While commercial and residential overhead garage doors are basically built following the same specifications, and are both designed to protect the contents of the building / house from exterior elements, that is where the similarities end.
Although most people assume that a commercial garage door is built to higher standards, residential garage doors are just as strong and well-built as its commercial counterpart is. However, here are some differences between the two:
Size of Overhead Garage Door – a standard residential overhead garage door is typically seven feet in height, but there is also a variety of other sizes available to you. Commercial garage doors, on the other hand, are usually much taller to accommodate delivery trucks, and large equipment.
Cost of Overhead Garage Door – the cost of commercial garage doors is higher due to the size of the doors and the complexity of their features.
Material of Overhead Garage Door – residential garage doors are available in wide range of materials like composites, wood, aluminum, fiberglass, glass and steel. Commercial garage doors, however, are typically only made from galvanized steel or premium-grade aluminum as they work more efficiently and are capable of withstanding rigorous usage.
Cycles of Overhead Garage Doors – typically residential garage doors are only opened and closed several times a day – commercial garage doors on the other hand could be opened and closed dozens of times a day, and are accordingly built to withstand the multiple cycles.
Aesthetics of Overhead Garage Doors – while residential garage doors are built to compliment your house and come in a wide variety of appealing designs and styles, commercial garage doors are not always designed with looks in mind, instead focusing on protecting the interior of the building or room from the elements.
With designers stepping out of the box these days, there is more and more crossover between the use of residential and commercial garage doors. While they are in many ways similar, both serve different purposes and this should be considered when making the final decision.
