Roller doors vs sectional doors, what is best?

There are a few options when it comes to doors for your shed and you may be wondering what is the best option for you. Roller doors and sectional doors are the most popular garage door styles in NZ. While both options have their benefits, it pays to do some research to determine what will be the best option for your specific shed.

In this blog, we compare the different options to highlight their differences to help you make an informed decision on the best option for your project.

Sectional doors

Sectional doors are typically found in a residential setting, they range from 2.2-4.0m in height and 2.4m-5.1m in width. These can be more aesthetically pleasing to the eye particularly because of the different cladding profiles available to suit your property.

Sectional doors are typically more expensive than roller doors and the cost increases significantly when the opening is over 4.0m high. Customised cladding on these doors will also increase their cost dramatically. Sectional doors are not often used in sheds because of their cost, however, if you want customised cladding such as timber on your shed doors to match existing doors on your house, sectional doors will be your best option.

While a roller door rolls up into a drum above the door, sectional doors require tracks that protrude back into the shed. This can make it difficult to maneuver taller gear or vehicles around inside the shed as they can be easily damaged. You can however get tracks that follow the roof line so the door doesn’t impede on your internal clearance as much.

Series 1 roller doors

Series 1 roller doors are considered the domestic light gauge roller door made out of 0.40 gauge metal rolled into the profile of the door. These are typically equipped with a spring-loaded axel which eliminates the need for a chain or a motor. These doors have a maximum width and height of 3.0m x 3.0m.

The series 1 door is manually operated and is most common in lifestyle sheds where minimal height or clearance is required and are ideal if you are storing smaller vehicles.

While Series 1 doors are a very cost-effective option, they don’t perform particularly well in high wind and can be blown in. If your site is exposed or experiences strong winds, an upgrade to Series 2 or even roller shutter doors would be highly recommended.

Series 2 roller doors

Series 2 doors are light industrial-grade doors also made up of a heavier 0.55 gauge metal rolled into the profile of the door. These are most common and generally start from around 3.2m wide x 3.2m high and can go up to about 4.0m wide x 5.0m high.

These are the most common for lifestyle sheds and farm buildings. They are considered heavy-duty and are chain driven (although they can be motorised if required). They also have larger and heavier tracks than the Series 1 doors which mean they perform a lot better in windy conditions and are more secure. Many clients find these doors ideal as they can fit in legal road height vehicles without having to go to a full commercial grade industrial door.

Roller shutter doors

Roller shutter doors are made from 0.7 to 1.0mm galvanised steel and have interlocking slats. These doors can be over 8.0m wide and up to 6.0m high allowing the ability to storage much larger vehicles. They are heavy-duty commercial-grade doors and due to the strength of their construction, they are very secure and perform exceptionally well in high wind. These doors are also chain-driven; however, most clients like to fit motors to them because of their size and weight.

As you can see, there are several door options available, what you choose will depend entirely on what you are using your shed for, how much clearance you need, and where you are located.

In most situations, a Series 2 door is more than sufficient however if you require extra clearance or are situated in an area with high to extreme wind loadings, a roller shutter door would be recommended.

The team at Alpine Buildings has supplied sheds to every corner of the country over the last 28 years and we have a good knowledge of what doors will be best suited for your project.

Want to talk through what might be best for your site? Contact the team below.