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What is a sectional garage door?
Sectional Garage Doors are rapidly becoming one of the most popular choices of garage door in the UK. Their strength, safety, insulation and security are just some of the many benefits that justify this popularity. They are known as 'Sectional' doors due to their construction, being made of separate panel sections which open and close vertically. This means that sectional garage doors can be installed on almost every shaped opening (rounded, arched etc.) and are normally installed internally on a garage opening for maximising the dimensions, but they can be installed inbetween when required with a few extra components.
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Why Buy a Sectional Garage Door?
Construction: They feature double-skinned panels filled with insulating foam (40mm to 67mm thick), made from durable galvanized steel. This provides unparalleled strength, allowing them to accommodate larger garage openings with stability.
Insulation: There is no other garage door which can offer the high levels of insulation against heat, cold and also noise (acoustic) with some doors managing to achieve U values better than a solid house wall. This door is more like a movable wall.. Standard insulate U values begin at 1.38W/m2K
Space Efficiency: Vertical opening of sectional garage doors optimises space in front of and behind the opening. Ideal for compact garages or driveways, permitting vehicles to park right against the door without clearance needed for swinging out. Panels curve up over the opening and into the garage's headroom, ensuring full drive-through height and width.
Smooth Operation: Sectional doors employ a spring balance system for smoother functioning, especially beneficial for the larger doors. They can be manually or electrically operated, both options offering quiet and seamless operation thanks to precision engineering and quality components. Safety features, including anti-entrapment design, meet all UK regulations.
Great for Larger Sizes: As the panels are so strong you can have a sectional domestic garage door up to a massive 8000mm wide!! You can also have a height up to 3000mm no problem. If you are building a large double or triple width garage the sectional door makes sense and is also the best value for money on performance provided.
Security: The most basic insulated sectional door will offer levels of security only achievable on other doors with massive enhancements. The double skinned steel panels and the multiple roller tracking system ensures great resistance to force. This also ensures a great door option where you might be exposed to high winds or prevailing weather all year round. We also offer ‘Secured by Design’ models and rated doors.
Your Path to Quality - Unveiling the Standards!
Discover the distinctive benefits of our Sectional Garage Doors, coupled with transparent pricing and a commitment to your satisfaction. Our experts stand ready to assist you, ensuring a seamless experience. Here's what you can expect:
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Strong double skinned, insulated steel construction as standard
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One of the most secure door types for your garage
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Insulated against cold, heat and sound. U values achievable below 1.2 W/m2K
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Park right up either side - vertical operation gives maximum use of space
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Made to measure in width and height - up to 8m wide and 3m high
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Maximum safety in every way possible during door operation
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Huge choice of door styles and panel enhancement options
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Proper window options for light and vision in double glazed units
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Smart technology electric control optios for your smartphone and tablet
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One of the quietest garage doors during operation with an electric motor
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Very low maintenance requirements from year to year
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Fully glazed model options for maximum vision and light
Materials: Optimal Choices for Your Garage
Sectional doors are predominantly manufactured using galvanised steel; however, alternatives like aluminum and timber doors are also offered by various manufacturers. Many of these manufacturers provide steel doors with woodgrain finishes, combining the sturdiness and security of steel with the aesthetic charm associated with timber.
For Timber Sectional doors, the selection of wood type varies among manufacturers. The options for wood type include Hemlock and Cedarwood. Timber doors are limited to a maximum width of 8 feet (2134mm) in the Up and Over style, while timber Sectionals can be custom-made up to an impressive width of 5 meters (over 16 feet)!
The aluminium panels are predominantly used for sectional doors with large glazing panels or even the fully glazed models offered.
Insulating your Garage
If you're using your garage as a space other than vehicle storage, such as a workshop, office or gym, choosing a sectional door is an excellent decision for securely storing and insulating your possessions. These doors are designed to maintain a consistent temperature inside the garage, making them ideal when temperature regulation matters. This makes sectional garage doors a perfect choice for both protecting valuables and preserving the condition of vehicles or household goods, effectively preventing moisture and potential damage.
When correctly installed, an insulated sectional door boasts very impressive U-Value thermal ratings, resulting in reduced heating costs for adjoining rooms and rooms above the garage. Some doors even come with optional thermal seals to further enhance their insulation properties.
With energy conservation awareness and costs surrounding the use of energy at an all time high, it is no wonder we have so many more enquiries for sectional insulated doors and other doors to match, such as their side doors or matching front doors.
Sectional Door Panel and Roller Door Slat Comparison
1: 42mm sectional door panel 2: Hormann SB Roller Door Slat 3: Standard roller door slat 4: Compact Roller Door Slat 5: Lower quality roller slat often misused as a roller door slat
Security
Security is very important for any garage with expensive contents, but more important if your house is integral to your garage. Normal up and over doors and basic roller shutter garage doors can be broken into far too easily and very quietly too.
Double skinned, insulated sectional doors offer strong security features as standard. Combined with a high quality electric operator, a sectional door can be almost impossible to break into, especially without specialist tools and lots of noise! The Hormann Supramatic and Promatic Bi Secur electric operators have additional locking in the operator boom in the form of a steel hook; this holds the door panels firmly at the top, as well as it being held by the motor itself. Electric operators from Garador, Marantec, Teckentrup and Somfy also offer high quality specifications and security.
All insulated sectional garage doors supplied by The Garage Door Centre are CFC free, foam-filled, and manufactured with double-skinned, galvanised steel panel construction. We don't supply single skin panels with polystyrene stuck to the inside face. The 42mm or 67mm thick panel construction provides incredible strength, whilst reducing damage from knocks and bumps.
Not Sure Where to Start? Don't worry, with 39 years experience we can guide and help you select the highest quality, compliant, reliable and secure garage door Call and speak to one of our expert team members today on
01933 229 135
Colour Finishes and Design
There are a wide variety of finishes and effects available for sectional garage doors, which is often pressed onto the door face at the manufacturing stage. High quality paint finishes are also available, including a range of laminated woodgrain effects, designed to match existing building and wood work. A surge in demand for designer elements has lead to a number of manufacturers offering both standard and bespoke designs. Not only have we seen a huge increase in the demand for special surface finishes like Titan Metallic, we have also seen a demand for stainless steel elements. Simple or complex shapes and components are built into the door panels at great effect but they also withstand use as a sectional door panel will never touch another panel directly like a roller door does.
Windows
Optional windows are very much a unique strength for any double skinned sectional door as they are always double glazed units and come in so many different shapes and sizes, enabling you to create as much or as little natural light and vision as you require.
Unlike the single glazed and often very flimsy windows for up and over and other single skin hinged doors, the insulated sectional door windows are strong and retain the insulation properties for the door.
A top row of windows is the most common request, to make it hard to see into the garage, but also because the door looks balanced with this design. However windows as a vertical row to one side or the other is now quite common, as well as the use of round windows like portholes in the door. Super slim long windows and even windows in a unique shape all create a door which is right for you or your property.
Standard sealed units or much more pronounced stainless steel window surrounds will create a very effective modern look to most of the door styles available.
Whilst you can have real glass in the windows most people opt for the toughened and scratch resistant acrylic glazing which can also be clear or frosted in the main. If you want the ultimate in glazed doors then look at our options for ‘glass garage doors’ in this site. We offer fully glazed aluminium sectional doors with every panel glazed to the maximum.
Matching Garage Door and Front Entrance Door
Many of the insulated sectional doors we offer are available with matching front entrance doors or side pedestrian doors. Pairing sectional garage doors with matching front entrance doors or side pedestrian doors can greatly enhance your property's aesthetics and functionality along with security and safety. Leading manufacturers like Hormann and Carteck excel in offering a diverse range of options for seamless coordination. This approach not only boosts kerb appeal but also provides design harmony security.
We can also match with electric gates and the material and finishes if required. Our gate ranges are very extensive and we have specialised in electric entrance gates since 1986.
Pedestrian Wicket Door Option
A true masterpiece of door engineering; the optional pedestrian door, also known as a ‘wicket door’, is a superb solution for most households using their garage regularly, but not primarily for storing a vehicle. Access to the freezer, tools, bikes or whatever use you have made of your garage is easy with the large, convenient, built in wicket door, which can be used without opening the entire garage door. A hinged and full sized swing door which open outwards and retains all the strength of the double skinned door but provides simple access day and night.
The bottom threshold is only around 10 -15mm, allowing easy, trip free access. Wicket inset doors are perfect for this type of garage door because of the strength of the door isn’t compromised in any way.
Manufacturers for this type include Hormann and Teckentrup, German manufacturers who have designed and created this method of pedestrian entry many years ago and yet we still have to discover the benefits here in the UK.
Experience Excellence with Our Trusted Manufacturers
Unlock the advantages of industry excellence by choosing renowned names such as Teckentrup, Seceuroglide, Ryterna, and Hormann for your Sectional Garage Door needs! With these esteemed Manufacturers, your satisfaction and security are guaranteed. We take pride in presenting top-tier garage doors exclusively from reputable manufacturers. Explore our distinguished lineup of manufacturers below.
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Electric Operation
Most insulated sectional doors fitted are electrically operated, but they are all designed to be a manual, spring balanced door in their own right first. The electric operation is optional, but very desirable and practical, because you can opt for the door without any external handle or locking points and let the electric motor do all the locking, opening and closing with absolute ease and very quietly too. An electric operator does minimal work on a properly balanced sectional type door because of the balancing of the springs, this means the safety detection system for obstacles will work very well indeed with maximum sensitivity for such a robust solid door.
Most electric garage door motor systems will be supplied with 2 hand held remote controllers but there is also a button on the motor head unit internally and an emergency manual release inside in the form of a rope pull to release the door from the motor towing arm. The door is then lifted and operated easily like it was a manual door in the first place.
The security and locking depends on the manufacturer, but primarily there is either a steel latch system built into the trolley system (Hormann) or an electronic system which exerts additional force on the door when it detects forces against the door when closed (Teckentrup). Even with the motor, a closed, insulated, double skinned, steel door from the leading brands will be a very difficult door to force or break into, simply because of the way the door panels are sitting tight behind a steel frame and each panel has 2 brackets either side, with wheels encapsulated in a steel channel. The door is solid when closed with no obvious attack points.
Smart controls using a free app and a smartphone or tablet for controlling your electric door are becoming popular very fast. Options to have the door itself decide on things like the garage being too humid and then open the door slightly to let air flow are beneficial to many car owners. Options to have a one time passcode for delivery drivers to use and have partial door opening again to deliver parcels and then the door closes after a short period. Lighting options to connect with the motor drive head and switch lights on from the same controls as the door… Many other possibilities to ensure you can use your garage the way you want to and always have faith in a super strong, insulated, secure and reliable door at all times.
Fixing Frames
Sectional garage doors do not have a sub-frame like an up and over or side hinged door, but do require a structural surface to install directly to. If installed inbetween the opening, a specialist installation kit is required and usually trimming and cloaking too. The frame is not box-section like with up and uver doors, and is also not a head and legs that lock together. The frame section is essentially only to carry the operating gear and spring mechanism, and does rely on a good, straight, sound surface to install onto.
When the door is installed inbetween the opening you will always require a cover strip of some kind. This is because the legs are pre-drilled for fitting behind the opening, as well as being only available in limited colours. These strips can be timber, Upvc or specially designed cover strips available from Hormann and Teckentrup. Seceuroglide do offer a box section steel sub frame system to artificially create a face fitting for the door and gear.
Weatherseals
All sectional garage doors come with high quality, large rubber weatherstrips built into the bottom door panel, the sides of the frame legs, and the top panel fascia or door panel. When properly installed with a level floor, the sectional door can provide a very high level of sealing against wind, rain, dust and vermin. There are also additional rubber seals when you are creating the very best insulation and U values, where specific fitting positions are required to achieve the results.
Specialist and Bespoke Sectional Doors
A great increase in the demand for ‘designer’ type sectional doors has driven manufacturers to produce doors with the flexibility to use almost any material on the front face. The ‘facade’ sectional door offered by Hormann is an adaptation of a commercial door, with the mechanism adapted to enable the customer or contractor to plant timber and other materials onto the front face. This means you can make either a bold statement in design, or subtly blend the door into the rest of the building.
Hormann also offer the ALRF42 Vitraplan to meet the demands for ‘glass garage doors’; an increasingly popular request. Offset flush glazing cleverly hides the framework and door panel divisions with a choice of glazing options. The standard ALRF42 offers real glass in a framework with double or triple glazing options.
Ryterna SectionalSectional vs Roller Garage Door
In the UK, individuals seeking a new or replacement garage door often quickly grasp the distinctive operation of a roller shutter garage door. This design is known for its compactness and suitability for various garage structures. On the other hand, the sectional garage door may require more explanation and comprehension. Interestingly, in the USA and Northern Europe, the sectional garage door holds the title of the most popular garage door type, and this trend has persisted over a considerable period. What factors contribute to this preference?
A roller garage door is only any good if it isn't manufactured to a low budget price, when it will be a pain and fail after a very short period, guaranteed.
Click here to read more on if a sectional door or roller door is the choice for you
Technical and Sizing Information
Sectional doors are extremely versatile when it comes to sizing for two main reasons. Firstly, a sectional door does not swing through the opening, meaning that when installed behind the opening the exact size of the door is not as important. Steel fixing frames are designed to be concealed (or partly visible), meaning that this is not an issue. This means that larger doors can be fitted to smaller openings, increasing the range of doors that can be ordered for any given dimensions, and perhaps eliminating the need for made-to-order doors in some situations, although these days this isn't expensive or delaying delivery much at all.
Secondly, the strength of the panel means that large dimensions are achievable, particularly with double skinned panel doors. With heights up to 3000mm and widths of up to 8000mm, there is a sectional door to suit almost every domestic application. Purpose made sizes are available in, Steel, Timber and Aluminium, although there are a large number of standard sizes readily available.
Note: Manufacturer’s ‘order reference sizes’ for Sectional garage doors always refer to the exact structural opening sizes when the door is being installed to the inside face. Unlike a lot of garage doors the ordering sizes are the width and height inbetween the steel fixing frame in every case.
Installation Positions
Originally, were designed to be fitted behind the opening, limited by the positioning of the springs and the guides. However these doors can now be fitted inbetween the opening through the use of adapted installation kits and alternate gear mechanism options. Specially designed, bespoke fascias and panelling can also be used to accommodate any opening.
The only spatial requirement for Sectional doors is the headroom needed for the curve of the tracks, and then for the horizontal storage of the door panels when in the open position. If limited headroom is an issue, consider the Hormann, Seceuroglide and Garador Z track system (single door sizes) or the Teckentrup range of sectional doors for garages with limited headroom but also offering maximum drive through height when opened with a motor.
Lifting Mechanisms
Sectional garage doors have a varied choice of either torsion or tension spring lifting mechanisms. The spring position can be either side mounted tension, front mounted torsion or rear mounted, low headroom torsion. Teckentrup manufacture their doors with tension springs set into the horizontal guide channels at high levels, arguably the safest and easiest set up.
Each option requires a slightly different headroom requirement, and the important structural fixing points vary for installing the springs and tracks. Proper installation of these springs can be paramount to correct, trouble free, safe operation. All European manufacturers now provide zinc plated or galvanised springs as standard, with inferior spring operating mechanisms coming from American and other manufacturers.
Automation & Electric Operators
A sectional garage door paired with a quality operator can create one of the most secure garage doors available on the market. With a sectional garage door, manual or electric operation delivers equal levels of great security, mainly due to the design geometry and gear mechanism. All sectional garage doors can be automated easily, which is due to their well balanced operation at all sizes.The four main manufacturers, Teckentrup, Hormann, Garador and SeceuroGlide, all have different spring-lifting operation methods, but the one common factor is their ease of operation.
The latest electric operators, such as the Hormann Bi Secur, feature hi-tech two-way communication between the operator and the handsets. This prevents unauthorised operation, and in some cases allows for more than just "Open/Close" commands. The best levels of security will be obtained by using an operator with a built-in, anti-force mechanism built into the towing arm area such as offered by Teckentrup and others.
A remote control electric operator is highly recommended if the garage is used regularly for vehicle storage, or if the door is over 3m wide. The convenience of remotely opening a garage door is not to be underestimated, especially on wet and dark nights, when unlocking and manually opening a garage is the last thing you want to do. Having an electric operated door also makes sure it is always closed and locked.
Popular FAQs about Sectional Doors
What are the disadvantages of a sectional garage door?
Recent Sectional Door Installations for Inspiration
We supply and install Sectional garage doors every week. See below some installations or click here to view our gallery.
Still need some guidance? Don't worry, with 39 years experience we can guide and help you select the highest quality, compliant, reliable and secure garage door Call and speak to one of our expert team members today on
01933 229 135
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