Need Garage Door Track Options for 17 foot ceiling

[TheBeeHive]

Hi gang,

I could use some help with those that have experience with Options for residential Garage door lifts (really with the track placement) for very high (17 foot) ceilings.

I Searched around for an hour or so looking for options.
So far I learned I needed to get a LiftMaster 8500
However I'm not sure what to do with the tracks.

Here is a Pic of the framing
View media item 59478

The ceiling above the garage doors is about 17.5 feet.
The bay nearest the bump out will be getting a lift.

I Looking at an Amarr Classsica 3000 residential door 10'x 9' Lucerne Carriage House with windows.
Insulated door w/ steel on inside and out

 

[jstroede]

If you truly have 17.5 ft ceilings, you could get about 90" of high lift out of the door.

John

 

[TheBeeHive]

Hey John thanks for the reply. Are you suggesting this conversion where the 90 inches represents the vertical travel of the door before it goes horizontal?

http://ddmgaragedoors.com/diy-instructions/garage-door-high-lift-conversion.php

 

[finn]

You want a commercial door and opener, not a residential setup.

The commercial openers are beefier by far, compared to the common homeowner device like the 8500.

 

[jstroede]

You want a commercial door and opener, not a residential setup.

The commercial openers are beefier by far, compared to the common homeowner device like the 8500.

LMAO ummm ok. And you came up with this information how?

The components he picked out are perfectly fine.

John

 

[jstroede]

Hey John thanks for the reply. Are you suggesting this conversion where the 90 inches represents the vertical travel of the door before it goes horizontal?

http://ddmgaragedoors.com/diy-instructions/garage-door-high-lift-conversion.php

90" of high lift means the distance from the top of your opening to the bottom of the horizontal track. Since your door is 108" tall, the bottom of the horizontal tracks would be at 108 + 90 = 198" from the floor. That should leave enough space for the drums and springs above the door.

John

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

With that much ceiling hgt, why would the door need to go horizontal at all? It could go straight up along the wall and leave the ceiling completely unobstructed.

 

[Cozeep]

Very nice door you've selected there, not as aesthetically pleasing but would a roll-up door work? Such as a Porvene etc.?

 

[kbs2244]

Go with a commercial installer.
Find a PIC of the inside of factory or truck terminal doors.
The tracks only angle about 15 degrees.
You will need an opener and springs that can support the entire door weight.

 

[rburke65]

You need a vertical lift track. Have it done by your local, reputable garage door installer. You pick the door and then go and talk to the Garage Door Co.

 

[Todd.Brock]

Just because he has a "commercial" ceiling height doesn't necessarily mean he needs a commercial door. that is pretty damn tall though! I was at a kids play place which had garage doors as room dividers. They were like 20 ft ceilings or something huge. The garage doors were almost completely vertical, save a few degrees of tilt. My guess would be if you order the door they would spec the right tracks springs and hardware o accommodate a vertical travel

 

[TheBeeHive]

Thanks for all the answers. Much appreciated. One other thing I would need to think about is running electrical up near the ceiling for the opener if the spring gets relocated up high.

Running the door vertical like that seams like there should be some kind of lockout detent to prevent it from becoming a gulliotine if the spring were to fail. I'll be researching that too.

 

[TheBeeHive]

Regarding the industrial doors... I'm married. Although I think my punishment is being sent out of the house. Now that I have a garage that might not be all bad. Maybe I will rethink the industrial doors

 

[jstroede]

There is not enough room for full vertical track. For those mathematically challenged, 17.5' is not two times 9'. That doesn't even include what is generally required above that. In most applications, we recommend twice door height plus one foot for full vertical lift applications.

There are devices that will stop a door from falling in event of spring or cable breakage.

John

 

[TheBeeHive]

Being quoted $1400 bux for materials for 3 high lift doors. Springs track, drums, cable... Is that balpark? Seemed high. Wound up going with an 8 foot door and 17.5 foot ceilings so I can go full vertical.

 

[mmb617]

I converted a standard door to high lift and needed new cables, springs, and drums which came to $185 for the one door. I did not need track as I cut and re-welded what I had.

So @ $185 per door for everything but track that would be $555 for three doors. I don't know how much track would add, but $1400 total does sound high to me. Not absurdly high, but high.

 

[mnoeltne]

Here is what mine looks like with 13.5' ceilings:

This is the smaller door at the rear of the garage. The larger doors are the same. I also have Liftmaster 8500 openers. Yours would be similar, but less horizontal. There would still be some horizontal, but 3' less than mine.

 

[black00lightning]

I also have 13.5' walls and did the high lift. You might want to consider not adding the door handles. I had to remove mine after the conversion as the door goes straight up and hugs the wall.

 

[jstroede]

I also have 13.5' walls and did the high lift. You might want to consider not adding the door handles. I had to remove mine after the conversion as the door goes straight up and hugs the wall.

Using extended verticals will cause that issue. If you do a normal break-away high lift (track has a joint about 8" below the opening just like if it were standard lift) you will be able to clear the handles past the header, if you want them.

John

 

[TheBeeHive]

Does this look like a standard high lift installation procedure?

 

[TheBeeHive]

Why would they need the 2x6 to get the door so far back from the framed opening? Based on all the input above it feels like they are doing something wrong.

 

[K'ledgeBldr]

Well, it certainly isn't wrong.

I always had my trim carpenter trim out the inside of the garage openings like that- it wasn't about pushing the doors back- it was having solid wood for the tracks and opener to be attached too.

Most national builders that I have looked at do not trim the interior of the door openings- garage door installers attach the tracks to the framing behind the drywall. Tightening the brackets so much that the drywall is significantly crushed- leading to loose tracks in a year or less.

 

[wildstyle]

Mine was trimmed with 2x6 the same way. 16x11 door with 13ft ceilings.

 

[jstroede]

Looks ok, but it looks like the spring line is going to be visible through the windows...

John

 

[TheBeeHive]

I appreciate the consensus. Thanks for the replies. You all have some amazing garages. The longer I hang out here the more I like it.