Garage door 101
The terms you will hear from a tech or see on a quote, explained in plain language — springs, lift types, insulation, and panel materials.
Spring types
The spring is what actually lifts the door — the opener just controls it. Which type you have changes how it fails and how it gets fixed.
- Torsion springs
- Mounted on a metal bar directly above the door, wound tight to store energy. The standard on most doors installed in the last few decades. Always replaced in pairs, even if only one breaks.
- Extension springs
- Run along the horizontal tracks on either side of the door, stretching and contracting as it moves. Common on older installs. Should have a safety cable through the middle so a snapped spring cannot become a projectile.
- TorqueMaster (Wayne Dalton)
- A torsion spring enclosed inside a tube above the door, rather than exposed. Quieter and safer to be near when it fails, but it needs different tools and parts than a standard torsion setup — worth mentioning when you book.
Lift types
The lift type is set by how much headroom is above the opening. Get this wrong on an order and the door will not fit the garage.
- Standard lift
- 12 inches or more of headroom. What most residential garages have, and the default unless something rules it out.
- Low headroom
- Under 12 inches. Common on older lane garages in Vancouver and some Richmond builds. Uses a horizontal double-track setup instead of the standard curve.
- High lift
- The horizontal track is raised well above the door, giving full clearance underneath — useful for garages with a lift, hoist, or storage racks near the ceiling.
- Vertical lift
- The door travels straight up against the wall rather than curving overhead. Mostly commercial or very high-ceiling applications.
Door construction and insulation
Insulation is about layers, not just thickness. More layers means better R-value and a quieter, stiffer door — but it also means more weight, which changes the spring sizing.
- Single layer (non-insulated)
- Bare steel or wood, no thermal break. Fine for a detached garage used only for parking.
- Double layer (semi-insulated)
- Steel skin over a foam core. A reasonable middle ground for an attached garage that is not heated.
- Triple layer (fully insulated)
- Steel-foam-steel sandwich construction. The usual choice for a garage under living space, or one used as a workshop.
Panel materials and styles
Material affects maintenance as much as looks — worth weighing against our coastal climate before choosing.
- Steel
- The default. Low maintenance, wide style range, holds up well against Metro Vancouver rain when properly coated.
- Wood
- Custom-built, real character, but needs regular refinishing to survive the coast — not a low-maintenance choice here.
- Aluminium and full-view glass
- Contemporary look, does not rust, but dents more easily than steel and offers less insulation unless paired with insulated glass.
- Carriage house
- A traditional swing-door look on a standard roll-up mechanism — popular on character homes in New Westminster and Vancouver where style has to match the house.
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