Garage Door Finishing 101

How Large Should My Garage Door Be?

Over the years, homes have become bigger and garages have become bigger, as well. However, you might wonder exactly how large your residential garage door should be. There is an optimal size depending on the size of your largest vehicle. If you ever believe you will own a larger vehicle, you may be better off planning ahead because it can be difficult to increase the size of your garage door once your garage has been constructed.

Typical Garage Sizes

Most garage doors are 8-20 feet because few vehicles are small enough to fit through a door that is under 8 feet. While garage doors can vary in width, they are typically only 7-8 feet tall. However, if you speak with a residential garage door installation specialist, you may be able to have a garage door installed with a custom size.

If you need a larger garage door, this will likely be in order to fit a vehicle with a large snow plow inside or a truck with large mirrors. You may consider storing a larger vehicle in your driveway but worry about the vehicle taking up too much space or being broken into.

Attached Vs. Detached Garages

While it is typical to have a garage that is attached to your home, this might not be practical if you are storing very large vehicles. When you construct a standalone garage, you will have more flexibility in how you design your garage so you can accommodate a very large vehicle.

Replacing a Garage Door

If you are not building a new garage and you already have a garage door, you will need to measure the existing door to determine how large the new door will need to be. However, you will not want to install the new garage door yourself because this can be dangerous.

A garage door is the largest moving part of your house and can be very dangerous. For example, the garage springs are under a lot of pressure and you can injure yourself when installing the door. Instead, it's best to have the project completed by a professional. 

Increasing the Size of Your Garage Door

If you already have an existing garage, it will often be impossible to increase the size of the garage door without rebuilding the garage as a whole. However, if you are willing to commit to this project, it will be possible to do.