Door types and construction
What is a retractable garage door?
A retractable garage door is a UK up-and-over design with springs mounted on both sides of the frame, so the door slides fully back into the garage on open rather than projecting forward. Retractable gear handles openings up to around 5m wide, is compulsory on double doors, and is the easier type to automate.
Why retractable gear suits wider doors
Because the springs run down both sides of the frame instead of across the top, a retractable-gear door travels straight back and up without any part of the leaf swinging forward over the driveway. That balanced action is what lets it span much wider openings safely, which is why every UK double garage door uses retractable rather than canopy gear.
Automation and retrofitting
Retractable gear puts a more predictable, evenly balanced load on an operator, which is why installers generally recommend it as the starting point for automating an up-and-over door. A manual-to-electric retrofit on a single retractable door typically costs £400–£650.
Questions people ask
- Is a retractable garage door better than a canopy door?
- Neither is strictly better — retractable gear is needed for wider openings and doubles and is easier to automate, while canopy gear is simpler and cheaper on narrower single garages where automation is not a priority.
- Why do all double garage doors use retractable gear?
- A canopy mechanism cannot safely support the width and weight of a double-width up-and-over leaf, so retractable gear, with springs balanced on both sides, is used on every double door as standard.
- How much does a retractable up-and-over door cost in the UK?
- A manual steel up-and-over on retractable gear typically starts around £995 installed, with a realistic range of £850–£1,900, rising to £1,500–£2,500 for an electric version with an operator fitted.
UK standards and regulations referenced
- BS EN 13241
Related
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