Brands
Cardale garage doors
Cardale was a UK garage door manufacturer whose up-and-over doors were common in British garages from the 1970s to the 2000s. Cardale is now a legacy brand: many original spring drum gear parts are obsolete, and UK installers commonly recommend converting an existing Cardale door to modern canopy or retractable gear rather than sourcing discontinued parts.
Cardale is a trade mark of its respective owner, used here for identification and comparison only. This is an independent, editorial guide — we are not an authorised Cardale dealer, distributor or installer.
Parts availability: Cardale is a legacy brand and original spares for its gear are limited. UK installers commonly recommend converting an existing Cardale door to modern canopy or retractable gear rather than sourcing discontinued parts.
Cardale was a well-known UK maker of steel up-and-over doors, widely fitted across Britain from the 1970s through the 2000s. Cardale no longer trades in the same form, and its old spring drum gear is now mostly obsolete. As a result, owners of an older Cardale door usually choose between rare reclaimed parts or a switch to modern gear.
This is an independent, editorial page. We are not a Cardale dealer, and we do not supply Cardale-branded parts.
Ranges
Steel up-and-over (legacy)
Cardale’s core steel up-and-over door leaf, fitted originally with Cardale’s own spring drum gear — the leaf is often still serviceable even where the original gear is not.
Why Cardale parts are hard to find
Cardale doors fitted between the 1970s and 2000s used the maker’s own spring drum gear. This design is specific to Cardale. It won’t interchange with modern canopy or retractable gear from other brands. As Cardale wound down as an active maker, drum, cable and spring parts for this gear became increasingly scarce. Because of this, many UK installers no longer stock them as standard.
What actually breaks on an old Cardale door
The most common faults on a legacy Cardale door are worn or snapped lifting cables. A failed drum spring is also common. General wear also builds up in the gear’s pivot points after decades of use. However, the steel door leaf itself is often still sound even when the gear has failed. This is why a gear conversion, rather than a full door replacement, is usually the more cost-effective route.
Converting to modern canopy gear
UK installers usually fix an ageing Cardale door with failed spring drum gear by converting it to modern canopy gear. This keeps the existing door leaf where its condition allows. It replaces the obsolete drum mechanism with current gear and springs instead. As a result, it avoids the cost of a full door and frame replacement while restoring safe, reliable operation.
Never attempt to dismantle or adjust spring drum gear yourself. Wound springs store significant energy and have caused serious injury when released without control. An engineer with the correct winding equipment should always do this work instead.
Questions people ask
- Are Cardale garage doors still made?
- No, Cardale is a legacy UK brand and is not an active manufacturer supplying new doors in the way it once did. Existing Cardale doors remain common across UK garages fitted from the 1970s to the 2000s, but new parts availability is limited.
- Can I still get spares for a Cardale garage door?
- Original Cardale spring drum gear parts are largely obsolete, and stock is scarce. Most UK installers now recommend converting the existing door leaf to modern canopy or retractable gear rather than searching for discontinued Cardale-specific components.
- Is it worth replacing an old Cardale door instead of repairing it?
- Not necessarily. If the steel door leaf itself is in good condition, converting it to modern gear is typically cheaper than a full replacement. A full new door becomes the better option mainly where the leaf itself is rusted, dented or structurally compromised.
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