Up and Over Doors - Inbetween or Behind Installation?

When deciding to install any up and over garage door, you need to determine whether it will be fitted inbetween your structural opening or behind (inside) your opening. Your choice may be influenced by internal garage space, driveway clearance, and the door's operating gear. Remember that an up and over door will swing outwards during operation; retractable gear eventually retracts fully inside, while canopy gear leaves approximately one-third of the panel protruding outside.

INBETWEEN FITTING (Installation within the reveals)

Fitting the door inbetween your brickwork aperture means the overall width and height of the door and its sub-frame must be slightly smaller than your structural opening. This allows for a necessary fitting tolerance, which is usually 10mm all the way around.

• Advantages: This method provides more internal length in the garage. The door can even be fitted flush to the front of the piers, though it is standard practice to set the frame back by roughly 50mm.
• Disadvantages: Fitting inbetween reduces your final drive-through width and height. For many modern, wider vehicles, this reduction in a single-width garage can be a critical factor.

Sizing Example:

• Your Aperture: 2400mm wide x 2200mm high.
• Standard Door Solution: A standard 7’3” x 7’0” (2210mm x 2134mm) door ordered with a factor -fitted steel frame has an overall dimension of 2350mm x 2191mm. (assuming a 70mm steel sub frame model - check alternative brands for smaller frame sizes)
• The Result: This overall frame size fits easily within your 2400mm x 2200mm opening. You can use the adjustable bracketry provided with the steel frame to secure it, and simply pack out or clad the remaining small gaps. Always ensure the resulting drive-through dimensions are suitable for your vehicle!
  
  Made to Measure - Alternatively, order a purpose made up and over door from the many options we offer. Check the specific door brand sub frame sizes and deduct some fitting tolerances, so your ordering sizes would be approximately 2390mm wide and 2190mm high to give yourself 10mm tolerance (5mm on all sides)

BEHIND FITTING (Installation to the inside face)

Fitting the door behind your aperture means the internal door panel dimensions need to be slightly smaller than the brickwork opening, allowing the door to swing cleanly through the gap. The overall dimensions of the sub-frame will be larger than the opening, allowing you to fix it directly to the internal rear face of the brickwork.

• Advantages: This maximises your drive through sizes, giving you the widest and tallest possible clearance to drive in and out. It also offers great flexibility, allowing you to easily use standard-size doors for non-standard openings.
• Disadvantages: Fixing the frame to the inside face will shorten the available parking length inside your garage, depending on the depth of your brick piers.

Sizing Example:

• Your Aperture: 2400mm wide x 2200mm high.
• Standard Door Solution: A standard 7’6” x 7’0” (2286mm x 2134mm) canopy door with a standard steel frame has an overall frame size of 2426mm x 2191mm.
• The Result: The internal door panel (2286mm) is narrower than your 2400mm brickwork, so it swings through the aperture perfectly. The overall frame width (2426mm for a 70mm sub frame option) overlaps the back of the brick piers securely. Because the overall height is 2191mm, you simply install a small 9mm infill at the head to bridge the gap to your 2200mm lintel.
  
  Made to Measure - Alternatively, order a purpose made up and over door from the many options we offer. Check the specific door brand sub frame sizes and deduct some fitting tolerances, so your door internal frame opening sizes would be approximately 2380mm wide and 2180mm high to give yourself 10mm tolerance on all sides ensuring the door doesn't catch as it opens and closes. The sub frame sizes give the overall sizes and vary from manufacturers.
  The amount of tolerance you give depends how square your opening is and whether it has uneven surfaces such as in a rough stonework opening.

Sub Frames and Ordering Advice

GarageDoorsOnline supplies the UK's widest range of up and over garage doors in steel, composite GRP, and timber panels. We offer standard sizes as well as purpose made door dimensions to optimise your specific opening.

A sub-frame is an absolute necessity; your door simply will not function without one. We highly recommend ordering your door with a factory-fitted steel box section sub-frame, even if you are using timber to pack out the opening. A steel frame provides tighter tolerances, superior weather sealing, and enhanced security. Most steel frames are powder-coated to match your chosen door colour or to complement woodgrain finishes. 

Please remember that steel sub frame dimensions vary between manufacturers and also differ depending on whether you choose canopy or retractable gear. Always factor both the internal door opening size and the overall frame sizes into your calculations. Different brands offer different steel sub frame sizes, between 50mm and 75mm so check each brand for the optimum size for your requirements.
 

Additional Information

Further Information:

UP AND OVER OVERVIEW  |  UP AND OVER DOOR BRANDS |  MEASURING FOR UP AND OVER DOORS |  INSTALLATION POSITION
ORDERING SIZES |  STANDARD OR PURPOSE MADE |  OPERATING MECHANISM |  ELECTRIC OPERATION 
HORMAN UP AND OVER |  GARADOR UP AND OVER |  WOODRITE UP AND OVER |  CEDAR UP AND OVER

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