A Beginners Guide to Steel Up & Over Garage Doors!

Buying a new garage door can be a tricky undertaking, especially when you consider the range of door types, materials and brands on offer. Which one is better? Which one is right for my garage? In this post, we’ll guide you through the UK’s most popular door type; steel up & over garage doors. This should give a better idea of what works and what to look for…

 

Price

So let’s start with the basics. When you consider the cost of a Garador steel Up & Over door, compared to either a GRP or Timber Up & Over garage door, the steel garage door is often substantially cheaper. For example, Garador’s cheapest steel door (as of October 2015) is a Garador Horizon at £458.00 (7066 door size). As you can see in the table below, the others are far more expensive. So it’s no surprise, steel is the most popular Up & Over door type.

Garador Up & Over Garage Doors	Model	Price (excl vat)
Steel	Horizon	£458.00
Timber	Vertical Cedar	£1231.00
GRP	Arden	£1561.00

(All doors are 7066 door size – Garador October 2015 price list).

 

Longevity

But you don’t want to buy the cheapest possible door that won’t last right? Longevity is important in a steel Up & Over door and we’ve factored that in. Most doors are designed to last, but perhaps some more than others. Which is why it’s important to buy a door which has been constructed from high grade galvanised steel (which Garador’s are), to ensure that they don’t rust. It’s also important to have a thick, quality paint finish that’s going to withstand all that the great British winter can throw at it; all the rain, sleet, snow, dust and leaves that are so common here in the UK.

The component parts of the door should be sturdy, strong and long-lasting, from the latches, cables, locking rods and springs, through to the paint finish. A warranty often brings added peace of mind in case something goes wrong. Luckily, all Garador steel Up & Over doors come with a 10 year limited warranty as standard.

 

Gearing

Choosing the right lifting gear, can be a tricky one, with three types to choose from:

1. Canopy gear:

An Up & Over garage door with canopy gear, protrudes approximately 1/3 when open. There are no tracks in the garage when the door is closed and the door features an anti-drop safety system.

2. Retractable gear:

An Up & Over garage door with retractable gear opens on horizontal tracks which run back into the garage and does not protrude when open. It is ideally suited for electric operation and is virtually maintenance free.

3. Retractable plus gear:

Up & Over garage doors with retractable plus gear, are essentially the same as those with a retractable gear, but feature specially designed lifting arms and bottom spring brackets which provides a larger opening width.

Retractable gearing is generally more expensive than canopy, but is a must if you are looking to automate your door with an automatic operator.

 

Maintenance

It is recommended that steel doors are cleaned fairly regularly with a mild soap based solution, to prevent build-up of dirt, corrosive substances and to maintain the appearance of the door. In relative terms, they are low maintenance and easy to keep clean.

With Garador steel doors you can choose from a range of designs, including wide profiled, panelled and design range doors. Browse Garador’s steel up & over doors online to find out more.

 

 

 

 

Security and Safety

For three of Garador’s steel up & over garage doors, there is the option to upgrade to Secured by Design, a UK Police initiative aimed at designing high security building products which can withstand a break in. So if extra security is high on your list, you can buy a door which delivers an entrance solution that will meet your needs. These models are the Carlton, Horizon and Salisbury; which together form the Garador Guardian range.

As with all Up & Over garage doors sold in the UK, Garador sell Up & Over garage doors which comply with British safety standards BS EN 13241, providing our customers with peace of mind that their door is safe, as well as being secure.

This should be a good starter for most beginners, looking to learn more about steel garage doors, and in particular steel up & over garage doors! Check out the full range of Up & Over garage door designs and colours online now.