What do we mean by this? A door is just a door isn't it?
Since 1986 we have made sure that any new customers looking to buy a new door were always suitably informed of the newer alternatives available rather than just replacing the side hinged or up and over door already in use with the same. The same of course for new build garages.
With technological progress the domestic sectional door and the aluminium roller door as well as modern versions of the round the corner and sliding door systems bacame available in the UK.
For years when we asked if insulation was of interest the slightly confused return look fom the prospective customer was all that we needed to see to realise it was not needed or had even been on the wish list.
The change in the last 2-3 years however has been somewhat dramatic and now we have the highest levels of customers asking for insulation as one of the requirements in the door at the very outset!!
So what has happened?
Not that we have carried out any research ourselves on this subject it is absolutely clear that so many garages in the UK are never going to be used for vehicles and with a modern household seemingly bursting at the seams with what can only be referred to as 'general stuff' the garage has become an important extension of the main house in terms of useable space for activities.
We see the standard use as a gym, playroom, office, workshop or studio for painting, music and so on as well as a secure showroom and constant temperature storage for collections of valuable cars, bikes or other machinery. When the garage is to be used in such ways then the type and specification of garage door is very important indeed and over the years developments have produced door systems offering exceptional levels of insulation, weathersealing and security as well as options in high proportions of glazing and special external finishes to compliment the new waves of high tech homes with fabulous colour schemes and arthitectural features. The 'grand design' home is here to stay and catching on fast with the obvious requirement to be ultra 'green' in the way energy is conserved throughout the property and the garage is no exception, requirements for insulation levels previously not available are now possible as long as care and attention is payed to the specification and correct installation of these high spec doors.
Specialist doors offering other attributes also can be offered, doors with pedestrian access doors built into the main panel. Again, attention has to be paid to this particular type of door as in principal the door has been cut almost in 3 sections and unless a manufacturer has properly developed this from the outset you will not get what you expected...
A garage door with larger than normal glazing sections needs to be strong in its chassis to offer the glazing and maintain its integrity and security. The best way for getting large glazing is usually a sectional or round the corner type door or any panel using a double skinned construction. The Hormann ALR40 vitraplan door offer the highest levels of glazing in any door apart from maybe a special build Overlap door with massive glazing sections inserted into the 2 panels used.
Of course a lot of the time now the requirement is to blend a garage door into a unique building design and this is possible with many of the designer garage door available now in all types and sizes.
See some examples on our Designer Doors page>
This image below show some clear thinking about entering a large triple garage regularly on foot by having one door with a pedestrian door inset into the main door panel
The Garage Door Centre specialises in the supply, specification and installation of these systems and the choice is very varied even of the source of images to portray the final effect is not. Many of the doors we talk of here are made to order in size, colour, design elements and even unique external designs so a drawing from a sketched idea and a photograph of your new or exisiting garage may be the only way to see how it may appear. For a small fee we can produce these drawings of required for any reason but do have a large internal library of installations for referral at our showroom in Wellingborough.
