Consider Unique Garage Door Sizes

by Rachel Lyon, Editorial Director for Direct from the Designers

Vehicles come in a variety of sizes, and overhead doors can have applications beyond the garage—have you considered what non-standard garage door sizes can do for your home? Whether you’re shopping for the garage or elsewhere, here’s why you should look into unique garage door sizes to get exactly what you want.

Small Garage Doors

A standard single garage door is made to fill an opening that is 8 or 9 feet wide. The average car is about 6 feet across, so this provides enough buffer space to comfortably maneuver into and out of the garage. If you have any smaller vehicles, that extra breadth could feel like a waste—that’s why you’ll see some houses designed with parking for cars, but they also have additional smaller bays to make sure space is used efficiently.

Golf carts, ATVs, lawnmowers, motorcycles, mopeds, and even bicycles stored in the garage could benefit from having their own door. The extra bay keeps the cars from getting crowded and makes it easier to take out what you need. On that note, if your garage shares an exterior wall with the backyard, consider adding a garage door there as well—it’s perfect for storing outdoor toys or you can open it up to create a cross breeze in your workshop!

Large Garage Doors

A standard garage door is 7 feet tall, but that might seem a little tight to some given the size of today’s new pick-up trucks and SUVs. If you have to store anything larger like an RV, camper van, or boat, you’ll need a garage with more height. You’ll find a few homes that include such bays, but most people rely on a detached garage dedicated to storing oversized vehicles. Finishing this structure to the same standards as your home is a great way to boost curb appeal and your property value, so try to use the same door style.

You need to be aware of a couple of practical concerns, though. The larger the garage door, the heavier it’ll be, and some materials pack on pounds quicker than others. This limits the heights they can reach due to the mechanical requirements needed to lift the corresponding weight. Aesthetics are also affected, because stretching the proportions of some door styles—especially those with windows in the top section—can look odd. If you plan to have extra-tall garage doors, consult with a dealer to ensure your ideas are feasible and to come up with workarounds, if necessary.

Short Garage Doors

What if you aren’t looking for a parking solution? You might use the overhead operation of a garage door to create a window that opens across its entire width without creating any clearance concerns. Halve the height of a regular door and you’ll have the perfect size to put over a countertop. Maybe you need to create passive ventilation in a stuffy structure? Make sure to create openings high on the wall to vent hot air. A short door with an opener is perfect for a place you can’t reach. Get creative—there are all sorts of practical applications that take advantage of the breadth of garage doors and how they operate!

Clopay® has you covered whether you need a garage door of standard or custom size. They can trim down their usual dimensions for narrower openings and most of their collections can reach heights of 12 feet. Some can go even higher! Clopay® has decades of experience outfitting homes with quality garage doors to meet homeowners’ expectations, and they even make it easy to communicate your needs. Try the Quick Draw tool to explore the possibilities or connect with a local dealer today!