Choose Your Overhead Door

The Best Barndo Door is Based on Your Lifestyle

A garage door is important to the security of your home and possessions, but with a barndominium its importance can be significantly heightened. There are a couple of reasons for that including the fact that the large area you dedicate to a “garage”, “workshop”, machine shed, or “party space” is not only attached to your “living space”, but it may be used more than the average garage. Further, if you choose to add an overhead door to your living space as a “movable wall”, you will want to ensure that it is the best choice for you and your family.

There are a number of different types of doors and materials to choose from, and we will take a look at several of your options here.

Overhead Door Options

• Sectional Garage Doors: These are the most common residential garage doors; they are composed of horizontal hinged panels that ride up and across an overhead track.

• Bi-Fold Doors – Split into two sections, the door folds in the middle, moving upward and staying clear of ceiling space.

• High-Lift/Vertical-Lift Doors: These doors run on custom track systems that climb higher up the wall, ideal for spaces with high ceilings.

• Roll-Up Doors: This door is made of narrow slats that can roll up and coil above the opening. These have been very common in commercial or industrial buildings, but some people have adopted them for use on their barndos.

• Glass Garage Doors: These doors are usually sectional doors made of aluminum and tempered glass, and they work well for bringing natural light into the room.

• Tilt-Up Canopy Doors- This is a one-piece, solid door that flips outward and up. When it is raised it forms an extension of the roof.

• Tilt-Up Retractable Doors: These doors flip upward and out like the Canopy doors, but they retract fully into the garage.

Now, let’s see what benefits are associated with each type of door.

Hydraulic Canopy Door. Photo courtesy of Schweiss Doors.

Sectional Garage Doors

Sectional “Sandwich” Doors, filled with polystyrene. Photo courtesy of Kevmar Mfg.

These doors are versatile, working well for both garages and living spaces. They can be well-insulated. In fact these doors offer some of the best choices for energy efficiency; look for ratings of R16 and up. If glass is incorporated in the sectional, choose low-E coatings on insulated glass for better energy savings. Naturally upgrades will cost more, but you will see energy savings over the life of the door.

You can find a wide variety of aesthetics for this type of door, everything from traditional looks including raised panels or a carriage house design that looks like an old-fashioned barn to modern styles like a glass and aluminum door that can achieve an industrial look or a flush design for a clean, sleek look. You can enjoy the beauty of a wood garage door, though you may have to order it custom-made.

For great durability, you can opt for a heavy-duty sectional door with commercial-grade torsion springs that handle 20,000 plus cycles, reinforced hinges, and double-end stiles, the vertical metal pieces found at a section’s outside edges.

Uninsulated sectional doors are likely the most budget friendly, but keep in mind that without insulation, they will not be energy efficient or much protection from hot or cold temperatures.

Sectional doors with modern openers which are UL 325 compliant with safety sensors and auto-reverse action are among the safest options for children and pets.

Bi-Fold Doors

Bi-Fold Doors are great for wide spans and high clearance so they can be used for over-sized garages, workshops or barns and indoor/outdoor transitions.

The heavy -duty models are usually constructed of steel or heavyweight aluminum, industrial-grade hinges, welded frames and other sturdy components, and if well-maintained, they can last for decades.

Some of these doors are built for energy efficiency featuring the sandwich panels used in sectionals to assist in keeping the interior comfortable and energy usage down.

These bi-fold doors may also be available in wood or composite panels for a different aesthetic.

High-Lift/Vertical Lift Doors

Perfect for large workshops, large equipment, or RV storage, these doors make the most of the building’s interior space, leaving the ceiling open for lighting, ceiling fans, ductwork and more. You can even place small windows above the door frame for a bit of extra light.

Vertical lift doors are often made with commercial components including high torsion springs, so they are highly durable and they operate smoothly and quietly.

Like sectionals and bi-fold doors, these doors can be built with sandwich panels for energy efficiency.

Glass Doors

Glass doors are excellent at bringing the outdoors inside even when they are closed. Allowing natural light in, they can lend an airy feeling to a living space and they are becoming ever more popular. For greater energy savings, make sure the door you choose features low-E coatings on insulated glass.

Roll-up Doors

Their “industrial aesthetic” combined with the minimal space that these doors require can make them a good fit for more modern, minimalist barndos.

These doors are commercial grade and generally will stand up to 20,000+ cycles while requiring low maintenance. Built with few parts to require repair and built to withstand a lot of use, these doors are durable.

Tilt-Up Canopy Doors

When open, these one-piece solid doors create a roof extension or shade awning. They deliver a clean aesthetic and simple design, and they can be quite budget friendly. They are also available in wood options which add a warm, traditional appeal. When operating this door, it swings outward and upward, so the swing area must be monitored; motion detector systems are available to do that for you.

Hydraulic Canopy Doors

Like the tilt-up door, this door becomes a roof extension that can function like an awning. The hydraulic version of this door is reliable, user friendly, many of them do not take up room inside the building when open so they can have a nice clearance, and they do not interfere with lights, fans, or other items. The hydraulic system makes operation smoother and generally much quieter than other overhead options. The door can open fully to the outside for a very enjoyable aesthetic, just be cognizant of the door’s path of travel while operating.

Ask About Upgrades

If the door you are considering does not have some of the features you would like for safety, for example sensors that see further, insulation, specific materials, or aesthetics talk to a salesperson. Often these upgrades are possible. Other times you may have to have a door custom made.

Climate Suggestions and Safety Considerations

For snowy regions, insulated aluminum and glass resists rusting and can handle the cold and snow while providing lovely landscape views. Steel sandwich panels consisting of two pieces of steel sandwiched by insulating polystyrene or polyurethane, are durable and deliver great thermal protection and energy efficiency. They are also great noise reducers.

In coastal areas, fiberglass composite resists corrosion, and handles salt spray and temperature swings well. Marine grade aluminum or aluminum with an anodized finish also withstands the salt.

In arid environments, powder-coated or painted aluminum features excellent UV resistance and stands up well to heat without warping, rusting or peeling. Fiberglass does not break down in extreme UV exposure, will not corrode and doesn’t expand or contract as much as other materials can.

Wet environments are well served by powder-coated or anodized aluminum. It is rust-proof and unaffected by temperature swings. Galvanized steel with powder coating is excellent for resisting rust and UV damage.

In areas that tend to experience tornadoes or hurricanes, you will want to choose impact-rated doors. A good rating for high-risk regions are +50/-50 psf (pounds-per-square foot) or greater. If your barndo is in a coastal hurricane zone, look for the Miami-Dade NOA (notice of acceptance) or the Florida Product Approval # found under the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) rating. The primary national impact standards are ASTM E1886/E1996. The classification includes level D for hurricane protection and Level E or F for tornado protection.

If you are using the overhead door on a tornado shelter space, it should meet the FEMA P-361 & ICC 500 standard.

Local Codes

Some municipalities have requirements that overhead doors must meet in regard to insulation or wind resistance, so it is best to check the local codes before choosing your door.

A Word on Garage Door Controllers

Controllers play a part in the smooth functioning of your overhead door as well, so you will want to check out the many options available. Some are basic while others control various functions, such as lighting in the garage, house, and the surrounding yard along with opening and closing the garage door. Some Smart Home apps allow access from your phone, tablet, or PC, yet do not expose your data; they keep your information on the device in your home, rather than storing it on the Cloud. Compare functions and discover what type of control will work best for you.

In Closing

There are many considerations when choosing your overhead door. Your requirements based on your preferences along with safety, energy efficiency, clearance requirements, durability, and climate needs will assist you in narrowing your options to find the perfect door for your barndo.