Do you want to build a new garage for your larger vehicles? If so, you should know that standard garage door sizes probably won't work for the project you have in mind. Standard garage doors are seven feet tall and nine feet wide, which simply isn't big enough for larger trucks and SUVs or RVs. However, you still have garage door options! If you need a large garage door, you can get a custom garage door built to be the size you need!
Garages can be built to meet any needs you have, especially with custom garage doors! Image credit: Wikimedia Commons
Garage Doors for SUVs and Trucks
What size garage door do I need to be able to park my SUV or truck inside my garage?
Most modern SUVs are somewhere between 5'5" and 6'4" tall (JD Power). Of course, if you've made modifications to your vehicle in a way that would change the height, the measurements could be different. Things like tires and rims can change these measurements.
The average height of a pickup truck is between 6' and 6'5" unless modified. Larger vehicles need at least a 7-foot tall garage door. You can go as high as 7'6" or even eight feet if you want added space. When it comes to width, you should aim for an 9-foot-wide garage door.
With the size figured out for your garage door, it's time to consider the style you want. Check out our image gallery if you're having a hard time deciding on a style to see what other people have designed in the past. Your garage door options are limited only by your imagination!
Do you have an attached garage or a detached one? If your garage is attached to your home, you need to look for an insulated garage door. This can help keep the temperature regulated inside, which will help you save on your energy bill in both the winter and summer!
When it comes to insulation for your garage door, consider the R-value you need. Depending on where you live, you may want a higher R-value for added insulation. If so, check out some of our high insulation R-16 garage doors, like the contemporary Vog or the more traditional style of the North Hatley LP.
No matter which you choose, you can rest assured that the appearance of your garage door won't be affected by the insulation!
The Standard+ Voggarage door design in Charcoal is a modern style that is perfect for any contemporary home. These doors are 9' x 7', making them perfect for your SUV or truck.
Do you have a two-car garage? If so, you need to decide if you want a double garage door or two single ones instead.
If you choose a double garage door, you need to know the right width!
To some extent, the proper width comes down to your personal preference and comfort level. The most common width of a double garage door is 16 feet to allow for ample space to park two vehicles inside and move around comfortably.
If you have two larger vehicles and your garage space allows it, you could opt for an 18-foot wide garage door! In fact, you can choose whatever width of garage door you want because we'll custom design your door to fit your garage!
The Standard+ North Hatley LP design garage door is a beautiful double door option. At 16 feet wide, this is plenty of space to pull two vehicles through and park next to one another!
Which lift style should you choose for your garage door?
The type of lift you'll find in most residential homes is the standard lift. This style can be installed as long as there is at least a foot of space above your garage door. It's important to note that you'll need an extra two inches if you want an opener on the ceiling, making the total space needed 14 inches.
If you don't have a foot of space above your garage door, you have options. A low front headroom lift will work for you if you have less than 10 inches of headroom in your garage!
Do you have a unique style of garage with a sloped ceiling? Consider an inclined track, which can be installed with the slope of your ceiling!
What hardware do I need for my garage door?
As long as your garage door is under 8'1" high, you can use residential hardware. That means you can choose residential hardware for virtually any garage door you choose for your SUV or truck. We have two types of residential hardware for you to choose from: Dura+ and bolted.
To pick which is best for you, check out this table that compares them:
Typically, your garage door will come with one of the two hardware choices as the standard option. However, you can talk to your garage door expert about possibly swapping your hardware if you prefer the other style. They'll be able to tell you if the swap is possible with your chosen garage door!
What style garage door opener should I choose?
Since standard SUVs and trucks fit in garage doors that are no more than eight feet tall, you can pick any residential electric garage door opener we offer!
Let's look at the differences between the models we offer!
- The LiftMaster 87504-267 opener is a great high-tech option that comes with added security. This garage door opener is very quiet due to its belt drive. It also has a two-way microphone and an HD camera that you can access from your smartphone. If you aspire to have a smart home, this is the garage door opener for you!
- The LiftMaster 8500W opener is a great wall-mounted option for your garage door. With a wall-mounted opener, you're able to have more ceiling space for storage. Not only that, but you can make your garage look more like another room in your house, which is perfect if you're using it as a guest bedroom or a rec space. Another perk is that this style of garage door opener can be used on doors that are up to 14 feet tall!
- The LiftMaster 87802 garage door opener is a great option if you want a quality garage door opener without having to spend too much money. This model has a chain drive, meaning it can be louder than the belt drive options. However, that makes it perfect if you have a detached garage! Plus, it has a battery backup, so you can always open and close your garage door, even in a power outage.
Any of the models listed can be operated through your smartphone with the myQ app! This lets you monitor your garage from anywhere!
The LiftMaster 87504-267 model is impressively quiet! It also has built-in Wi-Fi, a battery backup, and many other high-tech features you'll love!
Now, let's look at picking your garage door for your RV
What size garage door do you need for your RV garage?
When it comes to having the right sized garage door for your RV, you should start with the height of your vehicle. From there, add in about a foot or so of extra headroom to the number. This will help you be able to pull into your garage easily and with much less worry.
The G-5000 here is 16' x 18'. If you're needing a garage door for your RV, you can check out our many commercial designs that are sure to meet your needs!
You should also consider whether you want to get a larger RV later on. When in doubt, it's better to make your garage door too big versus too small. If you're concerned about the size, contact a garage door specialist!
Class A RVs are the largest RVs with the most features. With a custom garage door, you can even park one of these in a garage! Image from Camper Report's website.
What RV style do you have? Depending on the class of your vehicle, you may need a bigger or smaller garage door.
Camper Report helps us understand the four types of RVs there are:
- Class A – the largest class of RVs. These are what most people picture when they think of traditional motorhomes.
- Class B – the smallest class. Some of these may even fit into your standard residential garage.
- Class B+ – bigger than Class B but smaller than Class C. This is a happy medium between the two styles as far as space and features.
- Class C – a smaller version of Class A. These have many amenities, just on a smaller scale.
We can help you pick the perfect garage door for your Class C RV. Image: Pixabay.
The measurements of the different classes of RV are very different, so the garage door size needed will be different as well.
Jeffsetter Travel helps us learn the average heights of each class:
- Class A – between 12 and 14 feet
- Class B and B+ – between 7 and 10 feet
- Class C –between 10 and 12 feet
Class B RVs have become popular for “van life" influencers. However, when needed, you can still park them in a garage! Image:Unsplash.
Take into account any type of addition on top of your RV when figuring out the height of your vehicle. If you've added options like a roof-mounted air conditioning unit or a roof rack, these will make your RV taller than the average measurement.
When it comes to width, you'll need at least 10 feet for a Class A vehicle, but 12 feet will probably make you more comfortable pulling through your garage door. For Class B, B+, and C vehicles, you can choose an 8- or 9-wide garage door and have plenty of room!
These Standard+ Shaker-Flat XL garage doors are great for your Class B RV because they're ten feet tall and nine feet wide!
If possible, it's best to physically measure your RV to get the most accurate numbers for designing your garage door. If you're worried about taking the measurement yourself, a local garage door expert would be happy to help you out!
This garage door from Houzz is perfect for Class A RV storage. The Shaker-Flat CC garage door offers a similar style if you like what you see.
What lifts can I use for my RV garage door?
Since you need a much larger door and garage, you'll need lift options from the residential ones you may be used to. We offer a variety of commercial garage door lifts for when a standard one won't do the trick.
If you have a lot of wall space above your garage door, a full vertical lift track or high lift track are both great options for you. The lift will be well out of the way, so you don't have to worry about pulling in your RV through the garage door.
You can use an inclined track if you have a sloped ceiling because it can follow the angle of your garage.
It's still possible to have very little space above the garage door with RV garages. If you have less than ten inches of space above your garage door, get a low front headroom lift.
What hardware options do I have for my large garage door?
When you have a garage door that's taller than eight feet, you'll need commercial hardware to make sure it can withstand the weight and pull of your larger garage door.
We offer three types of commercial garage door hardware, so you can choose one that meets your needs.
Make your hardware decision based on the amount of use your garage door will have. If you have questions, a garage door expert can help.
What about a garage door opener?
With tall garage doors, having a garage door opener is a requirement, not an option. Can you imagine trying to use your hands to open a 12-foot tall garage door? You probably won't be able to. Instead, invest in an industrial-strength LiftMaster garage door opener.
Wall-mounted garage door openers are a great option for all RV garages, but especially those designed for Class A RVs.
Let's look at the perks of choosing the LiftMaster H.
- You'll have way more ceiling space!
- If you need to program the opener, it's way easier to get to – no ladders required!
- Super quiet!
- You can monitor it with the myQ app!
The LiftMaster H is compatible with the myQ app. You can open and close your garage door from anywhere with just your phone!
LiftMaster helps you have peace of mind no matter where you are!
Are you someone who always forgets whether you've closed your garage door after you've left the house? If so, you know how hard it is to relax if you can't remember for sure and think your garage door may be open! However, with the myQ app, you can just pull your garage opener up on your phone and check to see if your garage is open or closed!
If it's open, no worries! You can simply close it right from the app as well! Then, you can rest easy knowing your garage is protected!
The myQ app lets you check your garage door from anywhere and even open and close it when needed!
The myQ app will even send you a notification on your phone if you forgot to close your garage door! Once the garage door has been open for a certain amount of time, the app will let you know. Then, you can make sure you close it, even if you didn't realize it was open!
The garage door opener lets you know if you left your garage door open. A few simple clicks in the app, and you can close the garage door from wherever you are!
Time to pick out your perfect garage door!
We love helping everyone choose the perfect garage door for their project, whether it's a tiny door or a massive, commercial-style one!
Do you need a unique size garage door? No worries! All our garage doors are made custom to your requests. Bring us your measurements, and we'll take it from there!
If you need help getting accurate measurements for your garage door, check out this guide. You can also contact us, and one of our garage experts will come by and take the measurement for you!
This Eastman E-11 garage door is perfect for anyone looking for a stunning, a bit modern, a bit classic garage door.
You can also design your perfect garage door before you purchase it!
Check out our Design Centre! This interactive app is free to use and can help you design the perfect garage door for you. You can pick from over 35 designs and ten different colors! Then, choose your window style, accessories, and every other detail! Make your dream garage door a reality!
Our app is available on your smartphone, so you can design your garage door from anywhere!
Once you have your design, we'll send you an email with a free quote. You can also upload a photo of your house into the app and see what your designed garage door will look like with the rest of your home's exterior!
Call us at 631-589-4078.
One of our T.M. Kenney Door Systems experts can help you through the entire garage door buying process. We can help with design, installation, maintenance, and repairs! Contact us today to get started!
Add new comment