Garage Door Buyers Guide
- Which Type?
- Manual or Automated?
- Insulated Garage Doors
- Sizes & Measurements
- The Sales Process
All Garage Doors Book a Survey
Garage Door Buyers Guide
A garage door often forms a large part of the façade of your house and so, to enhance your home’s aesthetic and security, a new, safe and durable garage door can be a real asset. There is a great range of doors on the market but this can leave customers wondering, which garage door should I choose?
To help you distinguish an insulated roller door from an automated Hörmann sectional and much more, we’ve put together this handy buyer’s guide to help you along in the buying process.
1. Different Types of Garage Door
Up & Over Garage Doors
- Up and over garage doors are an low cost, affordable option
- Simple operation which is easy to maintain
- Excellent choice of materials, finishes, colours and glazing available
- A classic, reliable door with a long lifespan
Sectional Garage Doors
- Sectional garage doors are sturdy, secure and have thorough weatherproofing seals
- Easy to automate and insulate
- Can be tailored to fit nearly all shapes of garage opening
- Lateral space saving and doesn’t swing outwards on opening
Roller Garage Doors
- Roller garage doors are compact in size and when operating
- Secure and strong
- Simple to automate
- Available in many colours and with added insulation
Insulated Roller Garage Doors
Electric Automated Garage Doors
- Automated garage doors offer the most convenient access to your garage
- Improved safety features and security, thanks to the lack of locks to force
- No physical effort needed to open garage – ideal for those with mobility issues
- Automated doors come in a wide variety of types and styles
Side-Hinged Garage Doors
- Side-hinged garage doors offer easy access, particularly for pedestrians, and remove the need for heavy lifting
- An elegant design which is available in many colours, finishes and with glazing
- Allows variable opening which can enhance privacy for the contents of your garage
- Versatile door designs and a quiet mechanism
Side-Sliding Garage Doors
- Side sliding sectional garage doors are great for garages with low head height or unusual roof shapes
- Safe, high security levels and good weatherproof sealing
- Can be partially opened, increasing convenience and privacy
- Ideal for automation
Wooden Garage Doors
Garage Side Doors
- Garage side doors offer a practical and convenient pedestrian entrance to your garage
- Using a side door offers better privacy compared to opening the entire garage door
- Using a side door will reduce unnecessary wear on the main garage door
- Available in many sizes, styles, colours and materials
2. Manual or Automated?
Control
Manual
As the name suggests, these doors have to be opened manually. If it’s bad weather, or if you have mobility issues, this can become taxing.
Automated
With automated garage doors, you can open and close the door using a remote control. Operation at the push of a button is a very convenient option.
Maintenance
Manual
Maintenance for most garage doors should be minimal; wiping down the door facade and lubricating moving parts are the main tasks.
Automated
Automatic door maintenance is very similar to that for manual doors. In addition, you’ll just need to ensure your remote batteries don’t die.
Installation
Manual
Garage door installation can be very dangerous for untrained individuals and is best left to the professionals.
Automated
Installing an automated garage door is even more tricky than a with a manual door, with the added electrical components to consider and should, therefore, be left to professionals.
Aesthetics
Manual
There is an excellent variety of garage door types, meaning there’s something to suit all homes.
Automated
Automated garage doors can look just the same as manual ones, coming in a wide selection of types, style, finishes and colours.
3. Insulated Garage Doors
When looking for a new door, one of the decisions you will have to make is whether you want an insulated or non-insulated garage door. This choice is entirely down to you and there are benefits and drawbacks of each type.
Insulated Garage Doors
- Increases energy efficiency
- Can help reduce heat loss in your home if the garage is attached
- Helps avoid extreme high and low temperatures in your garage
- Makes your garage a more comfortable and usable space
- Insulated doors will cost more
Non-Insulated Garage Doors
- Cheaper option
- Can cost you more in the long run through increased energy bills etc
- The thinner door can be noisier when operating
- Your garage will be less usable
4. Sizes & Measurements
Taking precise measurements of your garage is very important to make sure your new garage door fits neatly and functions smoothly.
What Size is a Standard Garage Door?
There are many different sizes of garage doors available, and there’s also the option for bespoke sizes to be made, should you wish. However, there are a few garage door sizes which are commonly offered as standard by most manufacturers.

Single Garage Doors
Single garage doors are large enough to fit one vehicle – whether that’s a car, SUV or small van.
Typical sizes are:
- 8 x 7 feet
- 9 x 7 feet
- 10 x 7 feet

Double Garage Doors
Double garage doors are generally large enough to fit 2 standard vehicles, or one particularly large vehicle with ample space.
Standard double-door sizes are:
- 12 x 7 feet
- 14 x 7 feet
- 16 x 7 feet
How Do You Measure Your Garage Door?
Before deciding on any garage door, you will need to measure the space you have available. Many customers ask us how to measure a garage door, but unfortunately, there’s not a simple answer as different types of doors will require different measurements. However, if you take a few basic measurements to your garage door supplier, they should be able to help you with the rest. Such useful measurements include:
- The width and height of the opening itself, not including the door frame
- If you are planning to keep the existing timber frame, the width and height of the frame
- The internal headroom – the space from the top of the door to the ceiling of the garage
- The side room – the space on each side of the garage door, measured from the side of the door to the side wall
5. Getting Your New Door: The Sales Process
Once you’ve done your research into which kind of door you would like, our garage door experts can help you select the ideal one for your home. We can be on hand to help at any stage of the process, from providing valuable garage door buying tips, to offering quality maintenance and aftercare service years down the line. Our general sales process is as follows:
A home visit is arranged
One of our experts will visit, inspect your garage, and provide a quote
Follow up phone call discussion, deposit put down and installation slot booked
Sale and delivery is confirmed
Fitters arrive to carry out professional installation
You can enjoy your new door