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Before proceeding with the construction of the garage door frame, please note that the garage door is placed once for the entire period of life and their design can both improve and ruin the appearance of your garage. Decide immediately on the material, appearance, and design of the garage door. They should complement the look of the overall design of your home.
Choose the size of the garage door
Before considering the various options associated with the construction of the garage door frame, it is important to determine the size of the garage door itself. Due to the fact that SUVs are becoming more common, homeowners often began to choose 8-foot garage doors instead of the traditional 7-foot ones, which, therefore, affects the basic parameters of your garage door frame.
How to size frame a garage door
- Frame the rough opening to 3 inches larger than the width of the garage door you have selected. If you put a door ten feet wide, the initial width will be 10 feet and 3 inches.
- Frame the rough opening to 1.5 inches higher than the door you chose. If the door is eight feet high, frame an opening of 8 feet and 1.5 inches.
- To build a garage door frame, use 2×6 inch beams. Depending on the size of the garage doors chosen, the length of the bars will be from 6 to 9 feet. Use the mounting nails to attach the header and jambs.
- In order to prepare for a new installation, you must adhere to these guidelines and pay exceptional attention to the needs indicated in the picture below.
Construction of a garage door frame
- Measure the distance from the garage floor to the ceiling. Cut two 2×6 inches pieces of lumber, and attach to the face of the wall running from the edge of your garage door jambs to the ceiling of your garage. This lumber will be used to attach your garage door track and a portion of your assembly. Professionals call it the “goal post”.
- Measure the distance between the beams that you just installed (point 1). And cut the beam 2×6 inches long that you just measured. Fasten the beam between the gates.
- Measure the distance from the beam (installed in point 2) to the ceiling of the garage. Cut a piece of the length you just found from a 2×6 inch beam and attach it exactly in the center between the horizontal beam and the ceiling. This piece of wood will be used to connect the inner section of the spring assemblies of the garage doors.
This plan is not a guide to the construction of your garage, it shows the basic requirements for creating a garage door.
If only building a garage – take a door with a margin, both in height and in width. I recently bought a Ford Ranger, and every time I park in my garage, I’m afraid I’ll hook something 🙁