Key Differences Between Commercial and Residential Garage Doors

Here at Access Garage Doors of Chattanooga, we offer a wide variety of high-quality garage doors for both commercial and residential applications. In our experience, many people aren’t clear on the differences between these two types of garage doors, so we have put together this article to shed some light on the topic.

• Size- The most obvious difference between commercial and residential garage doors is their size. Standard residential garage doors are 7 feet high, while commercial doors are often much taller in order to accommodate supply trucks. Residential garage doors, on the other hand, only need to accommodate standard family vehicles, and they also need to fit the smaller scale of a home vs. a warehouse or other commercial building. This smaller size also makes residential garage doors substantially lighter than commercial ones, which means their opening mechanisms do not need to be as powerful.
• Design Flexibility- The other main thing that sets residential garage doors apart from their commercial counterparts is the greater number of design options that are available. Most commercial garage doors are pretty plain in appearance, as they are built to be functional above all. Unlike commercial garage doors, which are typically located in the back of a building or in a designated loading area, residential garage doors usually face the street and are thus a key part of your home’s overall curb appeal. Because of this, they are available in a wide variety of colors and styles to help you create any look you want.