Comparing Residential and Commercial Garage Doors, Part 1

At Crawford Door Sales, we’re proud to offer products and services in both the residential and commercial garage door fields. From basic residential wood or steel doors to high-performance commercial options for a variety of industrial needs, we have you covered from basic parts and repair to new door selection.

For many, particularly those who have plenty of experience with a residential garage door but are just moving into a commercial space where garage doors are a part of the equation, understanding the differences between these materials and their purposes can be very helpful. In this two-part blog, we’ll look at several of the factors that differentiate residential and commercial garage doors and how your approach should change depending on which you’re in the market for.

Overview and Relevant Factors

From a broad standpoint, it’s important to note the varying purposes of residential versus commercial garage doors. Some general themes to consider here:

• Design format: Commercial garage doors are designed to withstand heavy use, and are often used for a larger opening area that can fit trailers, trucks or other heavier equipment. Residential doors, on the other hand, are generally smaller and not designed for heavy usage.
• Aesthetics: Residential garage doors are known to boost visual appeal and have a great financial impact on homes, helping up home values in a way that sees most of their costs recouped.
• Costs: Commercial garage doors tend to cost more than residential ones, though this cost is made up for in durability and other qualities.
• Opening and closing formats: Many commercial garage doors are overhead options that roll upward toward the ceiling, with fewer fitting the side-sliding or swinging bill. Residential doors are more commonly found in these alternative styles. Some commercial doors are also roller doors, with panels that roll up into a narrow space and usually aren’t available for residential needs.

Our subsequent sections, both here and in part two, will dig into some specifics of a few of the major differences between the two.

Garage Door Size

As noted above, one of the primary and most noticeable differences between commercial and residential garage doors is their size. Residential doors are generally seven feet tall, designed for either one-car or two-car garages depending on the needs of the homeowner.

Commercial garage doors, on the other hand, will vary greatly in their sizes, which will generally be larger than residential options. They may need to pull in trucks or trailers or hold major weight, which is a significant factor – commercial garage doors tend to be far heavier than residential ones, with security another major factor here.

For more on the differences between commercial and residential garage doors, or to learn about any of our services in either area, speak to the staff at Crawford Door Sales today.