Garage door sizes for new shop

[imjustdave]

So looking in building a shop shed garage whatever you want to call it, as it will be the 1 and only on this property. exact size undetermined yet but looking at 40X50 to 44X60 range. a lot depends on budgets.

Some of the space will be for storage, trailer. wood working, working on cars, will have a lift too.
So due to land sizing issues the garage doors will be on the 40-44 side.

I will have a large driveway 45+ feet long that I will access by backing off of a narrow 24 foot private road with a trailer. Thankfully it's the drivers side. So mostly by the time I get to the garage I will be pretty square to the building.

I have used sketchup some to visualize but reality is always different.
Trailer will sit back 8-10 feet from the doors inside.

So I have been looking at 2 doors maybe 14 to 16 wide doors maybe even 20 to simplify backing in the trailer and allow easier access in general. Was thinking 3-4 feet off the side wall to start the door, then door then 2-3 support then second door, with the remaining part of the garage wall, Yes the other wall will be bigger but I think it would look better to have some front wall space to the street, maybe even a window.

I think 2 large doors would be better then 3 smaller ones + it would keep my driveway size in check

Also I have gotten 2 bids now for garage doors in the 16-20 foot range 14 tall come to 11k - 16k for both, before tax depending on the options I pick.

Wanted to see what others have done on 38-44 foot wide walls for doors.
Thoughts?

 

[sberry]

16 is cheaper and more solid, 14 is better yet, you can turn a building so the gable is the other way. Yes, trusses more expensive but less of them and don't need the same headers. But,, do it in 2 if you can and build bigger.

 

[biggziff]

Better look at what the LVL header will cost you based on the door size.

 

[kwb]

16Wx14H

Garage doors are made with only a few different panel sizes. Hardware changes a bit for the taller the door. Your prices quoted are either a really fancy design or somebody is sticking it to you. 16'W is going to be among the most common width = lower price.

To the header comment - if the door is in the gable end the header isn't much of anything. I think mine is a 4x12x18'. The truss may need to be a double of a gable and a scissor if that is the plan to gain some extra height but that would be pretty small change of the building cost as well. If the header is in load bearing wall then Yes it will be sized by an engineer as part of the design of building.

 

[imjustdave]

16 is cheaper and more solid, 14 is better yet, you can turn a building so the gable is the other way. Yes, trusses more expensive but less of them and don't need the same headers. But,, do it in 2 if you can and build bigger.

Not sure I follow... unless you're saying a shorter door is strong then a 20.

Yes I agree a 16 might be stronger than a 20 but no clue on how each is built so hard to judge it. It's for sure cheaper to go smaller, but then you have wall in the way of access.

If I went 20 I might consider going to 30 and just run 1 door.

Well ... with the roof I'm already entering the short end of the building - gable Would assume that would mean smaller header beam as the loads are already being sent to the outside wall. But as fate has it I'm debating on solar and south is the garage door ends, so I might actually make it the eve end for sure it's a bump in truss cost. " i have some bids already, but lumber is stupid $$$$ right now."

 

[biggziff]

Also I have gotten 2 bids now for garage doors in the 16-20 foot range 14 tall come to 11k - 16k for both, before tax depending on the options I pick.

Wanted to see what others have done on 38-44 foot wide walls for doors.
Thoughts?

I neglected to comment on this part. I went with a 16 X 14 single door. Amarr, R19, commercial, highest offering they had at the time (2742 model) I believe the cost to me, cash and carry, was under $1800 including track, rollers, everything I needed to install it.

 

[imjustdave]

16Wx14H

Garage doors are made with only a few different panel sizes. Hardware changes a bit for the taller the door. Your prices quoted are either a really fancy design or somebody is sticking it to you. 16'W is going to be among the most common width = lower price.

To the header comment - if the door is in the gable end the header isn't much of anything. I think mine is a 4x12x18'. The truss may need to be a double of a gable and a scissor if that is the plan to gain some extra height but that would be pretty small change of the building cost as well. If the header is in load bearing wall then Yes it will be sized by an engineer as part of the design of building.

I was looking at the Clopay doors liked the look of the Coachham AND Bridgeport line I reckon the middle of the road in terms of doors. Fully insulated, tract to follow scissor truss, and openers. I had one in the past and it was a nice door had zero issues in 15 years. If I went with just builder grade tin door to fill the hole then yes price would dropped a bunch about half, but I want the shop to fit in and look nice and flowing with the neighborhood, and wife has zero desire to ever move again, So I can't just do function.

Yes pricing might high I do live in 45 miles south of Seattle, But 2 places had about the same cost.

 

[imjustdave]

I neglected to comment on this part. I went with a 16 X 14 single door. Amarr, R19, commercial, highest offering they had at the time (2742 model) I believe the cost to me, cash and carry, was under $1800 including track, rollers, everything I needed to install it.

Oh snap, thats a decent price. I just looked and those prices I have quoted are installed... and a jackshaft opener.. but yeah looks like been quoted pretty high end install costs, and the upcharge for roof line track is a bit much. Might have to revisit pricing.

Thanks everyone.

 

[biggziff]

Oh snap, thats a decent price. I just looked and those prices I have quoted are installed... and a jackshaft opener.. but yeah looks like been quoted pretty high end install costs, and the upcharge for roof line track is a bit much. Might have to revisit pricing.

Thanks everyone.

The door companies here charge $250 or less to install regardless of size. LM8500 is under $500 and install here is $100.

 

[kaiser715]

My building is 42x60. Doors are on the short (gable ends). I forget the cost difference, but it was cheaper to do them there than on the long sides. It is a red iron building, there are diagonal bracing cables that would have to be worked around in the side walls.

I put 2 14x14 doors on the main end, 2 12x10 doors on the back end. Also a man door on either end, between the roll-up doors.

14x14 sounds wide until you back a trailer or RV in thru it. The body of my motorhome is 8.5 wide. Mirrors bring that out to 11'. That leaves 18" on each side for net clearance.

 

[gofastwclass]

My building has two 12' x 10' doors on a 40' wall and it's perfect for my needs. The doors are wide enough I can back a loaded car trailer through either door with ease. My main purpose is working on project cars and dragging home new ones.

 

[NUTTSGT]

How big is this "trailer" ?

There's a big difference between a 5x8 utility, a 16 open trailer, 24' enclosed and a 30' 5th wheel camper ?

 

[imjustdave]

How big is this "trailer" ?

There's a big difference between a 5x8 utility, a 16 open trailer, 24' enclosed and a 30' 5th wheel camper ?

34' 5th wheel for now. Momma wants to downsize though so might be 20 foot bumper pull in the future.


I'm almost tempted to put in 1 30 foot door and not worry about it. push the button and park.

 

[finn]

I have a 10’ and a 12’ on my 48’x75’ , plus another 12’ on the lean to.

The 10’ is a little tight for the 34’ fifth wheel, but doable. The po parked logging trucks and skidders in there. If you can’t back a fifth wheel in that space, how do you manage backing into campsites?

The 12’ doors are ideal.

Anything wider steals too much wall space, in my experience.

Always put the doors on the gable end. Snow slides from the eaves makes clearing the driveway problematic.