Single vs double garage doors and headroom basics

Choosing between a single and a double garage door comes down to width, how you use the space, and what your ceiling allows. This guide explains common sizes, how the two compare, and how headroom limits your options.

There is no single official standard, but the same sizes come up across manufacturers. Overhead Door lists single-car doors as most often 8 or 9 feet wide and double-car doors as usually 16 or 18 feet wide, with standard heights of 7 or 8 feet. Clopay lists single doors at 8 by 7 or 9 by 7 feet and says 9 feet wide is popular in newer homes. It lists 16 by 7 feet as the baseline for a double door.

Custom sizes exist. Clopay mentions heights of 10, 12 or 14 feet for RVs and oversized vehicles, and widths up to 20 feet by special order. Custom doors typically cost more and take longer to make and deliver. Garaga, a Canadian maker, notes that two garages of different sizes can have a door of the same size.

Treat these as examples. The door you can fit is set by your opening, not by a chart. See how to measure for a new garage door.

Clopay's comparison treats one wide door against a single door. It does not cover the case of two single doors side by side, and it does not discuss center posts or opener needs, so we do not make claims there. Costs depend on the product and options, and we do not quote figures.

A wide door is heavier than a narrow one and spans a longer distance, so it puts more demand on the springs, the track and the opener. The springs and hardware must be matched to the door's actual size and weight. That is a job for a technician, not a guess from a size chart.

Clopay says track gauge matters here. Its 2-inch track suits single- or double-car setups, and 3-inch track is preferred for heavier or oversized doors.

This is also why you should not swap a wide door onto old springs or old track. DASMA says replacement doors should not be fitted to old track, which must suit the door's section thickness, weight, headroom and opener location.

Headroom is the clear space above the opening, up to the ceiling or the first obstruction. It determines which track and spring system will fit. Published minimums vary by maker and track.

• Standard track with torsion springs. Garaga says 12 inches or more for standard lift with a 12-inch radius, and Clopay lists at least 12 inches. A 15-inch radius needs more.
• Extension springs. Garaga lists 8-1/2 inches for standard lift, and Clopay lists at least 10 inches. The two sources disagree, which is why the chosen door's maker decides.
• Electric opener. Garaga says to add 2 inches to standard-lift headroom when an electric opener is used.
• Low-headroom track. For tight spaces, low-headroom systems exist. Garaga says dual-track systems cover 4-3/4 to under 12 inches with torsion springs. Clopay lists front-mount systems needing about 9 inches and rear-mount about 4.5 inches, with more side room and backroom.
• Below the minimum. Garaga says under 4-3/4 inches is not workable without lowering the door's headboard.

Clopay also says the side room you have decides whether extension or torsion springs can be installed. Garaga recommends torsion springs for better operation and safety and recommends safety cables with extension springs. See torsion vs extension springs.

1. Measure your opening width and compare it with the common sizes above.
2. Look at the space above the opening. Note what is there: a ceiling, a beam, a light, a pipe or the opener.
3. Look at the sides of the opening. Is there room beside it for track, or is a wall or window close?
4. Note whether you want one wide door or two single doors, and what you park or store.
5. Photograph the opening, ceiling and sides for the installer.

Measure from the floor, or from a stable step ladder placed away from the door. Do not climb on the door, tracks or springs, and do not measure around a damaged door. Planning figures are not final. Follow the chosen door's manufacturer instructions, and let the installer confirm the final measurements.

• The existing door is crooked, off its track, stuck, or has a broken spring or cable.
• Headroom or side room is below the usual minimum for the track you want.
• You want to change from one wide door to two singles, or the reverse. This changes the opening, the framing and the hardware.
• You want a taller, wider or heavier door than the current one.

Changing the size of an opening is a building question as well as a door question, and a heavier door needs different springs. Our technicians handle new garage door installation. For what the day looks like, see what happens during a new garage door installation. If you are weighing replacement against repair, read repair or replace the whole garage door.

• New Garage Door Installation

• Clopay: What are standard garage door sizes
• Clopay: How to choose between single and double garage doors
• Overhead Door: How to measure for a garage door
• Garaga: Headroom required for a residential garage door
• Clopay: Garage door track options, headroom and specs
• Garaga: What are the standard garage door sizes