Sectional Roll-Up Doors vs Roll-Up Garage Doors

Commercial garages, like residential garages serve different purposes and one garage door will not be a practical solution for all of them. Typically, when trying to decide on a garage door solution for a commercial business, owners are torn between steel rolling doors and steel sectional roll up garage doors.

Because the decision is important to commercial garage owners, we are sharing our vast knowledge and experience regarding types of roll-up garage doors as well as sectional steel doors. We will highlight the benefits of each and offer you a few things to consider when making this important decision.

Steel Roller Doors - Benefits

Commercial settings are the perfect setting for steel roller doors. Steel roller doors go by many names: overhead rolling doors, coiling garage doors, and roll up doors. The mechanism of the roller door pulls the doors into a compressed coil. The benefit of this is a small amount of real estate the doors take up when retracted. They can be installed inside or outside of the garage itself.

In addition to the small footprint, roll up garage doors require very little maintenance and they provide a secure commercial garage when closed. The doors are insulated which saves in energy costs for the business as well. The materials that these garage doors are made up create a durable product that can handle everyday wear and tear as well as the elements. Additional insulation can be added to the doors to increase the energy savings and reduce noise pollution.

Out of all of the types of roll up garage doors there is one that is popular in commercial settings as it is fire rated. Not only does this type of door create a secure building, but it also helps prevent fire from spreading by automatically closing when triggered by smoke.

Sectional Steel Doors - Benefits

Sectional steel doors are often used in residential garages because of the cost and customization properties. However, they can also be ideal in a commercial building as well. Sectional steel doors are often wide panels that can be customized by placing windows in sections and steel in others. When retracted these doors roll up and lay flat against the ceiling. The largest benefit of having this type of door is that they can be installed for just about any budget. They are durable like the steel roller doors, depending on the material and customization that is requested.

Rolling vs. Section Steel Doors - Things To Consider

When it comes to making a decision on which type of garage door you would like, you now know the basics. However, there are still a few things to consider before making the final decision.

Performance Range

Performance is going to be the top priority in choosing the right door for your commercial garage. The performance measures the doors ability to handle a certain number of cycles before it starts wearing down. If your commercial business requires multiple cycles per day, you will need a high performance commercial garage door. However, if it is only opened and closed a few times per day, you may be able to get away with a smaller performance measure.

Normally, steel roller doors have higher cycle performance than the steel sectional garage doors. But, as mentioned above, if your commercial garage does not require a higher cycle performance, there is no need to buy more than what you need.

Mounting Considerations

Before making the decision, consider the type of space you have available to place the doors. This will help determine what type of doors you will require. Like steel security roll up doors, roll up steel garage doors require space for the coil to rest when opened, but this space will be located on the wall. Sectional steel garage doors will need space to lay flat against your ceiling. Although sectional steel doors lay against the ceiling, there are different ways to mount them depending on ceiling height and overhead space.

Take your space into consideration when deciding on the types of roll up garage doors. As previously discussed, sectional steel doors will lay parallel to the ceiling. If you have a sprinkler system, installing these doors is probably not a good idea nor is it safe. Vents and lighting are additional items you should take into consideration when deciding on style and mounting choices.

Size Requirements

In addition to the space available for mounting, you’ll also need to take into consideration the size of the door that you will need. Sectional steel doors come in standard sizes and can be customized to a certain extent. If you require a true custom fit, you will be better off with a steel roll up door as they can be customized more precisely than sectional steel doors.

Cost Effectiveness

Each garage has its own requirements and space limitations, as well as a different size budget. As the owner of a commercial garage, it is important to balance everything while remaining within your budgeting ability. There is no need to buy the top of the line commercial garage door just to say that you have it. Be smart, balance your needs, requirements, and space while staying within your budget. By doing this, you are making a smart decision for both you and your business.

Maintenance and Security

Sectional steel doors have many mechanical pieces associated with it. Railings, motors, sensors and other components are part of the overall sectional steel door install. This means that if not taken care of properly or over used, components can break down. Steel rolling doors, on the other hand, do not have as many components that can break down. However, they will need their springs greased to maintain optimal working condition. As for security, both types of commercial garage doors offer great security. Roll up garage doors have a slight advantage with less external components that can be tampered with.

Rolling vs. Sectional Steel Doors

Unfortunately, there is no blanket answer here. Each business owner needs to make that decision based on their building, business, and financial situation. Hopefully, this article has given you the information and knowledge you need to make the appropriate decision on choosing the commercial garage door for your establishment.