You have already known that house sizes increased through recent decades as well as vehicles. Consequently, the garages followed that trend, and their average size in the US is bigger now than ever. Nowadays, most homes have two to three places for the car in garages instead of one like before.
So, you can expect that the garage door sizes are more sizable, as well. No matter what reason you have to replace this door, be prepared to choose among the bunch of models available on the market. Plus, you can order a custom model if standard sizes don’t fit your needs.
History
It seems that the first garage created almost accidentally. When Henry Ford made a prototype of his ‘horseless carriage,’ in 1896, he forgot to make precise measurements. The vehicle he created was too big to get through the shed’s door, so he needed to knock out some bricks from the wall to make a passage large enough for the new car.
After the car industry developed and produced thousands of automobiles, carpenters discovered a new way to make a profit. They started building small garages to keep these vehicles safe. Over the years, the situation has completely changed, and small garages no longer meet the needs of most car owners.
I was astonished when I found information on the National Association of Home Builders that 54.4% of all residential homes built-in 2017 in mountain states contain two-car garages. About 36.6% of newly built homes feature three or more car garages, and only 3.9% of them accommodate only one car.
Garage Door Measurements
Once you decide to make a new garage or replace the old garage door on the old one, you need to consider a few crucial things while measuring.
The first thing to do is to measure the opening width from one to the other edge. Then, determine the opening height from the floor to the top and measure:
- Headroom – It is the space above your garage door opening to the ceiling.
- Side room – It is the space between both sides of the opening to the wall.
In the end, you need to determine the precise depth of your garage since it is crucial to define how much space you need for the garage door opening. If you follow the standard, the garage’s depth needs to be at least 1 foot (30.5 cm) longer than the garage door’s height.
Single vs. Double Door
The next step is to decide if you need a single or double garage door with a vertical beam separating it on the two halves. Nowadays, you can find a surprising range of standard garage door sizes on the market.
The standard width of the garage door in older homes was 8 feet (2.4 m). However, contemporary large pickup trucks and SUVs require at least 9 foot (2.7 m) wide doors.
A standard double garage door designed for two vehicles is always double the size of a single model. You can find this type of garage doors in a range of 12 to 20 feet (3.6 – 6 m), but the most common size is actually 16 feet (4.9 m).
Even though most manufacturers offer the smallest door width ranging of 8 feet (2.4 m), you can find smaller sizes, as well. You will need such a garage door for small golf cart transportation, small garden tractors, or large riding lawnmowers.
You can also see modern single garage door models that are 10 feet (3 m) wide, but they are not built according to the standards.
On the other hand, the standard heights are more limited, and you can usually find the 7 or 8 feet (2.1 – 2.4 m) high doors. However, you can find some models high up to 10 feet (3 m), which will depend on your needs.
Which door you want to get installed in your home will depend on the number and the type of car you have and your own preferences. Let’s take a closer look at the options you have.
Standard Garage Door Sizes
1. Single car garage doors
Like I have already mentioned, most single car garage doors are 8 feet (2.4 m) wide and 7 feet (2.1 m) high. These dimensions provide plenty of space for all standard, full-size car class.
However, keep in mind that it can be tricky to park a large SUV, van, or truck there. Since a wider door reduces the chances of scratching and damaging the car, you should consider the other regular sizes of residential garage doors available on the market:
- 8 × 7 feet (2.4 x 2.1 m)
- 9 × 7 feet (2.7 x 2.1 m)
- 10 × 7 feet (3 x 2.1 m)
- 12 × 7 feet (3.6 x 2.1 m)
- 15 × 7 feet (4.8 x 2.1 m)
- 16 × 7 feet (4.9 x 2.1 m)
- 18 × 7 feet (5.5 x 2.1 m)
-  20 × 7 feet (6 x 2.1 m)
You should choose one of them depending on the type of vehicle you own. It’s up to you to pick out the top manufacturer that produces doors well-known for quality, high performance, and durability.
2. Two car garage door sizes
This type of garage door has two pieces split with a vertical beam. That way, you get two separate places and a beautiful garage. A disadvantage of this solution is that divider, which can be inconvenient for some people. However, if you have large cars, this is the best option you can get.
These garage doors are wide enough for two cars, SUVs, or even trucks. You can choose among available standard widths of a double garage, including:
- 12 x 7 feet (3.6 x 2.1 m) or 12 x 8 feet (3.6 x 2.4 m)
- 14 x 7 feet (4.3 x 2.1 m) or 14 x 8 feet (4.3 x 2.4 m)
- 16 x 7 feet (4.9 x 2.1 m) or 16 x 8 feet (4.9 x 2.4 m)
- 18 x 7 feet (5.5 x 2.1 m) or 18 x 8 feet (5.5 x 2.4 m)
However, if you need a garage for an RV, you can install the door that is up to 10 feet (3 m) high.
Keep in mind that you can install a double garage, although you have only one car. Having that spacious place will provide excellent storage for your belongings. Plus, you will get them in and out much easier.
3. Triple car garage doors
The best option for the household with three vehicles is to install one double and one single door. Another option is to have a garage with three single garage doors. You can find standard door models, but there are many custom-designed options, as well.
4. Commercial garage doors
Commercial and industrial buildings have specific requirements for garage doors. As you can guess, they need to be much bigger than residential models.
Before picking the right option for your business, consider the type of equipment and vehicles you will keep in your garage. If you need a space for trucks, you will need to determine the garage door size depending on their sizes.
Nowadays, you can find the large models of garage doors that can fit every opening your need, including:
Width
- The door 30 feet (9.1 m) wide
- The door 40 feet (12.2 m) wide
- The door 41 feet (12.5 m) wide
Height
- The door 28 feet (8.5 m) high
- The door 32 feet (9.7 m) high
5. RV Garage Door Sizes
If you need a separate garage for your RV, you should purchase a particular garage door that fits the larger vehicles. The primary difference between an RV and a standard replacement garage door is in the height since modern RVs are tall.
While the standard height for replacement door is from 7 to 8 feet (2.1 – 2.4 m), you will need an RV door high at least 10, 12, and 14 feet (3, 3.6, and 4.3 m) high. You can also find higher models that are 16 feet (3.6 – 4.9 m) tall.
Standard RV garage doors are approximately 10 or 14 feet (3 – 4.3 m) wide, but 12 feet (3.6 m) is usually the right size to park a single RV.
Custom Designed Garage Door Sizes
Whether you have a non-standard garage or want a garage door dimensions that are not in the official offer, you can order the model of your choice. Manufacturers make custom garage doors to fit any possible size garage door openings.
Changeable Size of the Garage Door
You can always change and adjust the size of the existing garage door when needed. It is not a big deal to reduce the opening but increasing its size is quite complicated.
Therefore, you will need a professional builder for this job since you need to alter the structure of the garage opening and garage itself. It will be much more comfortable if there is enough space above the opening. Otherwise, you will need to raise the roof or to build the new garage.