One Garage Door or Two?

When you’re building a new garage, one of the first things you’ll need to decide is simple:

 Do you want one big garage door or two smaller ones?

We get this question all the time, and the answer isn’t always as obvious as you might think.

If you’re building a two-car garage, both options can work. The better choice really comes down to what you’re parking, how you’re using the garage, and what you want the front of the garage to look like.

Let’s look at both.

What are you putting in the garage?

Two cars? A couple of SUVs? A full-size pickup? Hobby cars? Maybe something even bigger?

If you’re working with standard-sized vehicles, two separate doors or one large door can both make sense. But once you start talking about larger vehicles, door dimensions become more important.

A larger vehicle may benefit from the wider opening that a single overhead door provides. You don’t want to design the garage, finish the construction and then realize you’re squeezing your truck through the opening every time you pull in.

That’s why we like to talk about vehicles before we talk about the doors.

Two Doors Give You Some Extra Flexibility

With two doors, you have two separate garage bays. That can make organizing the garage easier.

You can also create different zones within the garage for various hobbies such as installing a golf simulator in the second bay or a workshop space with cabinets and additional storage.

And if you only need to get one vehicle out, you’re only opening one door, and while it’s a small thing, over the years, those little conveniences add up.

But One Large Door Has Its Advantages, Too

One large overhead door can make a lot of sense if you’re looking for maximum flexibility.

You can move larger items in and out more easily while having a wider opening for larger vehicles. And if you’re using the garage as more than just a place to park cars, that extra opening space can be helpful.

Having one large opening can make the entire space feel more accessible.

Don’t Forget About Appearance

The curb appeal of the garage is a big part of what people see when they pull up to your house. The overhead doors are going to be one of the most noticeable features on the structure, so appearance matters.

Two smaller doors can give a garage a more traditional look. They can also break up a large front elevation and make a larger garage feel more proportional.

One large door gives you a wider, cleaner opening and can create a more modern or streamlined appearance.

The important thing is to look at the whole garage, not just the garage doors.

The size of your vehicles, the driveway, the layout of the property, storage needs, ceiling height, roof design and the architecture of your home all play a role.

How does the garage look next to the house?

This is an important question to take into consideration, especially if what you are building is an attached garage.

We want the new structure to look like it belongs there—not like someone just dropped a garage next to the house. The siding, roofline, windows, trim and garage doors all need to work together.

Think About Your Storage, Too

Here’s where we tell homeowners to think beyond the cars, cars are no longer the only things going in garages these days.

You’ve got lawn equipment, bikes, tools, sports equipment, holiday decorations, snow blowers, etc. That space can get crowded quickly!

The garage door configuration can affect how you use the rest of the space.

As the builder, it is helpful to know what you plan to store, where you want it, and how you want to move around the garage. Design the garage around your needs!

What About a Larger Garage?

If you’re building something bigger than a standard two-car garage, the conversation changes again.

A three- or four-car garage doesn’t necessarily mean you need three or four doors.

You might want one large door for your truck or specialty vehicle and smaller doors for your everyday vehicles. Or an overhead door large enough to fit an RV in the structure.

Again, those separate bays could be utilized for more than just storing your vehicles.

Build the Garage Around Your Life

Your garage should be designed around your property and the way you live.

Because the best garage isn’t necessarily the biggest garage or the one with the most doors. It’s the one that works for you.

For a FREE consultation and estimate, contact Heartland Garage Builders at HeartlandGarageBuilders.com or 224-507-7684.