Thinnest Profile Overhead Garage Door?
In your collective wisdom, perhaps you have an answer that my local contractors do not yet seem to have.
My wife would like an automatic overhead garager door installed on our low (72 inches head room, but only 71 inches at the portal) San Francisco garage. No problem; except she also wants to put a mini-sport utility in there with a height of 67 inches. Hmmmmm—that’s cutting it a little close for comfort to start. To make it worse, the contractors we have consulted have insisted they need 7 inches of space–with a minimum of 6–but certainly no less. That would give the sport ute quite a little haircut.
Have considered regular doors, but then we lose too much of the interior space to the swing arc (hey, it’s San Francisco and the spaces are small)—and we can’t have them open outwards because the drive way slants down at 15 degrees in order to get into the garage….so they would scrape right away (and look sorta funny with a 15 degree wedge cut out of them—plus the random flotsam and jetsam that would enter…you get the idea).
Anyone have a clue on who the maker of the thinnest profile overhead garage door is? My wife has neck and shoulder pain, so a manual isn’t really going to cut it….And the desire for the sport-ute isn’t random; the higher loading height lets her put the babyseat in without craning over (and going into back spasms)
If I can figure out the manufacturer, I will work backwards to the authorized installers…manufacturer websites haven’t been too helpful yet.
Thanks!
NotaClue (but a hopeful homeowner)
Replies
Look into the higher end Wayne - Daltons..
Available at your big box outlets..
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
Thanks!!!!!; just looked at the website, using your suggestion. The I-drive Torsion Bar system might save some space! That was great.
Anyone else with ideas for low profile / thin installations?
Got a kit for a Sears opener for "very tall" doors (a much longer rail and a longer chain) that moved the opener from the middle of the garage ceiling to about 2' from the back-wall and gave us about 4.5" clearance for a Yukon XL (it took some fiddling with the pull-rod too, but I didn't do that part and don't know what they had to do - sorry about that).
WARNING: this installation has been repaired twice that I know of. Once when they bought over-sized replacement tires (it really is that close), and once where somebody completely forgot and backed into the garage..
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Unionville, Ontario
If you really pin it down at least half of the problem is the opener not the door. You might look around and see if you can find one similar to what some of the auto garages around here use. Sets off to one side and turns the shaft from the end. That way it doesn't take up any space above the opened door and lets it run closer to the ceiling/roof.
The off=to-the-side installation might work too; that's a good idea! may be a commercial installer, rather than a residential?
Buy her a Miata.
Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
That's helpful, and we would do that, if a Miata could take a car crash and be safe and if she didn't have spine and neck problems (try bending over in a small car to load a car seat and you'll see what I mean).
I wouldn't do an installation myself anyway; the web tells me there are several authorized dealers for Wayne-Dalton in the Bay Area...
Ok then a Chauffeured limousine service.
C'mon Man Buck-up for the woman you love!!!
I thought you guys in San Francisco were supposed to be sensitive types!!Mr T
Do not try this at home!
I am an Experienced Professional!
When you mention contractors, I assume you mean builders and remodelors. Look in the yellow pages or other sources such as the manufacterers sites to find garage door installers. These guys are specialists and are more likely to know the answer or have suggestions.
BTW, do NOT allow any of them to suggest modifications of the hardware itself. A garage door can be a dangerous thing, due to it's weight so the installation has to be done as designed..
Excellence is its own reward!
Someone on this site recommended the Wayne Dalton doors to me too, since I am building a detached garage. I called every installer listed on the Wayne Dalton website and the all have dropped Wayne Dalton doors. I called Wayne Dalton and they gave me a couple of installers that wern't on the list and I called them too, they have dropped Wayne Dalton . From what I can figure, Lowes picked up Wayne Dalton and have run all the local installers out. Try special ordering a door from Lowes, better bring a lunch. I also wanted to have the door installed but there is no way I am having a Lowes installer do it.
I hope you will have better luck.
Forrest
We have an "Overhead Door Co." 20' by 14' barn door that opens manually, with the lightest of pulls, and that is a heavy door! Closes the same. The springs do the work.
It has a gear set on the side. If she can get in and out of the car and doesn't need the electric doors, that may be a solution. Surely someone has come out with a side mounted door opening electric gear box?
Check with them and with commercial builders in your area.
How 'bout roll up doors? I've seen them installed with the rollup on the outside. No indoor clearance needed.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
The roll up doors are an interesting idea (may be a box valance so that the Victorian outside of our house doesn't start to collect too many thrown eggs for its ugliness?); Thanks for the info on Lowes driving out all the other installers; I will try finding out what I can from them.
Called a Lowes today and just got lost in their phone ping-pong. might have to go down there and find out from someone just what is possible. (Talking to an installer rather than salesman should do it).
The manual door isn't a bad idea either; does it really save on headroom?
You have all be quite helpful.
Thanks!
Look into a tip out.
Get to Lowes well before 5. Lowes ran off the little guy here too.
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
Forgive my inexperience; a "tip out"?
The door rotates up and out as a one piece unit.
Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....
thank you for the definition; that helps...