FAQs

What is garage door headroom?

Headroom is the vertical, unobstructed space between the top of your garage door opening and the lowest point of any obstruction on the ceiling. This includes obstacles or obstructions like your pipes, ducts, or support beams. Think of it as the clear space needed for the door, tracks, and springs to operate properly.

How much headroom do I need for my garage door?

The amount of headroom required for your garage door is determined by its spring and track system, as well as the type of garage door opener you choose. Residential doors with extension springs need a minimum of 10 inches, while those with torsion springs require 12 to 13 inches. However, if you're installing a trolley-style opener, you'll need an additional 2 to 3 inches of space. Given these various factors, it's best to contact our expert Architectural Design Support (ADS) team.

Openers need additional clearance. Always contact the manufacturer of your opener for additional requirements. 

What can I do if I don’t have enough headroom for a garage door?

A garage has low headroom if the space between the door opening and the ceiling is less than 8 ½ inches for a door with extension springs, or less than 10 inches for a door with torsion springs.

If this is the case, you can get a low headroom kit from your local Clopay Dealer. For more details on these options, reach out to ADS. 

What is sideroom?

Sideroom is the clear, horizontal space required on each side of your garage door opening, from the edge of the opening outward to the nearest wall or obstruction. Use the chart below as a general guide, but keep in mind that sideroom requirements vary by door model. For specific details and drawings, it's best to contact our ADS team to confirm.

What is backroom?

Backroom (or rear clearance) is the distance from the interior face of the exterior wall to the back wall of the garage. For residential doors, the required backroom can be calculated by taking the door’s height plus 18 inches. Keep in mind that additional backroom will be needed if you plan to install an automatic garage door opener.

Can you create custom garage doors for me?

Most models can be ordered in 2-inch increments. We can manufacture from a range to fit your opening in 3-inch increments, and many models are available in extended heights up to 16 feet. For custom widths and extended heights models and sizes, please consult with your local Clopay Dealer or ADS.

How much does a new garage door cost?

Several factors can affect the cost of a garage door, including model, size, material, design, and site conditions. For the most accurate and up-to-date pricing, we recommend contacting a trusted Clopay Distributor. Since our distributors also handle the installation, your final quote will be an all-inclusive "installed price." 

 

What glass options are available for the Avante® Collection?

The Avante^® Collection offers a variety of glass panel options to choose from. You can select from tempered glass panels, available in single-pane (DSB) or insulated options, as well as acrylic windows, Low-E, or aluminum panels. Other custom glazing choices are available through special order. For more information on all available options, please contact our ADS team.

I hear a lot about R-value, U-factor, and U-value. What’s the difference?

For doors and building materials, R-value and U-factor are two ways to measure thermal efficiency. R-value is a calculation that measures a single material's resistance to heat transfer; a higher number is better. However, for a complex assembly like a garage door, R-value alone doesn’t present a complete picture, because it doesn't account for the entire door, including the seals and tracks. This is where U-factor comes in. U-factor is a third-party tested rating that measures the thermal performance of the entire door assembly, providing a more accurate measure of its efficiency. For U-factor, a lower number is better. Finally, a common mistake is confusing U-factor with U-value. While U-value is the inverse of R-value, it is not the same as U-factor.

 

Does a lower gauge mean thicker steel?

The lower the gauge, the thicker (and stronger) the steel. For example, 24-gauge steel is thicker than 27-gauge steel. However, a “sandwich” constructed door with two 27-gauge steel skins bonded to an insulated core is stronger than a “steel frame” door with a single 24-gauge steel skin.

 

Does Clopay have reinforced garage doors for high-wind areas?

Yes, we do! These garage doors feature added steel reinforcement struts, upgraded springing, and heavy-duty commercial-grade track and rollers. We can provide a door that is rated for a specific design PSF wind load requirement. Your local building code authority can provide information on the wind load rating required in your county.

 

Can I install an Avante Collection garage door in a high-wind area?

Yes, Avante Collection garage doors can be installed in high-wind areas, but their specific rating depends on the door's size and your local building code requirements. The Avante Door can achieve a W8 WindCode^® rating for doors up to 16 feet wide. For doors that are wider than 16 feet, the maximum rating is W6. For specific details and to ensure compliance with your local building codes, refer to our WindCode chart.

 

Is the Gallery® Collection Door also available for high-wind areas?

Clopay's Gallery^® Collection is available with WindCode reinforcement. Refer to the WindCode section for specific information. 

 

Are Coachman® Collection Garage Doors offered with wind code?

Clopay Coachman^® Collection steel carriage house-style garage doors are available in various WindCode ratings, including W1, W4, W5, W6, and W8. The specific rating depends on the door's width and is subject to your local building code requirements. To ensure you select the appropriate door for your area, it is essential to consult your local Clopay Dealer or a building inspector. 

What if I don’t know what product to specify?

Don't worry! Our Architectural Design Support team is here to help you find the best product for your project. Our team of experts can recommend the right solutions for unique applications and can even design something completely custom if what you're looking for doesn't exist yet. When you're ready for some expert guidance, just contact them here.

Do I need steel supports at the header?

The answer depends on the door's size and how it's built. For a rolling door, the full weight and loads are actually supported by the guides at the jambs—the header doesn't carry any of the door's weight. The only exception is if the door is so wide that it needs a multi-piece hood. In that situation, supports are installed at the header, but their only purpose is to hold up the spliced sheet metal hood, not the door itself. The guides of a rolling door support the weight of the coil box right at the jambs. Want to see how your door will be mounted? Our Architectural Design Support expert Ross Baran explains it all right here.

I need a door to cover a large opening that’s not shown on your data sheets. Can you help?

We sure can! We make doors larger than our standard sizes all the time—we can manufacture doors over our listed maximum dimensions than you see on our data sheets. Rated doors have some size limitations. Just contact our Architectural Design Support team for help. 

Do you provide fire/smoke doors with hour ratings?

Yes, we do! As industry leaders in fire protection, we have doors that are UL-Listed with fire protection ratings of ¾, 1 ½, 3, and 4 hours.

Do your standard colors have a direct RAL equivalent?

We offer a unique palette with our standard GalvaNex^® colors. To give you even more options, you can choose from over 180 RAL colors. You can request samples of our standard colors or request a color chip chart to see our full RAL offering.

What is the approximate weight of a door?

That really depends on the door's type, size, and design features. The best way to get an accurate estimate is to contact us.

Can your doors be designed to withstand seismic events and wind pressure?

Absolutely. Our doors are designed to withstand a 20 PSF Test wind load as a standard, and you can even get doors that can be designed to withstand seismic events. We also offer specialized Design PSF construction for higher PSF wind loads where Miami-Dade, Florida, TDI, FEMA 361, and ICC 500 may be required. Some of our products can even handle operational wind loads.

I always specify operational wind load. Is that okay?

Operational wind load is a very specific requirement, and it's only necessary for certain, highly specialized applications. When you specify it for a project that doesn't need it, you're not just over-specifying; you're actually asking for a different product than what the application truly requires.

Can anyone help me with specs or drawings?

Of course! We have an entire team dedicated to supporting architects. They'll even create a custom spec and detailed drawings for you to drop right into your project. Just drop us a line!

Who do I contact if I want to order a door immediately?

If you need a door immediately, we have you covered. Just find one of our nationwide dealers on our brand site: Clopay, Cornell, Cookson.

I need help selecting a product.

Our Product Selector Tool is a great place to start, as it will give you a list of products that fit your needs. Or, you can always reach out to our team of design experts who specialize in recommending the most appropriate product for your project.