Help picking door size combination

[pwright]

Hello all,

I'd like some advice regarding door sizes for an upcoming garage build. I'll be adding a 30x36, with the garage doors on the 30 foot wide side which has the eaves (ridge runs parallel to garage doors).

Due to my lot, I can't go any wider than 30'. I'm planning on 8' tall doors.

Here are my options (see attached Autocad screenshots- I can't seem to get the thumbnails to enlarge properly...):

Option 1: Three 8' wide doors, leaving 18" between them and on each side. This is probably the most aesthetically pleasing. Also, I'd plan to run a header sized for a 18' foot door over two of them, so if I found the 8' ones to be unacceptable I could put in a 18' with no structural changes (other than removing the non-load bearing column between them and a few extra studs on each side).

Option 2: One 16' door, one 9' door. I'd use the 9' for the daily driver and place it closest to the house, and the 16' for the "project" side of the garage. This still leaves reasonable room between doors (20") and would look OK.

Option 3: One 18' and one 8'. Again, the 8' for the daily driver. leaves 1'4 between doors.

Option 4: One 18' and one 9'. This basically makes my garage all door, and I think it looks a bit weird.

I'd certainly appreciate your opinions. I'm really attempting to make my garage fit in with my house, so aesthetics are important. I don't plan to be backing car trailers in, and I don't have a boat or any other toys like that. Perhaps in the distant future, but right now all I have is a small 4x8 trailer that I keep outside. I also don't have a lift, but will be using trusses to give me about 11' ceiling height in the middle 20' of the garage if I ever decide to get one. Most of the workshop will be for machine tools and small aircraft restoration.

Thanks.

 

[cdent]

If you're setting up a workshop and have a bunch of tools, I'd pick a layout that allows room for benches along the left side wall. If I'm seeing them right, the layouts look like the garage door openings are close to the walls. Maybe, a single large door to the right and a double window towards the left to match your house. How's that for going off topic.

 

[Charles (in GA)]

You will not like 8' wide doors, also go taller if you can.

Charles

 

[Doug B]

Option 2. I have 8' wide doors and I wish I had gone wider.

 

[GSSFC]

Don't forget the dimensions you indicate between doors and the end wall. You will probably need to account for the 6"+ that you will lose on each side due to the side walls. I didn't do the math so maybe you accounted for that already.

Tim

 

[JohnK007]

I'm with Doug. Given your constraints, option 2.

 

[ddawg16]

Option 2 x3

The 9' single will be more comfortable for daily use.

16' For the double is plenty of room...if you do need to pull something in you can always jockey it a bit to get it over to make room for something else.

My double is only a little over 14'. But considering that it's either a jeep or m/c going in next to the wife's car...plenty of room.

On the left side you want at least 1' from the end to allow room for wall and door tract.

 

[kvom]

I'm with Charles. Taller and wider. I have 2 10x10s on my 25' wide garage, and I am really liking that decision.

 

[kbs2244]

I like kvom idea of 2 tens.
8 is kind of narrow since we are all used to 12 foot wide lanes nowdays.
You have plenty of depth for workbenchs and stuff, but you still need to be able to open their doors and work around the sides of the cars.
From right to left check the look of 3/10/3/10/10
That 10 on the left will let you pull the project cat in at an angle and give you lots of work room.

Be sure you go to oversized gutters and downspouts above those doors.
That is a lot of roof and the normal stuff will not handle it.

 

[Kevin54]

Another vote for no less than a 9' door. With an 8' door you will be limited as to what goes through it. I had an "extra wide" car trailer and throught my 9' door, I only had about 2-3" on each side.

 

[Dogberry01]

I am just finishing up my garage 30x32. 30ft across the front where the doors are. I went with Two 9ft tall x 12ft wide doors. It really works out well. I dont have to worry about the wife ripping off the mirriors on the truck when she takes it. Backing the boat is a breeze now.

 

[lh4x4]

I like the double door and a single. If possible with the single, go for a 9' high door. Could come in handy over the years.

 

[pwright]

Thanks for all the suggestions and please keep them coming.

General concensus so far is that the 8' door would not be ideal, so that's out. I can't go any higher than 8' on the doors- my garage is already going to be quite large in comparison to the house, and with the massive header I'll need over the garage (snow loads...) it really eats up available room. I already have the garage as tall as the house, and don't want it to be any taller.

That leaves options 2,3,and 4 (and 5?).

That said, I do like the idea of two, 12 foot doors as Dogberry suggested. My only hesitation is that I'd like to *think* I have a 3-car garage for various reasons (even if I had to squeeze them in), but putting in the two doors basically limits it to a 2-car. This is probably OK, as it'd be rare for me to want three in there. (I wonder if I could claim this as a two car vs. 3 car and save on property taxes with only two doors?)

Here's a revised sketch with two 12 foot doors and 2' on each side and between them... I am really liking it.

 

[Dogberry01]

My garage is one foot taller than the house. You cant notice it unless you are looking for it. take a look in the gallery just posted pics. (New guy new garage 30x32)

 

[sparky1562]

option 2! I put in three 8ft wide, 9ft tall doors, and I wish I had gone 9 or 10 ft wide. I hit the mirrors on my truck about 1 in 5 times.

Consider high lift doors with the LM3800 Llift Master opener as well.

 

[kesselect]

Think about resale value too. A prospective buyer with a pickup and tow mirrors will walk away from an 8' door.

steve

 

[dodgeram2500]

Do you plan on heating the garage? The fewer doors you have the more efficient the building will be. I kept my 12x8 door three feet from the end of the wall because, lets face it, the walls are where the junk piles up. Also, you may want to open a car door once inside.

Just my 0.02 (Canadian funds at that...)