The garage door is one of the crucial home components you should pay a lot of attention to when purchasing one. One critical often ignored parameter regarding garage doors is the size. Without knowing the correct size of the garage door you need, there will always be issues during installation.
Whether you need to install a new garage door or replace an existing one, you need to know how to measure all its size details to make a sound decision on the unit to acquire. Even if you engage professionals in the process, you can still take the measurements yourself to have a rough idea of where theirs will fall. Even better, you will know what the correct quote for your new garage door will be.
In this guide, we discuss an excellent approach that you can use to measure your garage door’s correct size. We have also included tips to help you with the same. Follow through if you want to gain this kind of knowledge.
Five easy steps to measure the size of your garage door
Use a tape measure to take these measurements and have somewhere to record the figures and other important details.
1. Measure the width
For a garage door, the width is the distance between the left and right sides of the finished opening. Note that the opening in all these measurements will be treated to be equivalent to the size of the garage door you require. To have the correct value, you should take this measurement from the broadest part of the opening. Look for any significant irregularities such as jambs and record them along with this measurement. While recording this measurement, also consider that the garage door will have to be framed by at least 2”×6” frames.
2. Measure the height
The height is the up and down measurement of the finished opening. Start by taking this measurement from the floor, going up to where the finished opening ends. Here, it would be best if you paid attention to any irregularities on the floor.
3. Measure the side room
The side room is the space between the left and right sides of the opening and the inner walls. Since the vertical frame will have to be insulated, consider leaving around 5” on both sides for this. For the case of a double door, you should also factor in the space taken by the center post, which should not be less than 10” wide. Important details to note here are obstructions such as wires that could compromise the installation.
4. Measure the headroom
This is the area between the end of the garage door opening and the ceiling. The headroom you will need depends on the requirements of the garage door type you will choose. Even with these, you will have to leave enough space to install the door’s hardware. You need to, for example, leave around 10” for a standard extension spring and 12” for a typical torsion spring. If the door height extends past the finished opening, you need to adjust the headroom measurements accordingly. Don’t forget to leave the space to install the door opener and again follow the recommendation of the opener you will buy.
5. Measure the backroom
Sometimes some of the hardware above may be installed in the back room, which is the space between the garage door opening and the garage’s back wall. Here, you need to note if there are any irregularities.
The above five measurements are all you need to know the right garage door size you require. Since you can’t find custom-made garage doors to fit in all garage openings, having a copy of your garage opening can help a great deal.
Tips to follow when measuring the size of your garage door
• Round off the measurements to the closest fraction of an inch. This will reduce errors that come with recording non-uniform data. This also eliminates the uncertainty in the measurements.
• For each of the above measurements, consider repeating the procedure in several spots and settle for the average measurement or the figure that appears several times in a row. This way, you will be assured that the final size will be the most accurate one.
• Record measurements starting by width then height-As a rule of thumb, you should always record your measurement starting with the width followed by height. If you intend to present this data to other people, you will be at peace knowing that they will interpret it the right way.
• Source help from a family member, friend, or neighbor as some measurements are impractical to take on our own. With a helper, you will, for example, not struggle using a tape measure and simultaneously record the figures you get.
Conclusion
Don’t work with garage door size estimates as they, in most cases, cause material wastage and poor value for your money. As seen above, the process of measuring the size of your garage door is not complicated, and you only need to follow the proper procedure. If the guide’s approach still overwhelms you, or if you don’t have time to perform this task, many professionals can help you out. Regardless of the path you will follow to acquire the measurements of your garage door, it should always be done before you start your garage door project.