Garage door opener inside the ceiling

[NWPete]

I have a very challenging garage with a ceiling beam in the middle only 8ft away from the garage door. If I install my motor in front of the beam, the door doesn't open all the way up. My joists run perpendicular all the way to the door so I thought why not open up the drywall in that portion between the two joists in the middle and run the rail ABOVE the beam through the open space and install the motor on the other side of it? I'm not gonna notch the beam through the middle to run the rail so this is really the only way to install my opener & rail and open the garage door all the way up. What's above the garage ceiling? laundry room and dining room. I know.. an inspector would say fire hazard through the open portion of the drywall, right? Is there a way to remedy that while having an open ceiling in that space? Like some kind of insulation or fire retardant padding or something.

Edit:

I later drew this picture below. If there is anything wrong with installing drywall in the joist cavity as a fire barrier, I'd like to know.

 

[PelicanPines]

They make an opener that mounts on the side of the door at the top.

 

[The Cobbler]

I would not cut into the fire barrier & insulation between the garage & living space... have you thought about a liftmaster torsion opener?

 

[NWPete]

Yes I considered the liftmaster. I don't have the required space between the side of the garage door and the wall unfortunately...

 

[NWPete]

There is no furnace or water heater in that garage though. They are in a room next to it. There is however the main electrical panel in the garage. Isn't not having a drywall ceiling in the lower space kind of like having an unfinished basement though? The garage is in my half basement.

 

[NWPete]

I suppose I could also install drywall inside the joist cavity area directly on wood.. What do you think about that?

 

[The Cobbler]

My comment doesn't change, or will I add anything additional...

 

[Ironcrow]

Are you worried about clearance to your car if the operator is mounted below the beam? You could move the operator off the one side along one of the tracks.

 

[kaymccampbell]

Did you look at the Sommer evo? It sort of mounts on the door and crawls along the track.

 

[NWPete]

Are you worried about clearance to your car if the operator is mounted below the beam? You could move the operator off the one side along one of the tracks.

If I install the motor below the beam, the track will be below the garage door so it wouldn't work.

 

[NWPete]

Did you look at the Sommer evo? It sort of mounts on the door and crawls along the track.

Interesting. Looking at a youtube video and the specs, I don't think it will work. Same issue. I don't have enough distance between the beam and the door. With the arm bar length plus the length of the operator, my garage door wouldn't open all the way up. I gotta somehow get past that beam.

 

[MileHighRover]

Sounds like you need to have a garage door company come out and assess your specific situation.

 

[Lennyzx11]

I used an opener mounted to one side right next to the wheel track for 10 years on a 9 ft wide door for 10 years on a low ceiling garage with a 2nd story above.

I remodeled to a 9x12 and used a liftmaster tucked into the corner with the end “relieved “ into the wall. I wanted as big a door as I could fit.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[matt_i]

I would look at trying to install the jackshaft opener inside of the bearing support.

Yes this is inconvenient requiring a lot of disassembly and reassembly but at the end of the day its a motor geared and belted down to twist a shaft and just needs to know when to stop and start. I think you have to look at it like a piece of conveyance.

There's also the potential to mount it on a parallel shaft higher than the door, on the inside wall, and use something like a roller chain to drive the mainshaft. The parallel shaft would also require bearings and the sprockets have to be affixed to the tube, which can't be keyed like a traditional solid shaft. But the upper shaft could be solid and keyed and its not too far out to imagine welding a roller chain sprocket to a tube after the galvanizing is removed. There needs to be a way to tension the chain so its not slack and you would want a guard so someone doesn't have a bad day.

 

[manwithtools]

I would look at trying to install the jackshaft opener inside of the bearing support.

Yes this is inconvenient requiring a lot of disassembly and reassembly but at the end of the day its a motor geared and belted down to twist a shaft and just needs to know when to stop and start. I think you have to look at it like a piece of conveyance.

There's also the potential to mount it on a parallel shaft higher than the door, on the inside wall, and use something like a roller chain to drive the mainshaft. The parallel shaft would also require bearings and the sprockets have to be affixed to the tube, which can't be keyed like a traditional solid shaft. But the upper shaft could be solid and keyed and its not too far out to imagine welding a roller chain sprocket to a tube after the galvanizing is removed. There needs to be a way to tension the chain so its not slack and you would want a guard so someone doesn't have a bad day.

Liftmaster already makes this as an accessory....

 

[infinkc]

my relatives house had this type installed, but they unfortunately dont make them anymore. they had a similar beam in their garage that a normal opener wouldnt work.

Do you have pictures on how much clearance you have on the side? i would think a Liftmaster jackshaft should work.

 

[NWPete]

Here it is. I only have about 5 inches from the end of the torsion bar to the wall. The other side has almost none.

 

[Handyandy23]

Liftmaster already makes this as an accessory....

What is the part number on this? I can't find it anywhere but it's exactly what I need

 

[Innovate1]

I would think if you line the cavity you make with fire rated drywall the same as the original and seal up all the joints and gaps that would meet the required fire barrier requirement. A layer of that drywall is all that is needed everywhere else between the rooms so why wouldn't that be sufficient? Just my opinion so you would need to verify that to your own satisfaction.

You could make some sort of offset link/extension and guide track to place the entire opener behind the beam and below the ceiling. The link would transfer the motion to the door where it is needed.

 

[manwithtools]

What is the part number on this? I can't find it anywhere but it's exactly what I need

Try this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Liftmaster-480LM-Alternate-Mounting-Extension/dp/B002P5RDDK?sa-no-redirect=1

 

[NWPete]

I would think if you line the cavity you make with fire rated drywall the same as the original and seal up all the joints and gaps that would meet the required fire barrier requirement. A layer of that drywall is all that is needed everywhere else between the rooms so why wouldn't that be sufficient? Just my opinion so you would need to verify that to your own satisfaction.

You could make some sort of offset link/extension and guide track to place the entire opener behind the beam and below the ceiling. The link would transfer the motion to the door where it is needed.

Yes, so this is what I mean. In the below pic that I drew, I can drywall the cavity making sure all gaps are sealed. The motor/rail can go all the way up if necessary. If there are any problems with doing this, I'm curious to know. Wouldn't want to get called out by an inspector if I sell the house down the road.

 

[Lynden]

Change the type of garage door you have.

1. One piece, lift-up garage door. I have two of these on my garage. The doors extend 4 feet into the garage when open.

2. Bifold garage door

3. Horizontal sectional garage door

4. Swing-out garage door

5. Hanger-style garage door

 

[Handyandy23]

Try this:

https://smile.amazon.com/Liftmaster-480LM-Alternate-Mounting-Extension/dp/B002P5RDDK?sa-no-redirect=1

 

[NWPete]

I don't have the budget to change out the entire garage door to another style just so I can open it electronically. It's pretty much either I do it the way I mentioned in the picture above or not install a garage door opener at all. If anyone wants to comment on the picture above and point out any issues with fire barrier and anything else, it will be appreciated.

 

[dfiler2]

I think your idea in your first post will work fine, you may need to double up the drywall to get the fire rating.

 

[NWPete]

I think your idea in your first post will work fine, you may need to double up the drywall to get the fire rating.

Thank you. I can use 5/8-inch Type X.

 

[andyvh1959]

Back to the door opener mounted on the left end of the torsion tube: can you create a recess into the side wall so the door opener can fit into the recess enough to allow the jackshaft drive to the torsion tube?


The jackshaft style opener will also be the most quiet style. Anything with a center track and arm is either chain or screw drive will be noisier. The jackshaft style will also provide the most overhead clearance directly over the vehicles.

 

[Innovate1]

Yes, so this is what I mean. In the below pic that I drew, I can drywall the cavity making sure all gaps are sealed. The motor/rail can go all the way up if necessary. If there are any problems with doing this, I'm curious to know. Wouldn't want to get called out by an inspector if I sell the house down the road.

Seems good to me. Of course you would drywall the ends of the joist space too so you have a continuous barrier. Sounds like that is part of the plan.

 

[NWPete]

Back to the door opener mounted on the left end of the torsion tube: can you create a recess into the side wall so the door opener can fit into the recess enough to allow the jackshaft drive to the torsion tube?


The jackshaft style opener will also be the most quiet style. Anything with a center track and arm is either chain or screw drive will be noisier. The jackshaft style will also provide the most overhead clearance directly over the vehicles.

It is possible. I haven't opened up the wall but seems clear of any studs. There is an electrical panel 3 ft below so not sure if there will be obstacles. I'll have to install a receptacle in that area too. Maybe I'll explore my other idea first before I'm forced to explore this option. Everything is ready for that option.

 

[NWPete]

Seems good to me. Of course you would drywall the ends of the joist space too so you have a continuous barrier. Sounds like that is part of the plan.

Thanks. Yes, I'll be sure to drywall both ends of the cavity as well. There may be some wires through pilot holes being exposed too. I can install split wire tubing around those wires. Sounds like a plan.

 

[Innovate1]

They make materials to put around the wires to seal those for fire as well. I am not that familiar with them but I think they make several different kinds and some are easier to work with when needing to add a wire and such like.

 

[NWPete]

Great. I found some fire retardant split wire looms on Amazon for automobiles and machineries that heat up.

 

[Jking24]

I don't see any problem with your plan as long as their is the correct drywall to meet code it should be fine your not changing anything structural and your still hanging the opener in free air space. As long as you finish the cavity and enclose any exposed wire. If your picture is too scale it looks like you could split the cavity and still have area for the wire to run while gaining the access you need for your opener

 

[kaymccampbell]

I bet the wire needs to be behind the X-rated drywall. You'll probably have to run 2x4's along each side of the hole in the ceiling and stick your drywall to those.

 

[NWPete]

Thanks for the suggestion. If I can split the cavity and install the drywall so the wires go behind it, I will. Hopefully those wires will be much higher than 2 inches from the bottom. Otherwise, I'll get those fire rated tubes to enclose the wires as the secondary option.

 

[Lynden]

If you raise the garage door and stop it so that the bottom of the door is level with the bottom of the header over the opening, how far is the top of the door from the beam? With the door in this position, do you have room for the motor in front of the beam?

 

[NWPete]

If you raise the garage door and stop it so that the bottom of the door is level with the bottom of the header over the opening, how far is the top of the door from the beam? With the door in this position, do you have room for the motor in front of the beam?

I have the room in front of the beam for the motor but with the minimum required arm bar length to close the door all the way, I don't have enough room so the door opens up only 3/4 the way up. That's why I'm running it behind the beam through the cavity.

 

[Hot Rod Grampa]

You got good advice. Split the cavity re rock firewall grade and mount the head behind the beam. You could also run all your low voltage power to the beams concealed. Done all the time. Take pictures of the cavity in case a future inspector questions the mods. Like when you go to sell it.

 

[flathead dave]

I just installed the LiftMaster 8500. It's a side mount to the spring bar.
Pretty quiet.
I have a/c ducting running down the middle of my garage ceiling so I dumped the traditional garage door opener.
Don't have to do anything to the garage ceiling. CEILING NOT GOING TO BE USED!
Takes up less room and you don't have the motor hanging over head.
About $400-$500 depending on where you get it.
Well worth the money and was very easy to install.
Might be the way for you to go.