Choosing the doors you need is a really important decision
It’s important to get the doors right so your shed works the way you want it to. This blog will help you make a more considered decision:
Roller and sectional doors are the most popular garage door styles in New Zealand. Both styles have their pros and cons, so do some research to make sure which suits you best.
SECTIONAL DOORS
Sectional doors are usually found on garages in residential areas. They range from 2.2m – 4.0m in height and 2.4m – 5.1m in width. They’re easier on the eye too, mainly because of the different cladding profiles available, letting you choose one that suits your house.
Sectional doors are more expensive than roller doors and that cost increases a lot when the opening is over 4m high. Customised cladding also pushes the price up dramatically. As a result, sectional doors aren’t usually used in sheds because of the cost.
They also need tracks that protrude back into the shed which can make it difficult to manoeuvre taller equipment or vehicles around inside the shed as they can be easily damaged. Tracks that follow the roof line, so the door doesn’t impede your internal clearance as much are available.
All that said, if you want your shed doors to match existing doors on your house, sectional doors are your best option.
ROLLER DOORS
Series 1 roller doors are a light gauge roller door made from 0.40mm gauge metal rolled into the profile of the door. They typically have a spring-loaded axle, eliminating the need for a chain or a motor. These doors have a maximum width and height of 3m x 3m.
This door is manually operated and mostly found in lifestyle sheds where minimal height or clearance is required. They are ideal if you’re storing smaller vehicles.
While they’re a very cost-effective option, there have been instances when they’ve blown in due to high winds. If your site is exposed or in a high wind area, upgrading to Series 2 or even roller shutter doors is highly recommended.
Series 2 roller doors are light industrial grade, made from heavier 0.55mm gauge metal rolled into the profile of the door. They usually begin at 3.2m wide x 3.2m high and can go up to 4.0m wide x 5.0m high. These are most used in lifestyle sheds and farm buildings.
They’re considered heavy-duty and are chain-driven, although they can be motorised if you require this. Because of their larger, heavier tracks they perform a lot better in windy conditions and are more secure than Series 1 doors. Many customers find these doors ideal as they accommodate legal road height vehicles without the need for full commercial grade industrial doors.
ROLLER SHUTTER DOORS
Constructed from 0.7mm to 1.0mm thick galvanised steel, these have interlocking slats. These doors can be over 8m wide and up to 6m high, so you can store much larger vehicles. Heavy-duty commercial-grade, sectional doors are super-secure and perform outstandingly in high winds. They can be chain-driven, but most of our customers like to fit motors to them because of their size and weight.
Roller shutter doors might be noisier in high wind, but that’s way better than having a lighter weight door fail and kit getting damaged by bad weather.
HANGAR DOORS
usually set on floor- and wall-mounted tracks, these horizontal sliding doors can reach sizes beyond anything listed above. These are excellent when big span access is required, for example fixed-wing aircraft, or farm equipment like harvesters.
As should be clear by now, you have several door options available to you. Your choice depends on what you’re using your shed for, how much clearance you need, and where you’re building your shed.
In most situations, a Series 2 roller door is what you’ll need, but if it’s extra clearance you’re after or you’re in a high to extreme wind zone, a roller shutter door is what we recommend.
WINDOWS
Want windows too? Job done! It’s just a case of cutting the timber wall framing and cladding and then framing out the window opening with more timber. Your only constraint is any structural steel strap bracing which can’t be cut or removed.
There aren’t a lot of areas where this steel strap bracing will be sited so if you tell us where you want your windows, we can move the bracing accordingly. If there’s a chance you’ll add windows down the road, tell us so that the design can allow for this.
Next time we’ll cover off some common mistakes for you to avoid making. Until then, happy shed-hunting!
