The California full-view garage door gives you the ability to see outside of your garage and into your beautiful yard.
When building a garage, it’s crucial that you find the right garage door type for your needs.
When it comes to garage doors, there are many pieces of information to consider. Garage door professionals are always available to help you find the perfect garage door style and type for your project.
When you’re shopping for your garage door, you need to start with measurements. When you have the height and width of your garage, you’ll be able to choose a garage door that best works for your space.
If you have any questions about garage doors, don’t worry! Our guide has all the information you need to make sure you pick the perfect garage door as well as the garage door opener you’ll love.
By the end of this article, we hope you’ll feel like a garage door expert, ready to take on your project!
Q1: Why is garage door headroom important to consider when choosing a garage door?
This image shows you the measurements you need to take before shopping for your garage door. Taking these ahead of time will help prevent any surprise issues with fitting.
Garage headroom clearance is how much room there is above your garage door. The door's range of motion may lower the amount of headroom you have in your garage. It can also cause your measurements to change for the garage door you’re purchasing, so don’t forget to factor it in as well.
Q2: When is a low headroom garage door needed?
Low headroom garage doors are most common in residential homes. If you have less than ten inches from the top of your garage door opening to the ceiling in your garage, a low headroom garage door is the style for you.
The area above the garage door is where the extension springs go. You'll have an area no taller than ten inches for the torsion spring to consider as well if you need a low headroom garage door.
Some features make you more likely to need a low headroom garage door:
- Older homes usually don’t have the high ceilings we get today.
- New construction homes if you don’t double-check the blueprint for enough headroom.
- Ceilings that have built-in obstructions such as an air conditioning system or a water sprinkler system.
- Basement garages are often shorter and made of concrete
If you don’t have the space for a standard garage door lift, the low headroom garage door style will still allow you to have the garage of your dreams.
How is front headroom different than rear headroom?
Low headroom can be present in the front or rear of garages, depending on the structural design. The only difference this makes is where the spring and drums are located. With front low headroom, you need front mount springs. However, rear low headroom will require you to use rear springs instead.
Notice the difference between the low headroom compared to the rear. The drums where the cable wraps into are located in different spots. Plus, the headroom hardware has been installed in both images, so you can understand the full differences between these designs.
The right hardware makes installing a low headroom garage door a super easy task to complete.
You'll need to purchase low headroom hardware if you have low headroom in your garage. This hardware is often called a double- or dual-track system and is used in garages with low headroom and uses two tracks placed on one another.
The highest part of your garage door will use the upper track of the opener because that section requires the most force to open and close. Then, the other three sections of your door will be powered using the lower track, allowing for an even distribution of weight. Plus, it lets the door opener take up less space in the garage itself.
Q3: How do I need to install my low clearance garage door?
The process for installing low headroom garage doors is very similar to the one used with standard garage doors. The biggest difference is the location where certain elements are installed, such as the garage door opener. This means you’ll need different hardware for the installation process to ensure it’s done properly.
Notice the Village Collection A Design with its modern dark brown color. The deep shade contrasts with the lighter beige color of the home, giving a monochrome color scheme. This style works even with the low headroom of a basement garage.
Q4: When should I choose a wall-mounted garage door opener?
A wall-mounted opener operates just like a standard garage door opener. However, you’ll install the opener onto your wall instead of the ceiling. Usually, garage openers are installed to hang from the ceiling, leaving them to take up a lot of headroom. Some companies may call this style of opener a jackshaft, but they’re the same thing. A wall-mounted garage door opener is perfect if you have high lift clearance or an angled ceiling in your garage, making standard garage door openers difficult to install.
Wall-mounted openers are great for a tall or sloped garage since the garage door opener is connected to the door's torsion bar for operation instead a rail track. This makes the opener more accessible.
Wall-mounted garage door openers can be used with all types of lifts, so even if you have a very standard garage setup, you can still enjoy the perks of having one.
While wall-mounted garage door openers were designed for large, commercial garages, they’ve become popular in residential garages over recent years. However, remember that if you have a front, low-headroom configuration, it's not a good setup for a wall-mounted opener.
The LiftMaster 8500W model is a popular wall-mounted garage opener, thanks to its ease of use and space-saving design. Plus, all LiftMaster garage door openers even have built-in myQ technology, allowing you to control and monitor your garage door through a smartphone app, no matter where you are!
Make the most of your new garage storage space!
Jackshafts free up overhead garage space for storage since they don't have any mechanisms taking up space above your head. With all the extra head space, you may want to utilize it as extra storage space that you wouldn’t have otherwise!
With all the extra headspace, you may want to install an overhead storage solution. Here are some great options from Family Handyman:
- Cargo nets
- Garage ceiling storage lifts
- Coated garage hooks
- Ceiling-mounted racks
Wall-mounted garage door openers let you transform your garage into the space of your dreams.
It's becoming more common to turn your garage into a usable living space, such as a guest bedroom or a man cave. With a wall-mounted opener, you can make the garage feel even cozier!
Transform your garage into any type of space!
Are your kids begging you for their own game room? Try making your garage into the oasis they crave. HGTV’s website offers plenty of inspiration photos for garage makeovers.
Budget Dumpster suggests different garage conversion ideas that may get your creativity flowing. Consider making your garage into one of these rooms:
- A room for your kids to play
- Spare bedroom
- Your studio to make art or music
- Your work from home oasis
- Extra hangout space for the family
You could also turn your garage into your neighborhood's favorite bar. You'll have a place to hang out while watching the game with your neighbors. You're only limited by your imagination when you install a wall-mounted garage opener!
With a wall-mounted garage door, your garage becomes just another room in your house. Without extra technology hanging from the ceiling, your options are endless.
Q5: What headroom is required for a wall-mounted garage door opener?
There isn’t a required amount of headroom needed for wall-mounted garage doors. There are mounting kits available to make any amount of headroom work with this style.
With standard openers, you need at least two inches above the center of the garage door shaft to install. However, wall-mounted openers allow you to use them even if you don't have the clearance required for standard ones.
You can also consider using an alternate mounting kit if you want. This kit allows you to mount your garage door opener below the torsion bar, allowing for more flexible options.
The alternate mounting kit has two gear systems, putting the shaft on top and the opener on the bottom. Even if you can’t install a wall-mounted garage door opener on your torsion bar, you can still have a functional opener!
All you need is at least eight and a half inches of space on one side of the garage door for the opener's shaft collar and casing.
Choose from Countless Garage Door Options!
We have so many garage door styles available! A garage door is a great way to boost the outside appearance of your home while also increasing the functionality of the garage itself.
At B & M Garage Door Inc, we carry three garage door styles: Traditional, Carriage House, and Contemporary. Regardless of the style you're looking for, we'll have the perfect garage door for your home.
We also have tons of colors to choose from, including neutrals to more trendy color options. No matter what you want, we're sure to have the color to meet your vision!
If you prefer windows in your garage doors, consider the Princeton P-11 design. The bright white garage doors let you see in or out of your garage. You can customize any garage door we offer to meet your dreams!
Use our online tools to make your dream garage door come to life!
We have an online Design Centre for you to create your dream garage door virtually. Choose from various garage door designs and colors, adding windows and decorative hardware to create the garage door look that works perfectly for your home!
When you can create a virtual version of your garage door, you can ensure it’s exactly what you’re looking for before you order it. Plus, it's never been easier than using our Design Centre!
Ready to Make a Purchase?
For an overhead door or garage door opener installation, call us at 905-569-9133 today!
Our professional garage door technicians are ready to install your garage door. Plus, their experience has them ready to help you with any garage door services, including garage door repairs. We're here for you from installation to repair and everything in between!
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