If you’re constructing or renovating a two-car garage, you have an important decision to make: do you install two single garage doors or one double garage door? This can be a tough call to make. However, most homeowners opt for a double garage door and end up being happy with the choice. In today’s blog, we outline the advantages to having a double garage door.

Double Garage Doors Give You More Space

The main reason homeowners choose double garages is that they offer more flexibility in how the garage is used. It’s increasingly common for people to drive SUVs, trucks, and other large vehicles. It can be challenging to squeeze these cars into a single car garage. With a double garage, you have the option of parking your vehicle in the middle of your double garage, providing you with lots of space to manoeuvre on either side. This means you’ll have more space for loading, cleaning, doing repairs, and walking around your vehicle. And if you have a new driver in the family, you don’t have to worry about them smacking the mirrors when pulling into the garage.

In addition, you’ll be able to park two vehicles in the garage side by side. Plus, you have freedom when it comes to positioning them. For example, if you have one larger car and one smaller car, you can always park the large car so that it encroaches past the midway point of the garage. This is a more complicated operation with two single garage doors because of the barrier between them (which is typically at least two or three feet wide).

Double Garage Doors Save You Money

Two single garage doors means not only two doors but also two garage door opener systems — that is, two openers, two sets of tracks, two sets of photo eye sensors, and so on.

You also need to factor in the cost of maintenance and repairs. It costs more to have two garage door systems maintained (and professional maintenance is essential to extending the lifespan of a garage door). Additionally, with two garage door opener systems, there’s a greater chance of a breakdown occurring.

Double Garage Doors Can Brighten Your Garage

Increasingly, homeowners are converting their garages into extra rooms, whether it’s a home gym, office, guest bedroom — you name it. Very often, they choose glass garage doors for their garage conversion as these afford maximum natural lighting. If you plan to go this route, a double glass garage door is preferable to two single ones, as it allows more sunlight to enter the garage.

If glass garage doors aren’t your style, or aren’t appropriate for your region, you can opt for a wood, steel, fibreglass or vinyl garage door with a row of windows. This brightens the interior of your garage while allowing you to benefit from the increased insulation of these other garage door materials.

If you’re thinking about converting your garage into a living space, be sure to read our blog in which we discuss 8 creative garage conversions that will make you feel more at home!

Double Garage Door vs Two Single Garage Doors

Of course, having two single garage doors has its advantages, too.

Many people who choose two single garage doors do so for esthetic reasons. While a double garage door can be stylish, some people, however, find that it takes up too much of a home’s visual real estate. Two single garage doors tend to be less visually prominent, especially when they’re separated by elements such as planters and lights.

That said, there are many ways to enhance the look of a double garage door and make it complement your home. Most modern garage doors can be extensively customized and offer a variety of options for colours, finishes, panel designs, windows, and decorative hardware.

In addition, having two separate garage door systems can act as a safeguard in the event of a malfunction. If a double garage door suddenly breaks down and won’t open, this could leave you in a pickle. If you need to get your car out of your garage, you’ll need to open the door manually or else remedy the problem. However, if you have two single garage doors, depending on the layout of your garage, you may be able to get your car out of the opposite garage door when one of the garage doors isn’t working (and avoid being late for that meeting or appointment!).

Choose from Elegant Double Garage Doors in Western Canada

Whether you’re shopping for two single garage doors, a double garage door, or want to discuss the decision with a pro first, count on the team at Creative Door Services™. We offer a vast selection of quality garage doors from Wayne Dalton, Martin Door, and Richards-Wilcox and have service locations in Edmonton, Alberta; Fort McMurray, Alberta; Calgary, Alberta; Vancouver, British Columbia; Kelowna, British Columbia; Saskatoon, Saskatchewan; Regina, Saskatchewan; and Winnipeg, Manitoba.