Garage doors - recommendations for designing and carrying out work yourself

Automatic garage doors will allow you to place the car much faster, and if there is a remote control, then the entire procedure can be carried out without leaving the car. The advantages relate to comfort and practicality; in this case, the advantages outweigh all the disadvantages in the form of difficulties in installation and relative high cost. The user can choose automatic gate options: sliding, roller, sectional, swing, lifting. Each variety has its own pros and cons. When choosing, pay attention to the conditions of use, the availability of space for the shutters to move in, their compactness, and ease of opening.

Advantages and disadvantages of automatic gates

Advantages of drive sashes:

automatic gates with remote control for garages with remote control (RC) make it possible not to get out of the car, which increases safety (an intruder will not be able to attack a person near the garage) and protection from rain, snow, and cold;
acceleration of parking, vehicle placement: no need to manually open the doors;
it is more difficult to break into a structure, since it can be blocked not only by a lock, but also by the electric drive itself;
the control is convenient, since there are several options at the same time: remote, local (from a panel near the blade), manual.

Minuses:

the design is more expensive than conventional mechanical solutions;
dependence of drives on electricity. However, the presence of both manual control and backup batteries eliminates this drawback;
Such gates jam more often and are more difficult to maintain, install, and repair. The device is more complex, there are more elements that can break.

Definitely, automatic garage door openings will make life much more comfortable, especially if the automation system is remote controlled. The equipment operates on command from a remote control, which usually looks like a key fob, opens the doors, and closes them after the car has driven in. The user may not leave the car or be at a distance.

The process of creating airbrushing on garage doors

To make an airbrush design on a garage door, use the following tools and materials:

thumbnail image;
airbrush;
paints of different shades.

Masters who have perfected their work techniques create such realistic drawings that at first glance it is difficult to believe that this is a picture.

When operating a simple airbrush, the paint is supplied under the pressure of compressed air, which reduces the pressure at the outlet, and the paint comes from the nozzle in an amount that is sufficient to apply a dense layer. Professional tools are equipped with a function for adjusting the paint supply. Simple units are suitable for creating simple designs. For monumental paintings, expensive equipment is purchased.

Creating a Sketch

A masterpiece begins with a sketch, so it is not advisable to lose sight of this stage. You can find an image on the Internet or design it yourself. It is easier for craftsmen to do independent work from scratch. An excellent basis for a simple design on a garage door would be photographs of animals, cars, landscapes, and futuristic motifs. This will allow you to convey the image with maximum accuracy.

In the process of creating a drawing, paints play an important role. They must be of high quality, in addition, they must be properly prepared for work. To do this, you need to mix the paints, strain through a mesh in order to sift out large particles and apply the material without streaks, in an even layer.

The surface of the gate is prepared as follows:

clean the old paint layer, remove rust and dirt;
rub the surface with sandpaper and degrease;
left to dry;
cover with a primer to extend the life of the image.

Instead of sandpaper, use an abrasive paste, which, after application, is rubbed over the surface of the gate.

Drawing an outline and detailing the drawing

Instructions for creating an airbrush image:

outlines of figures are applied to the surface and details are drawn;
to simplify the task, you can use stencils and templates that are cut out of ordinary thick paper;
to convey 3D images, the pro uses a combined technique of applying paints in dark and light shades;
in order to highlight and highlight the foreground, select light shades.

The perfection of small details in order to convey a realistic drawing depends on the quality of the tool, materials and the abilities of the craftsman. After completion of the work, the image is coated with varnish, which will help give additional volume and shine, and protect from the negative effects of rain, snow, and sunlight.

Construction and operation of electric shutters for garages

The general principle of operation for all types of canvas and opening methods is as follows. The control unit, after a command from the remote control panel (control panel), activates the servo drive (motor), which moves the shutters. It is according to the variants of the latter and the methods of their movement that gates are divided into types and have differences in design. The doors can swing open, move along a system of slats (entering the garage under the ceiling), and roll up like roller shutters.

The concept of choosing the right garage door

Before purchasing and in the process of selecting elements for arranging a garage, it is important to take into account certain factors, such as the size of the gate:

Material for manufacturing the canvas and supporting frame;
Presence of factory insulation of the door structure;
Availability of electric or mechanical drive;
Principle of manual or remote control;
Level of space saving inside and in front of the garage;
Cost of the finished product or materials for manufacturing;
The complexity of the design and the possibility of self-installation;
Availability of locks and security mechanisms or elements;
Durability and durability of the product.

To ensure complete tightness and reduce the level of heat loss, building owners carry out independent insulation of garage doors.

Types of drives

Options for units that ensure movement of the webs:

worm. The motor with a pulley and gear is located close to the blade. The latter fits into a worm rack fixed along the length of the sash. This type is typical for sliding structures. Advantage: quiet operation, increased reliability;
chain. The gear system is driven by a chain. A noisier option, but can be installed at a distance. Typically, they are always equipped with roller shutter and sectional kits - this design is most suitable for their technical features.

A separate mechanical unit may be provided for manual control. Swing gates have more types of drives: elbow, linear (hydro- or electromechanical), underground.

Types of automatic gates

A factor in dividing gates into types is the way their leaf moves.

Door movement	Types
Lifting in a vertical plane with transformation	roller shutters (roll); sectional.
Lifting without changing shapes and sizes	Lifting.
Horizontal offset	Rolling, they are also retractable.
The doors open as usual	Swing, also known as rotary or wicket doors.
The segments are wide and folding, adjacent to each other with their entire surface	An accordion.

Requirements, what to pay attention to

When choosing, analyze the following points:

protection against burglary and intrusion;
heat and sound insulation;
There should be automatic blocking of servos in case of traumatic situations or unauthorized intervention in the operation of the system.

The weak point of the structure is the segments at the threshold strip, near the perimeter of the frame. The indicated places and the contact line must be checked and cleared of snow and ice to avoid freezing. Dirt in this place, between the segments of the sashes, on the slats, parts for the mobility of the canvas, can disrupt the fit and normal operation. In this regard, the most vulnerable are sectional and rolling structures. Less vulnerable cantilever (sliding) systems (the bottom remains above the threshold with a gap of 1–2 mm) and those with fewer moving segments are solid canvases.

Sliding, sliding

Sliding sheets are positioned as the most reliable and resistant. A solid sash (one, less often two) simply slides off along the rail. There are no joints like segment models, which increases reliability. The possibility of using heavy thick sheets (up to several tons) is ensured, noise and heat insulation, and resistance to burglary are increased.

Composition and operation of the system:

The most commonly used type is a ground-type rack and pinion mechanism. At the top, the panel is also fixed in a metal guide. It is extremely rare that the main rail is located on top.
A worm strip with teeth is attached to the sash (along its length). An electric drive pulley with a gear or a chain connected to it moves the mechanism.

Due to the specifics of the design, a fairly large gap always forms at the bottom, which is sealed (rubber, corrugation).

Advantages:

simplicity of the system itself and its installation. There is no complicated scheme with slats or levers. A solid blade with rollers at the bottom moves along a metal frame with grooves;
high resistance to burglary, since it is impossible to lift the blade with a crowbar. Usually a thick metal panel is used, it is extremely difficult to damage it. There are no sections that make the structure more vulnerable. Additional power crossbars prevent unauthorized movement;
fewer complex elements, which simplifies repair, replacement, maintenance, in this case this circumstance only increases the comfort and efficiency of the equipment;
the ability to install heavy, thick, and therefore reliable, insulated fabric.

The sliding design is not just more resistant to burglary - its features enhance this quality, since part of the gate goes into the garage support posts and if they are made of rolled steel, they can withstand any blow, ram, pulling out with a cable, even with the help of a tractor, etc.

Theft is often carried out by squeezing the moving part of the doors to allow a person to get inside through the gap, then different methods become possible: knocking out from the inside, squeezing out with a jack. In this case, such actions are almost completely excluded.

Two types of drives are used - rack and chain. The latter is noisier. To improve fixation and increase service life, the top of the panel is suspended on additional crossbars.

Flaws

Disadvantages of sliding products:

a place is required on the side of the garage where the panel can “slide in.” This disadvantage is reduced if the canvas is divided into two parts. Sliding-roller modifications (the panel rolls up into a side casing) do not have this disadvantage;
large mass, need for a powerful electric drive;
The gutter is particularly sensitive to contamination, since rollers move in it.

Separately, it is necessary to say about speed. The simplicity of the design theoretically makes this option better: the panel simply moves along the guides - there are no delays associated with folding it and so on. But this only applies to light canvases, and if the sashes are heavy, which increases inertia, then the speed is not higher than that of other types of such equipment.

The long structure is not hidden, twisted or folded (except for the roller shutter modification), but moves sideways in one form, so such products require sufficient façade width or free space around the perimeter of the object.

Features of work

The sliding panel is equipped with a unit with a sensor and relay that control the position and load on the motor: when a foreign object (car, person) appears in the way of the locking frame, the automation will stop the drive. Most kits have options for programming speed and opening size. It is easier to embed a gate into a solid sheet, but such an element reduces the level of security.

Material, fabric modifications

The doors are usually made from sandwich wall panels, aluminum and steel profiles. There is also a modification from typesetting such segments. The design resembles a roller shutter, but the blade moves horizontally. This is a flexible system of lamellas that rolls up, or more often folds into a roll, and fits into a protective side casing or simply remains folded.

Roller shutter systems

Rolling gate elements:

frame;
steel cover (placed on top of the opening);
the winding drum is usually chain driven by an electric motor;
fabric made of narrow lamellas on hinges.

A characteristic feature of rolling gates is the presence of a casing for roll-up slats outside or inside the room in the upper part of the opening.

The principle of roller shutters is similar to that of protective blinds on windows. There are two varieties:

warm. The width of the lamellas is 55–77 mm. The outer part is made of thin sheets of metal, between them there is heat-insulating foam or extruded PPS;
durable. The slats are entirely made of steel profile. There is no insulation, but strength increases.

Design types of frames with guides:

invoice. Located outside above the entrance. Cheaper, but less burglar-resistant;
built-in. The system is installed if anti-burglary is a priority. All elements are located indoors, the frame is firmly attached with bolts and similar methods.

But if it is necessary to provide greater burglary resistance and insulation at the same time, then a compromise solution is chosen - sectional doors, in which the panel consists not of narrow slats, but of wider sections. This product is more reliable, with improved thermal insulation.

Roll structures

Lightweight and durable, reliable and quite mobile, roller gates are perfect for arranging attached garages.

To control their opening and closing, either an electric or mechanical drive is used, which determines the simplicity and maximum ease of operation of the modern design.

Sectional

Sectional automatic garage doors with remote control are more popular than roller doors; their design is “tailored” specifically for this type of premises. But the installation is a little more complicated - you will need to assemble and install a system of rails and ceiling guides. The electric drive lifts the sections, which do not fold or roll onto a drum, but, slightly bending, drive (“tighten”) along slats and guides into the under-ceiling space of the garage, where they are fixed on a horizontal frame.

Advantage:

minimal load on the walls. The segments are fixed in guides in the frame, there are no hinges, so the windage of such a product does not threaten, and it is also extremely difficult to knock out the panel;
interchangeability of parts. All items are freely sold on the market. There are usually no problems combining parts from different manufacturers;
Maintainability is high.

Flaws:

after all, the vulnerability is less compared to solid canvases of swing and lifting options;
complexity of installation. There are many elements and slats that need to be fixed around the perimeter of the entrance in the lintel and on the segments themselves;
space in the ceiling will be required.

Sectional varieties are the most popular for automation and remote control. The scheme provides for mandatory duplication of torsion spring mechanisms for manual operation. The same is true for lift-and-turn options.

Lift-and-swivel

Lift gates with a swing principle have one segment. The drive lifts such a solid panel on a movable rigid frame, but not strictly vertically, but in the process, unfolding it into a horizontal position (in this case, the edge extends slightly). Then the canvas is pushed into the ceiling, where it is fixed to the frame. The lifting system has the highest speed of all types.

If there is no free space under the ceiling or it is occupied, it is difficult to install sectional and lift-and-turn products, however, this rarely happens. The pros and cons of these types are generally the same. The latter are more resistant to break-ins due to their integrity, but before driving the car it is necessary to maintain some distance, since the edge protrudes slightly when lifting.

In this case, the increased advantages of the design are spatial rigidity, geometric stability, the absence of articulated joints of the segments, and, accordingly, reliability and burglary resistance are higher.

Making a gate in a sectional design is extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, due to moving segments, cables, and guides, but it is easier to install it in a lifting gate.

Tips to help you choose a gate

It is important to make sure that the polymer coating of the gate is reliable. It is worth clarifying what type of galvanizing is used in this model. This can directly affect corrosion resistance.

If the design uses polyurethane filler, check its quality. It is important to ensure that it is not flammable. Or it won't crumble when pressure is applied to it.

Good products have a warranty of up to 10 years. But the cheapest models can fail much earlier.

To ensure the best thermal insulation, you need to choose a gate with strong insulation that will fill the joints between sections.

To avoid pinching your fingers, you need to look for products with a smooth movement.

A device that blocks the possible fall of the gate will not be superfluous. This is relevant because Sometimes the torsion spring may break.

A significant factor that you should pay attention to is burglary resistance. More precisely, their durability is as long as possible, during which representatives of a security company or police can arrive.

Please note the warranty terms. High-quality products can last a long time - at least 5 years. But to do this, they must be looked after, locks must be serviced in a timely manner, etc.

Swing

The most unreliable type of entrance design for garages is swing doors. These are gates in their classical sense, wicket type, when they open like ordinary doors - turning on hinges.

Design disadvantages:

a certain space is required in front or behind (depending on which direction they open inward or outward). For example, if the canvas moves indoors, then it is necessary to place the machine so that the structure does not touch it and there are no obstacles to its movement when closing;
unreliability - easy to move apart, hinges can be cut off;
windage is maximum. The area is large, so the wind load may cause spontaneous swinging, damage to the drive, elements for locking and blocking.

Advantages:

ease of installation, especially if such a gate is already in place: just buy a drive kit with levers and install it on the support and door leaf;
low price.

Swing options are more often used for large industrial garages or local areas.

Types of drives for swing structures

There are several types of drives for swing doors:

underground. The mechanism that provides movement is buried underground, only the lever protrudes towards the sash. During installation, the pit must be concreted;
linear. It looks like a long narrow cylinder, one part is attached to the support, the second to the canvas;
lever A box with a pusher, from which a system of curved levers on hinges goes to the sash.

DIY methods for insulating gates

To prevent the garage from freezing and keeping it cool in winter, the owners try to insulate the doors. This is done from the inside.

Provided the gates are properly insulated, heat loss is reduced by up to 60%.

Popular insulation materials:

extruded polystyrene foam;
mineral wool;
glass wool

It is not recommended to use budget foam or cotton wool options, as they quickly lose their technical properties.

Before insulation, a wooden sheathing is attached to the sashes, and sheets of expanded polystyrene or glass wool are evenly laid on top. It is important to ensure that the entire surface is filled with insulation, without gaps, otherwise the trapped air will increase heat loss.

The thermal insulation is sheathed on top with clapboard, plywood or other material. All gaps and joints are filled with polyurethane foam.

For the southern regions, an insulating layer thickness of 5 cm is sufficient; for the northern regions, the layer is increased to 15 cm.

After insulation, it is necessary to work with the finishing of the finished structure.

Harmonic

The accordion type of gate is used much less frequently. Such designs are rarely made automatic. Despite the interesting solution, the accordion has significant drawbacks: the segments are held on hinges without going into the frame made of slats, which makes the level of burglary resistance low. Also, the folded doors are quite wide and require space.

Minimum and maximum dimensions of the canvas

Any type of gate has restrictions in the form of a minimum and maximum door leaf size.

This point also needs to be taken into account when designing a garage.

The standard minimum size of sectional type is 2000×1800 mm, the maximum is 5000×3000 mm;
Lift-and-turn type - 2250×1920 mm and 5000×2125 mm, respectively;
Roller shutter - 2000×1500 mm and 6000×5000 mm.

Depending on the manufacturer, the size step in width is 20-50 cm, in height – 5-15 cm.

Bottom line: the best automatic garage doors with remote control

To summarize all of the above, the best automatic gates with remote opening are:

first place (best for average premises, especially those inseparable from the house): sectional;
lift-and-swivel;

in second position:

Sliding types could also be placed in first place: in terms of functionality and reliability, in many aspects they are better than those listed and are easier to install. But there is a drawback - they are not suitable for every object, since a place to move in is required. It should be noted that it is possible to make a two-leaf system and thereby reduce the need for space;

roller shutters are in second place, since due to the many moving slats, reliability is reduced. But their advantage is that they do not require space under the ceiling for the canvas to move in. This type is also chosen if there is no desire to install a complex system of guides in the lintel.

The worst in terms of functionality, vandal resistance and comfort are swing gates for garages due to inconvenience when opening (you will need space for the shutter), gaps between the segments, windage, and vulnerable hinges.

Roller blinds

Rolling gates are considered unreliable and difficult to install; owners rarely choose this type. They consist of individual aluminum plates; when opened, they rise to the ceiling and are folded into a special box. For normal functioning, favorable climatic conditions are required. As well as security or protection from vandals.

Below each description are corresponding photographs of the garage door.

All entrance structures can be automated and controlled using a remote control built into the key fob.

When choosing a suitable gate, it is necessary to take into account such characteristics as practicality, durability, burglary resistance, ease of use and aesthetic appearance.

If the garage is not heated, the optimal choice would be swing gates, which serve perfectly even at low temperatures.

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Car enthusiasts who have special knowledge and are versed in installation can themselves develop a project, make a drawing, purchase the necessary materials and completely create the structure. Although you will have to try hard, fulfilling all the technical features of the assembly, so that the result pleases with quality and high functionality.

Installation

Drives and a system of guides, racks and grooves are almost always sold in sets. Often it also includes a canvas (except for swing products), especially in cases with sectional and lift-and-slide options. The system is assembled on site like a kit, according to the instructions. If you already have a motor and a rail system, then the doors and panels can always be purchased in addition, and all elements can also be purchased separately.

Separately about swing gates. More often, only the drive for existing sashes is sold. There are different options and separate articles about the advantages of the types of this node, but in brief the characteristics are as follows:

linear (telescope, hydro, electromechanics) - cheap, most popular. Can be opened both inward and outward. Cons: opening only 90–110°, the stroke slows down only at the end of the movement. Advantage: the hydraulic drive can cope with a significant weight of the sash (3 tons), frost is not terrible;
lever (elbow). Pros: opening 120° or more, inward and outward. Cons: requires wide columns for installation, can withstand limited weight (up to 800 kg), noisy, more often fails due to frost and pollution;
underground. Pros: stealth, smoothness and silence, no protruding parts, supports maximum weight, provides 110°, and with additional equipment - 360°.

Peculiarities

You can make a one-piece sash for a lift-and-turn, sliding structure yourself using frame technology by placing polystyrene foam inside a metal profile, or using a sandwich panel, or any other material (metal sheets, wood).

The most difficult of all options for do-it-yourself installation are sectional and overhead gate systems, since in this case the design includes many slats and guides; you will need to calculate the transformation mechanism and the location of the fastening down to the millimeter. However, usually users without much experience can cope with the work, since the product comes with a detailed design.

The easiest to install are sliding and especially swing gates. In the first case, you just need to mount the rail with a groove and connect the drive. In the second, it is even simpler - attach the lever with one side to the support, the other to the sash, and connect the wires to the control unit, to the electrical network.