Garages and Garage Doors

Overview and garage door overview: A garage will protect your vehicles from the elements. A garage is also a storage place for many yard items. Selecting a garage door that  will compliment your home.   

Having a garage is nearly essential if you live in areas that have harsh winters or harsh summer sun. Protecting your vehicles form the elements will help preserve the vehicle color and weather related corrosion. In addition to protecting your vehicles the garage serves as a storage place for lawn and garden equipment which also should be protected from the elements. Without garages or carports to store this equipment it is stored outside where the weather takes a quick toll on its condition.

In modern spec home construction garages are quite small, sufficient for parking two cars with little room for anything else. As a result the homeowners usually have to build storage sheds in the backyard to store lawn and garden equipment. Sheds are fine but if you are building your own home or if your builder gives you a choice in the garage size, build a garage that will accommodate all your needs and you can avoid having to build a shed. The minimum size for an adequate garage should be 24 by 24 or 26 feet. Typically you see garages that are 22 X 22 feet which will accommodate two small or mid size cars but leave little room for anything else. Often a builder builds three bay garages. Three bay garage construction is fine if the bays or the overall size of the garage will accommodate all your needs. I do not recommend three bay garages because the added cost of the additional garage door and structure to support the door framing drives up the cost of the home by several thousand dollars. I prefer garages that have either two 8 or 9 foot wide garage doors or a single garage door that is either 16 or 18 feet wide. The single wider door provides easy access for the vehicles and other large items that are stored in the garage.           

 Modern garage doors are made of aluminum construction making them very easy to open because of the counter balance springs that are attached to door. Steel doors are available but are very expensive. There are two types of modern garage door styles; the section roll-up and the swing-up. The sectional roll up is the most popular type of garage doors. The sectional roll up consists of either four or five panels, depending upon the door height, that are hinged together horizontally across the door opening. The swing-up door is a single panel door that swings out at the bottom as it rotates inward at the top. It is the least popular door used in garage construction today although the cost is considerably less than roll up doors. Both types of these garage doors are primarily manufactured from aluminum with either flush or raised-panels and windows. They can be purchased with a variety of options such as windows and electric operators. In regards to garage door openers, if you have a garage it is essential to have a garage door opener.

During a rain or snow storm it is extremely frustrating to get out of your vehicle to open the garage door and then return to the vehicle in the inclement weather to drive it into the garage. By the time you get the vehicle inside the garage you will most likely be very wet and irritated. If you have a garage you should install garage door openers. You will find that it is a great investment.

For more information of garage doors see:

Garage Door Maintenance

Garage Door Openers

Painting Garage Doors