Having an SUV can be great, simply because you can haul more people and items around when you need to. Having an RV is fantastic because it is like taking your home with you out on the road. While these are great vehicles, you also need to think about where you are going to keep them. For example, you probably want to keep them in a garage to keep them safe. However, that’s not always an easy thing to do thanks to the size of these vehicles.
A residential garage door that is a single door tends to be between 8’ and 9’ wide and 7’ or 8’ high. When it comes to the double doors, you will find that the width can vary between 14’ and 16’. Some of the larger doors out there might even be up to 18’ wide. While the width of these doors might be right for an SUV or an RV, the real question is whether it is going to work for the height. Having a door that is 8’ high just might not be enough.
Below you will get a better idea of what your best choice is going to be based on the size of your vehicle. If you are building a new garage whether attached or detached, this is information that you are certainly going to want to keep in mind.
Regarding SUVs
An SUV is a very popular type of vehicle, and their size can vary. Some of the relatively small SUVs out there might only be 5.5’ (1.675 m) while others might be as much as 6.1’ (1.845 m) or higher. Therefore, if the garage door is at least 7’ (2.1 m) door, you might think that it is going to be fine for the SUV. However, that’s not always true. If you have a luggage carrier, or anything else that is on the roof, then you are going to need to have a garage door that has a bit more height to it.
It tends to be a very good idea to think about the length of the vehicle, as well. You want to be sure that you are working with a space that will accommodate the entire vehicle comfortably. SUVs are between 15.4’ (4.7 m) and 16.9’ (5.1 m) long for the most part. In addition, you will also need to think about the width, so you can open and close doors and still have room to get around in the garage. In some cases, you might need to rearrange the garage a bit.
Regarding RVs
RVs are even larger than SUVs, and that means that you need to have a garage that is much larger. The RVs on the market will often measure up to 9.5’ (2.9 m) high. In addition, many of the vehicles have other items that are on top of them, such as air conditioning units, solar panels, or satellite dishes. Therefore, the lowest level that you are going to want will be 13.5’ for your garage door. Once again, you are going to need to make sure that you are considering the width and the length of the vehicle. Garage doors that are at least 10’ to 12’ (3 to 3.6 m) wide should be enough. Double check the measurements to make sure that the garage you have, or that you will be building is going to work.
No matter what you are putting into your garage, whether it is an SUV, RV, or a fifth wheel trailer, you will need to make sure that you are always taking the proper measurements.
Measuring the Door
Before you choose a vehicle, you are going to want to make sure that you know how to measure the door properly. Measure the length, width, and height of the garage you want to use. Measure the interior of one door jamb to the other. For the height, it is the same thing. This will give you the garage door opening size.
For those who are building a new garage, the headroom, or clearance is highly important. Think about how far you have from the floor to the first obstruction, such as a truss. You need to make sure it is high enough for your vehicle.
Need to Know More?
If you have some questions, be sure to contact us at 905-684-8161 before you get started. We can help you with all of your garage door needs, and help you find a door and system that will work for you and your vehicle. We can happily provide you with a quotation by email. You could also check out the showroom.
Be sure to check out the Design Centre and image gallery for some great examples!
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