Garage door sizes???

[zombiescustoms]

I'm getting ready to start a new 40x32 garage project and I can not decide weather to go with 3 10x10 insulated doors or 1 10x10 and 1 18x10. I like the idea of the front of the garage looking symmetrical, but I also like the idea of not having to deal with a post between 2 of the bays. Any thoughts form any one using these sizes??

Thanks!

 

[porschedude996TT]

Symmetry has a lot to do with the choices, but do you need so many doors. Without seeing you plan view concept, it is hard to visualize what you are thinking, but why so much door area? I am completing a 30 x 40 and have two doors. One on each end, a 8'W x 7'H on one end that has no access to a street or alley, and the other end has a 12'W x 8'. I don't plan any motor homes or battleships to be driven in the shop at this point. Two bad things about too much door are that it reduces the wall space to put things against and the other is the structure itself. If the opening is too close to the corner of the building a "Strong Wall" is needed when there is less than 4' from the opening to the corner. Again, I don't have any idea if you are building a steel building or from stick. The last comment about the wood structure. Also, doors that size are going to get pricey. Shows us a plan view hand drafted if necessary.

Good Luck in your build.

 

[nate379]

Doors on the 40 foot side I'm guessing?

 

[zombiescustoms]

Here is a basic design but with 12 foot walls,

 

[zombiescustoms]

Doors on the 40 foot side I'm guessing?

Yes on the 40 foot wall

 

[Piper]

While the 10 and 18 foot wide doors won't be symmetrical it'd be pretty convenient to swing a trailer or some wide vehicle that you'd like in the garage running lengthwise. I'd be leaning to the 10 and 18 myself.

 

[zombiescustoms]

While the 10 and 18 foot wide doors won't be symmetrical it'd be pretty convenient to swing a trailer or some wide vehicle that you'd like in the garage running lengthwise. I'd be leaning to the 10 and 18 myself.

that's is my feeling at this point as well, I do have a 30" enclosed trailer that is 8'6" wide and it would sure be easier to back it through a 18' wide than a 10' wide, no post to deal with.

 

[TRC51]

I see plenty of three car attached garages on houses in my area with an 18 and 8's or 9's. Looks perfectly fine to me. My proposed garage is only wide enough for two 9's, but I opted to go with one 16 instead. I like the idea of being able to pull the car into the garage anywhere I want.

 

[BoydS]

As for the width of a door, it really depends on what you plan to drive through it. Personnally, I like some room and don't want to have to fold in my mirrors in order to drive through a door. I consider a 10 ft wide even small unless your putting a compact car or riding mower through the door. I really like at least a minimum of 1 foot clearance on each side of my mirrors. I suggest taking a look at your largest vehicle and the ease of pulling it through a door. Now you should also consider if you ever plan to have even a larger vehicle than you presently have, as it never hurts to plan for the future.

 

[BlackLead]

Something you might want to consider if you go with three doors is whether a 10' wide is really what you want. The wider the door, the more chance there is of two vehicles being closer together than you might want (think of opening the car door). A narrower door forces you to park more centrally in the space, maximizing the room between vehicles. Of course, if you're backing a trailer in there, this is of no value whatsoever.

 

[benjamming]

You will eliminate more potential problems with (1) 10' & (1) 18' door. This is exactly the size garage doors we had built for our house. I've never regretted it. Do you have room for a 20' wide door? However, not everyone offers a 20' residential style garage door.

 

[Old Moparz]

Any reason you can't use two 16 foot wide doors? That's what's on the front of my 36 foot wide garage & it's definitely symmetrical.

 

[Jeffksf]

I'd go 18' & 10'
One of the best things I did with my garage is go to a 18' door instead of the usual 16'. So much easier to get stuff in and out (strollers, lawmowers, etc) with the cars in the garage. Think about it, parking spaces are typically 9' wide so a 2 car opening should be 18' wide.

 

[zombiescustoms]

After much thought I think I'm going with 2 16' doors, after doing the drawings, that looks the best and gives me the best access. and I figure with my lift installed I will be able to fit 7 cars in there. Thanks Old Moparz, for the suggestion!

 

[sharage71]

Anybody use a 14' door? Good ? Bad ? Otherwise?

Whatcha think

 

[porschedude996TT]

I'm thinking that you may need to look at the area in-between the doors structure wise. If you don't plan to put in something like a "Simpson Strongwall" the distance between the corner of the building and the opening of the door, and between the openings of each door need, the distance needs to be 4 foot with shear paneling. You could use the "Strongwalls" and it would leave you 9 foot wide doors. If you used two "Strongwalls" in the area between the doors and 4 foot shear wall on the outside panel, the max door with would be 8 foot on all three doors. The strongwall also require you to have a footing and some "S" shaped bolts that anchor the Strongwall in the ground that are 29 inches long. They are about $250 to $300 each and come in various widths and heights and some are curb mounted so you could have a perimeter. You could also go with two 14 foot doors and shear panel at each location in-between. The cost of the 14 foot door is going to be more expensive and harder to find.

Three 9 foot doors:
Corner/24” Strongwall/9’ Door/24” Strongwall/9’ Door/24” Strongwall/9’ Door/24” Strongwall/Corner = 36 Feet

Three 8 foot doors:
Corner/48” Sheared Wall/8’ Door/24” Strongwall/8’ Door/24” Strongwall/8’ Door/48” Sheared Wall /Corner = 36 Feet

Two 14 foot doors:
Corner/48” Sheared Wall/14’ Door/48” Sheared Wall/14’ Door/48” Sheared Wall/Corner = 36 Feet

One 16 foot door and one 8 foot door:
Corner/48” Sheared Wall/16’ Door/48” Sheared Wall /8’ Door/48” Sheared Wall /Corner = 36 Feet

I know your building is 40 feet long, but this should get you thinking about it.

 

[zombiescustoms]

The set up I have come up with has the doors spaced 3 feet from each end wall and 2 feet apart in the center, my builder plans on using gluelam headers, I have no building experience, so not sure if this will work or not. here is a sketch i came up with, the graph paper lines do not show up but it is to scale.