Drive an SUV? Here is the Garage Door You Need

Basically, a single door is roughly 8 or 9 ft. wide and 7 or 8 ft wide tall. You can likely picture it in your mind. The double garage doors come in similar heights to the single doors, but the widths run between 14 ft tall and 18 ft wide. It may not be tall enough to fit a larger sports utility vehicle or SUV, however, even if you have a garage door that is on the taller end of the spectrum. It most certainly will not be tall enough to match the heights of an RV or recreational vehicle. An 8 ft tall door just won’t do for most RVs.

We will use this article to explain the available garage door options, and we will also discuss which option is best for different sizes of vehicles. Keeping this information in mind if you are building a new garage, either attached or detached or if you are planning on making an SUV or RV purchase in the near future will be important. It will be especially important if you are planning to keep your new vehicle in an already existing garage.

Sports Utility Vehicles

In recent years, SUVs have become a very popular vehicle, but they do wildly vary in both size and style. The height of the SUVs on the market today can be anywhere from 5.5 ft all the way up to 6.1 ft. Your vehicle should have enough clearance to get safely into the garage if your garage door is at least 7 feet tall. However, your 7 ft tall door may be cutting it a little too close if you have plans to add things to the roof of your SUV like bike racks or luggage racks. An 8 ft door will be a safer bet.

Most SUVs are longer and wider than the average family sedan, so after you have the door height figured out, the next consideration is the length of the vehicle. You will want to pay close attention to clearance, considering all angles: in front, behind, and to the sides of the vehicle. You might lose your valuable garage storage space if the vehicle is very wide. Also, you may have to remind your children not to be careful and not bang the vehicle doors into the walls when they exit the car inside the garage.

Recreational Vehicles

You will find that RVs range from 9‑10 ft on average when you begin shopping for your new vehicle, but don’t forget that some have an extra couple of feet of height due to the air conditioning units sticking out from the roof. Solar panels or satellite dishes may also affect the overall height of the vehicle. Most RVs will stay below 13.5 ft mark, even with the extras, because that keeps the below the general highway height restrictions. You will still need to be cautious of things like restaurant drive‑thrus and old covered bridges, however, even if your RV meets the standard highway height restrictions.

Due to the extra height on the RVs, most garages are detached and in the backyard. The doors of the RV garage run 10 ft to 12 ft wide and they need to be at least 12 ft tall.

Height will not generally be the issue if your RV is the type “fifth wheel” type that is pulled by a truck, barring excessive roof add‑ons. However, the length of the trailers can run anywhere from 22 ft long to the quite considerable length of 40 ft and is where some garages may run into issues as.

Measure Your Door

You should definitely measure the width and length of your current garage door before purchasing your new vehicle unless you plan to build your garage after your purchase. Measure the distance from the interior of one door jamb to the other first, that will give you the width. Next, measure the height or lintel from the top of the opening to the ground. It is a pretty simple process requiring only your measuring tape.

A critical dimension that is often forgotten is the headroom! Ducts or pipes can run along the ceiling of the garage in some buildings, and they drop below the clearance level of the garage door causing you to lose some of your valuable headroom. Make sure you measure the clearance to avoid a potentially devastating accident If your garage has something like this going on.

We are Here to Help!

Please do not hesitate to contact us before you build your garage or buy an SUV or RV if you have any questions at all. We are fully able to advise and explain your options while also considering your needs and respecting your budget because we know garage doors better than anyone else! We will gladly provide you with a quote by email if that is something that you prefer.

Please feel free to stop by and visit our showroom if you happen to be in the area, but if you aren’t, use our Design Centre! It is like a visit in the comfort of your own home. You are sure to find the garage door style that best suits you because we have plenty of inventory. Need inspiration? Take a look at our image gallery where inspiration lives.