Automatic Garage doors.

[grober]

Thinking about automating my garage door. 7ftx6.5 ft. Its an old STEEL Westland (WEL) Garador MK3 c. Its so old that automating it is impractical/impossible so its looking like --- NEW DOOR + OPENER.
This leaves me with several decisions to make.
1. which TYPE of door to go for.
CANOPY is probably out since its not so easy to automate?
RETRACTABLE inexpensive, easy to automate but mechanism will possible reduce door width/ garage headroom?
SECTIONAL easy to automate ,more expensive? increased width,/ headroom, better security but more wearing parts?
ROLLER easy to automate, more expensive, good security, increased width, but needs installation height above door, domestic models not very robust, scratch easily, lots of parts to wear out?

At the moment SECTIONAL seems to be the best option apart from cost???

2. which MANUFACTURER

Lots out there so its a bit baffling. Thought it would be a good idea to get both door and opener from the same manufacturer to get complete compatibility/ fitment but this is probably dependant on how easy the combined unit will fit my garage??
DOORS/DOOR OPERATORS.
GARADOR (again), HENDERSON. CARDALE, HORMANN, MARANTEC, CHAMBERLAIN???
At the moment I am leaning towards a steel GARADOR door plus opener again but I would be grateful for any comments good or bad from other owners or from other folks who are thinking along the same lines. I am looking for long term reliability, ease of use/maintenance, and durability of finish and prepared to pay a bit more for this. I know that the end result is somewhat dependant on how competent the fitting firm is so any recommendations of fitting companies in Scotland would be useful also.

 

[splang]

I have a CARDALE (autoglide)...

Kept my old door - a steel up and over jobbie. The width of the garage hasn't been changed at all and total cost was £300 installed (about 2 years ago).


Very happy with it.



http://www.aha-ltd.co.uk/productautoglide.htm

This is the one i have. I did not buy it from this company though and I do not know this company - just linked so you could see a piccy.

 

[Satch]

Went through this process and ended up with a sectional door with remote electric opener.

Double skinned with insulation inbetween makes the garage a lot warmer. Alloy runners fit behind the brickwork, so increased the width by about 6 inches because old door had wooden frame. Goes straight but so can pak a car very close to outside of door.

Money well spent!

 

[R2D2]

I fitted a garador auto expert to the existing fibrecast "wood" up and over door. It has two remote controls, one for in the house and one for on the car keyring. It works very well and is pretty quiet as well. HTH

 

[Rory]

I have a Clopay sectional door which I got from B & Q a few yrs ago - however they don't sell them now. I think Cardale became Clopay's distributor in the UK but I'm not sure they still are - there's no mention of it now on Cardale's website and the doors look very different in their features.

I've stayed in half a dozen villa's in Florida and they've all had Clopay doors and gather that they're very widely used in the US.

You do need a little bit of clearance for the tracks, and it's a lot easier to attach the track mounts if the garage rafters are visible (mine aren't!).

I bought a Chamberlain opener from Screwfix. In reality, the door is pretty balanced by spring tension so there's negligible load on the opener.

I've had the door quite a few years and the finish still looks perfect, although it is in due North facing position, so it never has the sun on it. You can park right up to (as it doesn't swing up like a canopy door) but I rolled a car up to it once and barely touched the door and it left a slight depression where the bumper pressed against the door.

 

[reflexboy]

I have a double garage with two single retractable doors. I have automated one with a noisy Wickes opener, which, although noisy is still going strong after 7 years with zero problems and cost me £99. The other door opener is from B&Q and is made by Chamblain and cost about £130 and is wisper quiet and has the advantage of sensors accross the door opening. I think the Wickes one will last longer.

 

[gary350]

Bought 2 up and over glass fibre doors from Anglian Windows the doors are Wessex doors about 12 years ago could not have steel doors because of closeness to the bristol channel (500 yards) they just rust away even if galvanised. doors etc cost about £2k but worth it.

gary

 

[BonzoDog]

I have an insulated sectional door. It has worked perfectly for the last year.
advantages:
Relatively light and so less strain on motor.
Insulated.
Rigid
Provides an airtight seal which helps to keep extreme cold out of garage.
Safety sensors stop quickly and easily.
Does not need to be painted
Impervious to expansion or contraction.

 

[DieselE]

I have a Hormann sectional door. Based on experience so far, I can strongly recommend Hormann.

All I need now is a bigger garage so that I can get the car in as well as all the junk but accessing the junk is so much easier.

 

[Pietre]

How about using those security shutters advertised by Mr Stalker. I would have thought they should make a good garage door, and the y are advertising 50% off at the moment on tv.

 

[grober]

A big thank you to everyone who has replied so far. Can anyone recommend a fitting company in Scotland?

 

[Benzowner]

I think it's possible to motorise your door, I know B & Q used to sell motorised door motors, you will need to check if the motor will open a one piece door, as most are now sectional.
When I bought mine, we looked at several garage door companies from yellow pages and ended up with a roller shutter door. Lucky thing was, later I needed to make the door bigger, increased height, easy to do with a roller shutter maybe not so easy with sectional.

 

[Birdman]

This is a remote door I can't recommend.

 

[Satch]

I have a Hormann sectional door. Based on experience so far, I can strongly recommend Hormann.

Agreed. Having found the paperwork and mine is Hormannn Series 2000 double skinned steel insulated panelled section door with a Cardale DC 650n electric opener with remote opening.

The Hormann openers are quite expensive but the Cardale ones are fine.

http://www.hormann.co.uk/uk/en/katal..._garage_doors/

No probs with mine over 3 years but if you need any spares for almost any garage door or associated kit this is a really good source:

http://www.ashleysonline.co.uk/Default.aspx

 

[SilverSaloon]

i moved into my new house in August.

It has an SWS securoglide double-garage door. works off remotes & has a button inside too to close:

http://www.sws.co.uk/gdoors.asp

its insulated & has sensors etc that stops if someone is under the door when it is opening/closing.

seems fine & is not very noisy.

its a roller door so the car can park right up to it inside & out.

it was fitted (and i have bought new fobs too myself) by The Door Depot in edinburgh 2 years ago and seems to be working fine without problems. Cost was about £1,500 back then for the whole door & supply/fit.

address: The Door Depot
187 Dundee Street
Edinburgh
EH11 1DH
telephone:
0131-228 8828

 

[SilverSaloon]

A big thank you to everyone who has replied so far. Can anyone recommend a fitting company in Scotland?

Grober - see my post above. Door Depot seems very friendly people in there. I ordered 2 new remote fobs from them (£90) and they let me take them away without even paying - just pop a cheque in the post! thats trust for you!!

 

[jaymanek]

not sure where my reply has gone, but i also recommend hormann, i have the insulated elecric one and its fantastic... keeps the heat in very well and silent motor operation.

 

[BTB 500]

On a sort of related theme, has anybody changed two separate garage doors to a single double-width one? The garage in question is brick built with a pitched & slated roof, I guess cost etc. boils down to whether the centre pillar is load-bearing or not?

 

[IanA2]

On a sort of related theme, has anybody changed two separate garage doors to a single double-width one? The garage in question is brick built with a pitched & slated roof, I guess cost etc. boils down to whether the centre pillar is load-bearing or not?

When I had my doors automated I considered this, as you say it boils down to the centre pillar, which in my case was not load bearing. I can't remember the figures but it was silly money so I opted just to automate the existing doors.

 

[Benzowner]

The centre pillar usually supports the lintels above the doors, so go careful if you plan to remove the pillar.