If you are building a new house, adding a garage even remodeling your garage, the weight of your garage door can be a factor in not only choosing a new garage door but other garage door parts such as garage door spring and opener motor. Here are some weight factors of a garage door you need to be aware of.
Materials Used
Garage doors are made from different materials. The weight of the door also varies according to the type of materials used and in what proportions. Read below how these materials affect the weight of the door.
I. Wood- Though garage doors made from wood are beautiful, they are a heavy option. A single door from wood can weigh over 290 pounds. The weight is always anticipated to add with time as wood absorbs humidity. This can make your door so heavy that it calls for frequent repair.
II. Steel or Metal- These provide one of the lightest options for your garage door. With a single steel door weighing around 80 pounds and over 150 pounds for a double door, it can be a better option if weight is a bother for your garage doors. But also, the weight varies relatively depending on the thickness of the material that is used.
III. Overlay-Is a unique wood and steel mixture garage door. It combines the advantage of both wood and steel as it mitigates the disadvantage that may be associated with each of the materials. The mixture makes the door lighter and also maintains the natural beauty of wood for your garage door.
IV. Glass Panels- Glass windows add to the total weight of your garage door. Also, some panels are strategically thick for security. The total weight of your door will highly depend on the thickness of the glass and the number of windows.
Dimensions
Everything else equal, the weight of your garage door will depend on the dimensions. By dimensions, we mean the length and width which determines the size of your door. The dimensions also determine the amount or size of material that will be used in your door. The bigger the dimensions, the more the material and therefore the heavier the door of your garage and vice versa.
Thickness
This one goes hand in hand with what material the door is made out of. Steel garage doors have different gauge thicknesses that contribute to the door’s weight. The thickness of whatever material you choose will be a factor in the garage door’s weight.
Reinforcing Struts and Decorations
Reinforcement struts help to provide extra support on your door to maintain its perfect structure. The materials for reinforcing are made from steel which means that they can add quite some weight to your door.
Insulation
Here in Houston, it gets hot. You may want to add insulation to your garage door. That insulation does add weight to the garage door. For example, a standard 16×7 garage door, the weight may be around 150 pounds. Added insulation can add another 25lbs to the garage door.
Weather
Being in Houston, the weather effects everything, including your garage door. If you have a wooden garage door, if the door is not sealed properly, the humidity can swell that garage door, making it heavier. Your garage door could also rust in the humidity, changing the weight of the door.
Why do I need to know about garage door weight?
If you are choosing a new garage door, there are other parts of your garage door system that depend on being rated for the right rate. For example, a standard garage door spring would not handle the weight of a wooden garage door. There are garage springs rated for such a job. The same goes with your garage door opener motor. If you add a heavy to more suited to a lightweight aluminum door, you could have faster wear and tear to the motor, or worse the motor may not lift the garage door.
If you are thinking of choosing a garage door, call Spectrum Overhead Door LLC, your Houston garage door installation company. We will put our over 16 years of award-winning experience to work for you with a free consolation for a new garage door. Call us at 281-748-9542 for your free consultation.
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