They are the oldest style of garage door because they open up like a big garden gate. They are not as popular as they used to be, but honestly this style is a great choice when they are used properly.
They are very simple, two doors that fit into the garage opening. One door is hinged to the left, the other to the right. In the center is a lock to secure the two doors closed. To gain access to the garage, just unlock the center lock and swing open one of the doors. When you need to drive the car out of the garage, then you can swing both doors open. Super simple and very effective.
The best thing about side hinged garage doors is when you need access to the garage but do not want to swing open both doors to go inside, you can just open one of the doors and have access to the garage without the whole door being open. When using other styles of doors like up and over, or roller doors, when you need to drive out of the garage and access the garage at the same time, they do not allow for access without the whole door being opened like side hinged doors do. So for everyday access to the garage, side hinged doors are the best choice.
Older houses with period features match our timber and GRP side-hinged doors better than modern rollers and sectional doors. We’ve installed side-hinged doors on a number of Victorian and cozy cottages where the owners desired period appropriate garage doors.
There is one important consideration with side-hinged garage doors. It is necessary to have enough space on the driveway for the doors to swing open completely. Side-hinged garage doors are not ideal for tight driveways and central parked garage cars. It is important to check for obstructions such as hedges and walls that would impede access.
Side-hinged garage doors are available in steel, GRP (glass reinforced plastic) and timber with a number of finishes available. Timber GRP and steel are both more weather resistant than timber and need less frequent maintenance, steel may even rust without maintenance, however timber is the better option aesthetically and requires maintenance every few years with some painting or staining in order to seal the weather out. Grade is the least aesthetically pleasing option. It is rot and rust resilient, and requires the least maintenance of the three, however, it does not look as nice as timber.
If you get a highly quality lock, your security can be decent. For the doors, bolts top and bottom on the closing door (the one that shuts first) and a proper lock where they meet in the middle are needed. We fit multi-point locking systems on most of ours now as they are the most secure option as opposed to the old style locks. You can also add a security bar that goes across the inside if you want extra protection.
Automating them is possible, but not very common. It can be done, but it is way more complicated than automating a door than moves in one piece. Most people open the doors manually. They are not heavy and it only takes a few seconds to open doors.
Price range for side-hinged doors are mid. A pair of steel doors starts at about £600, and goes up to £1,500+ for timber ones that come with all the hardware. We keep installation simple, we hang the doors, fit the frame if needed, and do the locking system. We usually are done within half a day.
The maintenance is up to you and depends on the material. For timber, regular treatment is needed. Steel requires checking for rust spots and touching up if the paint chips. GRP just needs washing down now and then. To keep hinges and locks working smoothly, oil them on occasion.
One positive and negative thing worth mentioning is that side-hinged doors can catch the wind. If you’re in an exposed spot, the wind can blow the doors around when they’re open. It’s not the end of the world but something to be aware of. To help, you can get door stays to hold them open.
We usually install Garador and Hormann side-hinged doors. Both have a great selection in various materials and sizes. They have good quality and warranty.
In the right situation, side-hinged doors are great. They give you easy access to the garage, and they suit an older property a lot better than newer garage doors. If you think side-hinged doors will work best for your garage, give us a call, and we can measure the space and work on options together. There’s no hard selling, just honest consultation.