I am in the process of converting a previously unheated single car integral garage into a work area. The garage is approximately 12' x 35'. The garage has a low ceiling height at around 6' 8" from floor to the bottom of the unfinished joists above, and current door opening is 8' wide by 6' 3" high. The garage will now be heated/cooled so I want to get a new door on it to help with insulating the room. I'm considering either a new insulated 8' wide by 6' high garage door, or a double steel door which would leave enough room to move large appliance in and out and allow for storing a few motorcycles in the garage. Has anyone here replaced a single car garage door with a double door before? I am interested in any opinions on this as well as the pros/cons of it. I know with the doors the "garage" will no longer be able to be used for cars, but this shouldn't be a problem and with the low ceiling height it's just about useless for this now anyway. My main concerns and reason for changing the door in the first place is getting it insulated better and the old door is in really bad shape. The concern with the double door is how to take up the difference in size on each side of the doors to make up the existing 8' opening. Both sides are currently block foundation with rounded edges at the door opening.
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Replace garage door with double steel doors?
- Thread starter silverMD
- Start date
maxpower_hd
Well-known member
I don't see an issue with going to double doors if you don't need the garage door anyway. Especially with the low ceiling height. Without seeing any photos, I would think one would be able to simply frame in the opening with lumber. I would recommend PT where it might contact either the floor or concrete block. Everything else could be standard framing lumber.
I would think you will get much more insulation value that way and you will lose less heat when opening a smaller door.
For the rounded edges, is there a flat spot in the middle of the block where the framing for the wall would attach? If so you could probably just spray foam the cavity between the new framed wall and the outside surfaces of the block and cover with trim. You would need to match the new finished wall to the block thickness which might involve ripping the framing lumber down from say a 2x10 for example.
I would think you will get much more insulation value that way and you will lose less heat when opening a smaller door.
For the rounded edges, is there a flat spot in the middle of the block where the framing for the wall would attach? If so you could probably just spray foam the cavity between the new framed wall and the outside surfaces of the block and cover with trim. You would need to match the new finished wall to the block thickness which might involve ripping the framing lumber down from say a 2x10 for example.
matt_i
Well-known member
If you are trying to emulate a classic hinged man-door then it will work but you have to copy all the details like the routed bulb or "J" shaped weatherstripping and the sweep at the bottom. The kicker for me would be the threshold which won't sit flat on the concrete, so you are going to have to sweep the concrete both ways 100% of the time. Lots of fussing to get a tight fit, milling trim, designing a center interlock or putting in a mullion/post, in my thinking.
Garage door 2" thick will be a much faster way to close in the large opening with pretty good air sealing depending on the weather stripping job. With the advantage of the flat, wear-resistant concrete floor. I would approach it like the latter.
Garage door 2" thick will be a much faster way to close in the large opening with pretty good air sealing depending on the weather stripping job. With the advantage of the flat, wear-resistant concrete floor. I would approach it like the latter.