Roller Doors vs Sectional Garage Doors
If you’re looking for a new garage door, choosing the right style is not always easy – especially when you don’t know the difference between your options. Most people will quickly narrow it down to roller doors and sectional doors (the two most popular choices), but which one is better?
A roller door is a continuous curtain of corrugated steel that rolls up into a drum. Made from steel or aluminium, roller doors are known for being durable and space savers. A sectional garage door on the other hand, is a hinged panel type door that tracks back along the ceiling of the garage. Used mostly in residential areas, sectional doors provide a variety of design options.
Both roller and sectional garage doors are sturdy, reliable and don’t take up too much external space, meaning you can park your car as close to the door as you want without worry. However, their main differences lie in their use and aesthetics – in order to decide which option is the best fit for you, it’s a good idea to consider which features you’re looking for.
Design
Aesthetics are an important factor to consider when choosing your garage door, especially for your home – a higher number of stylistic options allows greater coordination between your garage and house. In this regard, sectional doors are your best bet – highly customisable, they provide more choice when it comes to colour, patterns, texture and windows. However, if design isn’t your main priority, then roller doors are still a great option, available in a variety of colours. Typically, sectional garage doors are more common in residential areas and roller doors are well suited to urban and commercial settings.
Cost
Regardless of whether you’re interested in a roller door or a sectional door, you should be looking at value for money (i.e., if the quality matches the price) rather than the cheapest product you can find. Roller doors are usually the cheaper option initially, however the curtain design can cause complications for future repairs. Sectional doors, despite being more expensive outright, end up being fairly cost effective as the design of the door means cheaper repairs. At the end of the day, the choice comes down to if you’d rather spend less money short term (roller door) or if you’d like to spend less money long term (sectional door).
Space
While both roller and sectional doors don’t take up large amounts of space, their differences in mounting positions can impact a lot. Roller doors can either be mounted on the wall or ceiling, whereas sectional doors are mounted on the ceiling or roof. If your garage is fairly large, a sectional door will fit right in. However, if your garage is small, you’ll be more likely to save space with a roller door as wall mounting is ideal for smaller garages. Sectional doors can’t be installed in garages with low ceilings or small spaces as they take up more overhead space. A good tip: consider what’s on your ceiling before falling in love with a garage door – things like sprinklers, lighting, vents or shelves could get in the way of installation.
Security
Both garage door options are fairly secure, with the flat design and lack of leverage points making it harder for someone to break in. However, roller doors can be customised to have a double skin/layer, providing and extra layer of security. Additionally, roller doors have less parts exposed, resulting in reduced wear and tear. All quality doors are equipped with locking systems, but if security is a priority for you, there are available upgrades for both sectional and roller doors.
Still have questions?
If you’re looking to buy a new garage door but still can’t decide which option is right for you, get in touch with our friendly team at WA Roller Doors. Alternatively, you can browse our collection of Sectional Garage Doors and Roller Doors on our website.
