July 6, 2021

Top 3 Commercial and Industrial Garage Doors: Which is Right for You?

In the market for a new commercial garage door? Whether it’s your first purchase or you’re upgrading, here’s what you need to know before you buy.

Sectional Overhead Doors' Model: G-5000, 14'x16', Black Color, Window: 2 G-4400 sections (Full Vision) with Anodized frame and Clear glass

Most people only think of sectional doors, such as those used in typical residential installations, when they think of overhead garage doors. However, that’s just one option for commercial customers.

In the commercial, agricultural, and industrial collection, there are multiple types of garage doors to meet various needs. Doors can be made of steel, as well as reinforced fabric or premium rubber.

Sectional Overhead Doors are Still #1

This type of door is similar to a standard residential garage door, but it will usually have a much bigger size. They have the same construction of sections that sit atop each other.

What’s different is the movement of these doors, and naturally, the hardware that goes with them.

These doors typically move up the wall and along the ceiling to allow for maximum headroom (clearance) on the inside of the space. Commercial buildings generally have much higher ceilings than residential homes, so lift options are different.

Depending on the exact height of the building and the door, movement options include standard, high, and vertical lift:

● Standard lift is what is used in residential garage doors

● High-lift doors work the same but will go higher than standard doors

● Full-vertical doors will lift fully, ideal for loading docks and similar locations

In addition to being made of premium galvanized steel, most commercial sectional garage doors include polyurethane foam insulation to improve durability and temperature control.

Non-insulated garage doors are available for applications in unheated buildings used for equipment or machinery storage, for example.

What about rolling steel doors?

Such as the name states, these doors don’t require tracks or lifting, as they simply roll up over the door itself.

For the rolling operation to function, the slats, or sections, of these doors will be much smaller. Heights vary from one model or manufacturer to another, but the standard is about three inches per slat.

Rolling steel door (firewall) used to divide 2 areas in a manufacturing business.

There are multiple ways to use these doors, but they are typically designed to separate sections of a building. This could be to prevent cross-contamination of dust or debris, or even just to keep buildings safer in case of fire or another emergency.

Speaking of fire, many doors will be “firewall” rolling doors, designed to stop the fire from spreading. Manufacturers make many different models, ranging in ratings from 30 minutes to more than 240 minutes of resistance.

Lastly, you have the more common uses of these doors, such as shutters or counter protection in foodservice or even in shopping centres where they are used as metal grilles.

The common feature is their function: they all roll-up.

Roll-up doors go high speed

Less common, high-speed roll-up doors are still popular in several applications. These doors are commonly found in mining, rail transit, and even distribution and food production.

In food, for example, these doors can be used to close off a refrigerated area to ensure that the contents remain at the ideal temperature.

These doors open fast – 96 inches in just one second! Don’t worry, though, because they also close at about half that speed (48 inches per second) for safety.

High-speed vinyl door installed in a food distribution center.

In addition to premium metal, these doors may also be made of durable, thick rubber that can withstand impact, as well as reinforced vinyl. The former is commonly found in mining and rail operations, while the latter can be found in manufacturing and production.

Ready to pick your door?

If you’re in Kingston (613-547-4566) or Belleville (613-966-5655), contact us now.

We have a team of experts that know all about commercial and industrial garage doors. We can help you explore your options and find the best doors for your needs.

Request a no-obligation quotation by email to get more insight into your options for your new commercial door.

Do you need a little inspiration before you choose?

Our Commercial Door Pictures Gallery is available to help you find plenty of ideas.

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