There are important considerations to take into account before designing your dream garage. During the process, you’ll learn more about garage doors and garage door openers, and you’ll feel involved from beginning to end.
Technical Considerations to Note Before Deciding on a Size
A garage door isn’t just aesthetic. It needs to be functional, and it needs to meet the needs of your home and lifestyle. A well-maintained garage door can last you upwards of 25 years. Therefore, you should choose a door not only with thought to looks but to practicality.
You won’t make this decision more than a couple of times in your life! Take your time, think about your choices, and iron out your needs. Having a foundational idea before you start makes the process much simpler.
Think about these technical restrictions before deciding on two individual single garage doors or one double door.
● The overall size of your garage and what vehicles you park inside
Depending on what you park in your garage, it might limit your options for doors. For example, if you want to store two medium-sized vehicles, your garage is going to need to be at least 18’w x 22’d. To keep access available from the front, the width of your two single doors must be more than 18’.
Note: You can find dimensions for your ideal garage, whether it has single, double, or triple car space, on House Plans Helper to give you a good visual. You can also explore every possible garage door size, which will help you decide what you’d like to park in your garage after you get a new door.
● The environment/climate where you live
A double door might not be the best for your garage if you live in a very hot or very cold area where keeping the air in or out is a consideration.
It’s always best to seek out professional help for technical considerations to make sure your decisions are feasible and best suited to your space.
When Should You Choose Two Single Garage Doors?
The wood accents and beige tone of this garage are nicely matched with the Charcoal colour on this Vog garage door design 9' x 7' with left-side Harmony windows.
Practical Considerations
Two independently operating garage doors are a great option because you never know when one is going to go off the rails (pun intended) and you will still need access another way. If one stops working, the other acts as a safeguard. You might even be able to back one car out to leave space to maneuver the other into the open air, too.
If you have to park your cars behind each other and are frustrated by the inconvenience of planning who will get out first, two single doors will solve this issue.
Even further, you can keep one part of your garage completely private by only opening one side at a time. You could keep one side as a home gym or as an extension of your storage space. When you keep one door closed, your belongings stay out of the way of prying eyes.
You can find plenty of ideas online or in catalogues! Your imagination can go wild with these 30 conversion and organization ideas from HGTV.
With this home gym, you’ll always be motivated to exercise! In the summertime, you can get a fresh breeze while listening to your favorite tunes. The Spruce gives you five easy steps to make your garage into a home gym. Image from Pexels.
Durability Factor
You’ll open each of your garage doors less because you won’t be opening one door for both sides each time. Fewer annual cycles mean that your two doors will last longer than one.
Garage Insulation
Let’s say you live somewhere with intense winters or a lot of rain. You can keep one door closed and enter and exit through the other, limiting the outdoor exposure to your entire garage. The last thing you want is to have huge utility bills on top of a new remodel payment!
Remember, a garage door for a two-car garage has a very large opening that lets in air and weather. If you choose a double garage door, it needs to be well-insulated. Ask your garage door professional what R-value is best for your space. You can get a general idea of R-values here.
Two single garage doors can balance out the entire exterior look of a. home. These Eastman E-21 9’ x 7’ garage doors appear here in Claystone with Ice White trim, each with eight lite Panoramic windows.
When Should You Choose a Double Garage Door?
A double garage door can completely change the look of your driveway! This Moderno Multi 16’ x 8’ garage door in Chocolate Walnut has left-side Harmony windows.
Flexibility and Extra Space for Work
Choosing a large double garage door allows you to use your space in even more ways. You can park your car in the middle of the garage and still easily walk around all sides, wash it, or work on it. You can also easily fit two cars inside if necessary!
You can use the massive amount of space to store tools, outdoor equipment, workout machines, etc. These 55 ideas for practical and aesthetically pleasing ways to store your garage items (from HGTV) will help kick-start your creativity.
A double garage door looks stunning even in the evening light! If you like the Carriage House Style, this design is a 16’ x 8’ North Hatley LP in Moka Brown with four vertical Lite Orion windows.
Easy to Maintain
With only one door, you only have to worry about one system. Two single garage doors mean twice the amount of parts that you’ll need to keep up and eventually fix. This breaks down to two doors, openers, sets of springs and cables, etc.
Keeping the PVC parts and the hardware well lubricated (one type for each) is important. You can find these lubricants online or at your local retail stores. Ask a trained professional for advice or read reviews carefully to make sure you’re getting what you need.
Garage door techs can also come do a tune-up about once a year. They know how to check your entire garage system to verify that nothing is broken. Annual maintenance means that your garage door will last even longer.
A double garage door gives you so much space and so much more convenience! This home is outfitted with a Standard+ Shaker-Modern XL garage door (16’ x 8’) in Iron Ore Walnut paint with Sandblasted windows. It coordinates with the Soho front door from the Novatech Shaker Collection.
Don’t Forget the Garage Door Opener!
You’ll need a durable, powerful garage garage door opener that is compatible with your door. Double garage doors are heavy, requiring high-quality models to lift and lower them safely. Choose carefully and don’t skimp! Two single doors, on the other hand, can be supported by basic models and you can upgrade with more features.
LiftMaster’s garage door openers are the cream of the crop. Why, you ask? Because they are at the high-end of the Chamberlain Group garage door openers—Chamberlain is the global leader in garage door opening systems. Their newest models include the cutting-edge myQ technology which allows you to control your garage door opener away from home.
You could be on a weekend away or just running errands, it doesn’t matter! You’ll get notified on your phone whenever anything is moving in your garage, allowing you to keep your space and belongings safe.
The new LiftMaster garage door with myQ technology means you can always see what’s happening in your garage. Check out these nine uses for a LiftMaster smart garage door opener.
Which Garage Door Opener is Best for Your Garage?
You’ll need to determine your budget, the internal space and height of your garage, and the door size you want. How often will you be opening and closing it? All these things will weigh into your decision.
Garage door openers are designed with more thought than just being able to open or close a door. Search out a specialist who can educate you on the differences between the many LiftMaster models.
You Have the Information… What Will You Decide?
Whichever option you go with, the final decision is up to you. It’s your home and your garage.
You should always seek out professional advice to help you make your decision, though, and to ensure that all your needs are met.
Let’s Design the Garage Door of Your Dreams!
Don’t stress about the outside appearance—peruse through Mar-Lin Dock & Door selection of top-quality garage doors that will fit your home. You can choose from three modern styles: Traditional, Carriage House, and Contemporary. Then, you can choose the specific colour, panel options, and windows that you love.
Check out our Design Centre! Here, you can customize your garage door by mixing and matching all the available features until you’ve made the perfect door for you. There’s no generalization for personal taste—this gives you a unique experience to choose a door that you know will mesh with the rest of your home’s exterior. Not only can you visualize online, but you can also plan your budget this way.
Request an easy, fast free quote and we’ll email it to you!
Does Your Garage Door Need Installation, Maintenance, or Repair?
The team at Mar-Lin Dock & Door can help you install a new door or repair your old one. Their skilled, qualified techs know how to perform all garage door services.
Call us at 519-326-5888 and one of our friendly associates will help you as soon as possible!
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