Garage Door Track Hight

[NJ Diver]

Soon I'll be moving into a house with a garage that has a 13' ceiling. I am thinking about eventually installing a lift in the garage so I want as much room available to me as possible.

I would like to install the garage door tracks as high up as possible to give me as much height clearance as I can get. I'd also look to install a liftmaster 3700.

I was hoping to get some feedback from folks who have their garage door tracks running up close to a high ceiling. Any issues that you seem to run into?

 

[6768rogues]

The only issue is that a standard rail operator will not work. If you have a door with a spring over the door, an operator can be put there.

 

[nate379]

Mine is about 6" from the ceiling, though only 9ft ceiling.

 

[Dmaxman]

I made mine work with a little modifying and raised the tracks about 29". I had to recess the opener into the ceiling 4 inches. The one thing left to do is change out the extension springs for ones with some more muscle. They weren't strong enough in the first place and now even harder to lift manualy.

 

[NJ Diver]

The only issue is that a standard rail operator will not work. If you have a door with a spring over the door, an operator can be put there.

That's what I would be doing, but thanks for pointing that out.

 

[NJ Diver]

I made mine work with a little modifying and raised the tracks about 29". I had to recess the opener into the ceiling 4 inches. The one thing left to do is change out the extension springs for ones with some more muscle. They weren't strong enough in the first place and now even harder to lift manualy.

That's pretty cool.. What is that ceiling height? I gotta tell you, when I first looked at your picture quickly I thought it was upside down as I thought they were real geese!

 

[wbrian63]

How does that operator lift the door? Usually, rail operators have to be at or near the top of the door in the closed position. They don't lift as much as they "pull". In a normal door setup, the top of the door only closes against the header just as the door touches the floor. Therefore, pulling on the top of the upper panel works for lifting the door.

As I see your installation, your door has to lift about 2+ feet before it can be pulled.

Not saying it can't work - I just can't figure out how you solved the problem...

 

[wormwood]

How does that operator lift the door? Usually, rail operators have to be at or near the top of the door in the closed position. They don't lift as much as they "pull". In a normal door setup, the top of the door only closes against the header just as the door touches the floor. Therefore, pulling on the top of the upper panel works for lifting the door.

As I see your installation, your door has to lift about 2+ feet before it can be pulled.

Not saying it can't work - I just can't figure out how you solved the problem...

I have 12 ft ceiling and they installed a 2 foot "dummy" section on the top of each door to solve that problem. Works great. Of course the dummy is only seen from the inside so it does not have to be the quality finish of the lower panels.

 

[Deschodt]

Lots of info under "high lift" or high-lift kit on this board...

Had it done recently for a 4 post lift... The installer basically installed taller rails that curve closer to the ceiling, was going to add 2 extra panels on my door to allow a horizontal pull and not replace the motor (but I went with a whole new door in the end), and we did reuse the regular garage opener motor, not a new one...

before:

after

 

[wbrian63]

Wormwood - you gave me the clue I needed. I looked closer at the picture and that's exactly what's installed on top of the top section of the door - a "dummy" panel. I can see the hinges at the bottom corners, and the roller brackets at the top corners...

 

[rburke65]

6768rogues.....What is "a standard rail operator"

 

[Schtauffer]

NJDiver, is this a new construction project, or are you looking to modify an existing door?

 

[wbrian63]

6768rogues.....What is "a standard rail operator"

I think he means one like appears in the pictures.

As noted, those type of operators need to be located near the top of the top panel, as they don't lift the door as much as they pull it. The solution is to add a dummy panel above the visible top section of the door, as was done in the pics and noted by another poster to the thread.

 

[NJ Diver]

NJDiver, is this a new construction project, or are you looking to modify an existing door?

Not new construction. Closing on a two year old house in about a month. It's got a 21x20 w/ 13' ceilings. Currently has two doors but I will probably make it into a 18x7 door and then run it up as close to the ceiling as I can.

 

[Dmaxman]

That's pretty cool.. What is that ceiling height? I gotta tell you, when I first looked at your picture quickly I thought it was upside down as I thought they were real geese!

The ceiling is 11'6". Wish it had of been a true 12' height. Would have made finding a lift that would fit simpler. But came across a rotary that fits.

 

[6768rogues]

6768rogues.....What is "a standard rail operator"

I was referring to an operator that mounts to the ceiling back from the door. It has a rail and either a screw drive, belt drive or chain drive. This is differentiated from a winding drum type.

 

[larry4406]

If you are going thru the trouble to combine two garage door opengins into one and have 13' ceilings, I would not go back with an 18x7 door. Change it to an 18x9 door with a torsion spring, use a high lift kit on the garage door tracks, and use a Liftmaster 3800 opener. With the LM3800 you don't need the dummy panel so you can save some $ there.

I have an Amarr 18x9 metal clad insulated door, the high lift kit for the tracks, 12' ceiling, and the LM3800 for my middle bay. The tracks are about 6 inches below the ceiling so the door clears the overhead lights.

 

[wbrian63]

If the garage is framed like most I've seen that use 2 doors, you'll have to replace the header. All the ones I've seen rely on the column between the two doors to hold up shorter headers that only span the space over each doorway.

Hopefully, your garage isn't framed that way. Changing the header would be a PITA.

 

[NJ Diver]

If you are going thru the trouble to combine two garage door opengins into one and have 13' ceilings, I would not go back with an 18x7 door. Change it to an 18x9 door with a torsion spring, use a high lift kit on the garage door tracks, and use a Liftmaster 3800 opener. With the LM3800 you don't need the dummy panel so you can save some $ there.

I have an Amarr 18x9 metal clad insulated door, the high lift kit for the tracks, 12' ceiling, and the LM3800 for my middle bay. The tracks are about 6 inches below the ceiling so the door clears the overhead lights.

Changing the height to 9' is going to be a PITA isn't it?

Got any pictures of your setup?

 

[PIJim]

Here's what we did...

• 12' ceilings
• High lift track
• Liftmaster 3800
• Amarr Classica 3000 doors

 

[1badmach1]

mine with a high arch track.

 

[1badmach1]

3800 liftmaster

 

[1badmach1]

track 10" from ceiling

 

[NJ Diver]

Excellent. Looks beautiful

 

[keperkey]

I realize this is an old thread, but maybe one of the original posters or someone new can chime in.

We are building a new house. Garage will be 12 ft high. Looking at Amarr garage doors like a previous poster 10' wide by 8' high.

One sales rep is telling me I am looking at $12,000 just for doors if I want to do a high lift. Looking online it seems like the doors should be in the $1200 to $1300 range.

Am I wrong? Is there that much premium involved to run the doors to the ceiling?

 

[jstroede]

I realize this is an old thread, but maybe one of the original posters or someone new can chime in.

We are building a new house. Garage will be 12 ft high. Looking at Amarr garage doors like a previous poster 10' wide by 8' high.

One sales rep is telling me I am looking at $12,000 just for doors if I want to do a high lift. Looking online it seems like the doors should be in the $1200 to $1300 range.

Am I wrong? Is there that much premium involved to run the doors to the ceiling?

LOL No a high lift add on for a new 10x8 door should be in like the $100-$150 neighborhood installed.

John

 

[keperkey]

Thanks John.

That made no sense to me.

 

[upndown]

Find a new Door Co!! Maybe they're throwing in a couple lifts. That's an insane price.

 

[rburke65]

I had 2 insulated 2" commercial doors installed with high lift track.....no opener...12' x 8' doors $2050. Time to get a few more bids.