The most common single garage doors are 8 or 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall, and the most common double door is 16 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Eight feet tall is widely available, and wider, taller or odd sizes are special order. Measure the opening and the room around it before you choose.
What are the standard garage door sizes?
Manufacturers sell a small set of standard sizes, and they overlap. Clopay lists single doors from 8 to 10 feet wide and double doors from 12 to 18 feet wide. Amarr lists single widths of 8, 9 and 10 feet and double widths of 16, 18 and 20 feet, with heights of 7 or 8 feet. The numbers below are the ones that appear most often.
| Door | Typical width | Typical height | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 8 or 9 feet | 7 feet | The common one-car size; 10 feet wide is also sold |
| Double | 16 feet | 7 feet | The common two-car size |
| Taller | Same widths | 8 feet | Widely available; 9 to 10 feet is usually special order |
| Custom | Up to 20 feet wide | 10 to 14 feet tall | Special order for RVs, older homes and unusual openings |
Sizes vary by manufacturer. Source: Clopay and Amarr size guides listed below.
Is a one-car door always 8 or 9 feet wide?
Often, but not always. Ten feet wide is sold as a single, and older homes can have odd openings that no standard door fits. The size that matters is your rough opening, not the label on a similar house. If yours is out of square or an unusual width, a custom size is possible. Our approved range for a custom size or special order adds 20% to 40% and the lead time is 4 to 8 weeks.
Is one double door better than two singles?
It depends on the wall. A double door gives one wide opening and needs one opener. Two singles leave a column between them, which can hold the wall up in a narrow garage, and each door has its own opener, springs and cost to maintain. If a spring breaks on one single, the other car can still get out. If you have only one width available on the front, a double is usually what the wall allows. There is no single rule, so decide from your opening and your vehicles.
How do I measure for a new door?
Width
Measure the rough opening width, without the stop molding. Take it in more than one place and use the smallest figure.
Height
Measure from the floor to the top of the opening on both sides and the center, and use the shortest figure.
Side room
Clopay says to allow at least 3-3/4 inches on each side of the opening, and at least 4-1/2 inches above it for torsion springs.
Headroom
Measure from the top of the opening to the ceiling or joist. Clopay says to allow at least 10 inches for extension springs or 12 inches for torsion springs. Low-headroom kits exist for tight spaces.
Backroom
The depth of the garage behind the opening should be at least the door height plus 18 inches.
Does size change what the door costs?
Yes. Size is one of the main price drivers. Our typical price for a steel 9x7 single door is $1,100 to $2,200, and a non-insulated steel 16x7 is $1,400 to $2,400. Insulation, windows and color move the final number, and we confirm it after we see the opening. See new garage door cost in Southern California.
What a bigger door means for springs and the opener
A wider or taller door is heavier, so the springs are matched to its weight and size, and the opener has more to move. Clopay says a one-third horsepower opener is generally enough for a single-car door and heavier two-car doors may need one-third or one-half horsepower. In California a new residential opener needs a battery backup under Health and Safety Code section 19892; see when a new door needs a new opener.
Where we come in
Emil Garage Doors installs new garage doors in Southern California, and our city pages cover California, including Roseville, Novato and Arvin. Send us your opening width and height, or call (213) 340-4232, and we will confirm the size when we see the door.
Questions people ask
What is the standard size of a two-car garage door?
The most common double garage door is 16 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Some makers also sell 18-foot-wide doubles, and 8 feet tall is widely available.
What is the standard size of a one-car garage door?
Usually 8 or 9 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Ten feet wide is also sold as a single.
How much headroom does a garage door need?
Clopay says to allow at least 12 inches above the opening for torsion springs and at least 10 inches for extension springs. Low-headroom kits exist for tighter spaces.
Can I get a garage door in a non-standard size?
Yes. Custom sizes are made for odd openings, older homes and tall vehicles. They cost more and take longer to arrive.
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