Many factors can affect the weight of a garage door, from the material of the door itself to the glass used. As you know, a garage door can either be manual or automatic. Switches and remotes regulate automated doors, and the lift of the weight is impacted by the horsepower of the garage door opener. As a point of reference, a half-horsepower opener is able to lift 300 pounds, the typical weight of a 2-car steel door. A one-horsepower opener is able to lift 400 pounds. The higher the horsepower, the more efficient the opener will be at lifting the door; however, some are designed to lift the door more efficiently than other models.
The weight is subject to many factors, but there’s really no ideal garage door weight. The one you choose will depend on your budget, style, type of home and needs. For instance, a wood door will have a different weight than a roll-up one will.
Factors affecting weight can include:
- Doorway size
- Insulation or protection
- Material
- Doorway thickness
- Amount of steel
Material
The material you choose for your garage door will significantly impact the weight. For example, wooden garage doors are heavier than other types and retain water when it’s raining. This can add an extra 50 extra pounds to their weight. Aluminum is much lighter than both wood and steel, but is more susceptible to dents.
Glass
If your garage door has glass panels in it, this will add to the weight too, whether you have just a small window or two, or want to incorporate several large windows across the top. Glass doors can actually increase the garage door weight by about 400 pounds!
Insulation
Garage door weight is also dependent on the insulation or protection used within the door itself. In a standard 16×7 garage door, the weight may hover around 150 pounds. But add some insulation or protection and the weight of the garage door increases by about 25 pounds. When you include the weight of the back steel, the weight of the entire door goes up by another 30 pounds, bringing the total weight to 205 pounds.
Choosing a garage door installation professional is your best bet. He or she will be able to tell you which material is best, and how best to balance its weight with all the extras you want to add on, from glass to insulation.
Contact M&M Garage Doors
If you need expert guidance on which material is best for your garage door, contact us at (586) 610-5434 to book a consultation. We would be happy to go through all the options and let you know which ones weigh the least and most.