Framing a Garage Door
November 26, 2020
Feet and Inches: In the garage door industry, we communicate dimensions in feet and inches (i.e. 16‘, 7‘, 6‘9“, etc.).
Garage Door Width and Garage Door Height: When communicating garage door sizes, the width is always written and/or spoken before the height. For example, a garage door measuring 7 feet in height and 16 feet in width is communicated as “16 x 7“, 16‘ x 7‘ or 16‘w x 7‘h“. Metric sizes are available however this may lead to custom upcharges.
Finished Opening Garage Door Width: Common garage door opening widths are 8‘, 9‘, 16‘ and 18‘ wide. Other door widths may be available in 1“ increments to suit your home.
Finished Opening Garage Door Height: Common garage door opening heights are 7‘, 8‘, 9‘ and 10‘ high. Other door heights may be available in 3“ increments to suit your home.
Sizing Standards: The most common garage door sizes are 9 x 7, 9 x 8, 16 x 7 and 16 x 8. Garage doors may be custom ordered to suite your garage door opening size requirements. Garage doors for residential homes may be ordered as small as 3 foot wide x 6 foot high and up to 20 foot wide x 10 foot high.
Rough Opening: The garage door rough opening must be 1-1/2“ higher in height and 3“ wider in width. For example, a 16 x 8 garage door rough opening must be 16‘3 x 8‘1-1/2“.
Finished Opening: The garage door finished opening must be the exact size of the door. For example, a 8 x 7 garage door finished opening must be 8 foot wide by 7 foot high.
Garage Door Back Framing (also referred to as Garage Door Casing): Garage doors must be installed on a flat (plumb) wall. The wall requires wood structure from finished floor to minimum 15“ above opening height for 3-1/2 inches on each side of opening. If a plumb structure does not exist than installing 2×4 or 2×6 wood back framing (casing) to the opening is required. The garage door vertical track, head plates and spring anchor pads are installed using lag screws and also must be attached to minimum 1-1/2“ thick wood structure.
Back Room (Rear Clearance): Most garage doors require backroom clearance that is 2 feet longer than opening height or 4 feet longer than opening height is a garage door opener is being used. For example, the clearance needed from opening to garage door opener location for a 7 foot high door is 11 feet.