Garador Carlton (White) Up and Over garage door Steel Garador

Garador Carlton Steel Up and Over Garage Door in White

The Classic Vertical Ribbed Garage Door

The Carlton is the narrow vertical ribbed steel door most people picture when they think of a British up and over garage door. The ribs run from top to bottom at even spacing across the whole panel, and the outer face is rivet free, so it looks clean and tidy close up as well as from the road.

It's the natural like for like replacement on post war semis and the estates of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, where a vertical ribbed door was often fitted from new. In Traffic White (RAL 9016) it lines up with white uPVC windows, fascias and front doors without drawing attention to itself.

The door leaf is galvanised steel, polyester powder coated on both sides at Garador's factory in Yeovil, so there's no painting to do and only an occasional wash down to keep it looking fresh. The ribs also stiffen the panel along its full height and let rain run straight off the bottom edge. White doors are supplied unwrapped as standard.

* Looking for a lower price on a popular size? The Carlton White Special Offer covers the most common single sizes. This listing covers the full standard single range up to 10ft 0in wide, and the Carlton is also available in 19 colours and in double widths.

Sizes and Gear Options

6ft 0in (1829mm) and 6ft 3in (1905mm) high: 6ft 6in and 7ft 0in wide, canopy or retractable.

6ft 4in (1930mm) high: 6ft 6in, 6ft 10in, 7ft 0in, 7ft 1in, 7ft 3in, 7ft 5in, 7ft 6in and 8ft 0in wide, canopy or retractable.

6ft 6in (1981mm) and 7ft 0in (2134mm) high: 6ft 6in to 8ft 0in wide on canopy or retractable gear, plus 8ft 6in, 9ft 0in and 10ft 0in wide on retractable gear only.

7ft 6in (2286mm) high, retractable only: 7ft 0in, 7ft 1in, 7ft 5in, 7ft 6in, 8ft 0in, 8ft 6in and 9ft 0in wide.

Width conversions: 6ft 6in 1981mm, 6ft 10in 2083mm, 7ft 0in 2134mm, 7ft 1in 2159mm, 7ft 3in 2210mm, 7ft 5in 2261mm, 7ft 6in 2286mm, 8ft 0in 2438mm, 8ft 6in 2591mm, 9ft 0in 2743mm and 10ft 0in 3048mm.

The ribbed Carlton goes down to 6ft 0in and 6ft 3in high on 6ft 6in and 7ft 0in widths, which helps on older garages with a low header where a panelled design won't fit. Sizes are Garador nominal door sizes. How they relate to your opening depends on whether you're fitting to a timber frame or the steel sub frame, so please check the Measure tab before ordering.

Canopy or Retractable Gear

Canopy gear keeps things simple for manual use. A zinc coated torsion spring and cast alloy drums sit above the door, the panel runs in vertical tracks, and about a third of the door projects outside when open. Nothing runs back into the garage, so the ceiling stays clear for storage. An anti drop device is fitted to stop the door falling if a spring or cable fails. Drive through clearance is nominally 40mm less than the opening width and 130mm less than the opening height.

Retractable gear runs the whole door back inside the garage on horizontal tracks, supported by wall or ceiling brackets. The springs sit in covered cassettes for finger trap protection, and a parking position holds the door open securely. It's the gear we recommend if you want electric operation now or later. Drive through clearance is nominally 105mm less than the opening width and 110mm less than the opening height.

Retractable Plus gear gives extra width above the pivot point of the side rams. For most standard vehicles, this means more room at wing mirror height. It's available on 6ft 4in, 6ft 6in and 7ft 0in high retractable doors up to 7ft 6in wide.

Steel Sub Frame, Handles and Locking

The door can hang on an existing sound timber frame, but we'd recommend the factory fitted steel sub frame in white. The 75mm frame suits all single doors, and the 60mm narrow frame is available on canopy doors where every bit of width between brick piers counts. With the steel frame, the gear arrives fitted and set up on the frame, which saves time and gives a square, accurate fit on site.

Two point locking with a euro cylinder and solid locking rods comes as standard. For manual doors, four point security locking adds locking at all four corners of the panel. The standard handle is a black nylon set, or you can choose a diecast metal handle in white powder coat, chrome effect or brass effect.

Electric Operation

Retractable doors can be automated with a Garador GaraMatic 9 or GaraMatic 10 operator on a standard boom. Canopy doors use the GaraMatic 9 with a canopy bow arm, which takes some height from the drive through opening. If the garage has no other way in, an emergency release is worth adding so you can still get in during a power cut.

To order, select your required door ordering width and height from the drop-down sizes. These dimensions refer to the internal ordering reference sizes, so remember to allow for your fixing sub frame if fitting between the brickwork opening.

Factory Fitted Steel Fixing Frame

We always recommend choosing a factory-fitted steel sub frame. It gives you consistent, tight tolerances all the way round the door panel, saving considerable installation time and giving a cleaner, neater finish that will never rot or warp like a traditional timber sub frame.

Handle Options

All doors come with a durable black nylon handle as standard. If you want to match your home's exterior ironmongery, you can upgrade to a cast metal design handle finished in white, brass effect, or chrome effect.

Extra Security Locking (Manual Doors)

Standard manual doors come with secure two-point locking. You can upgrade this to a factory-fitted 4-point locking rod system, adding steel locking rods and latches into the top corners as well. When combined with a factory steel frame, the frame's steel slam strip and protective corner plates make it very difficult to lever the door leaves open.

De-Latch Security Locking (Electric Retractable Doors)

When an electric operator is fitted to a retractable door, the manual locking catches are typically disconnected and the motor carriage holds the door closed. The optional de-latch kit reconnects the bottom mechanical latches to the operator boom via a mechanical release cable. This secures the door leaves at the bottom corners as well as from the operator rail when closed, giving you three-point locking security.

* De-latch kits are suitable for retractable doors only; they cannot be fitted to canopy doors. Please phone or email our team to confirm compatibility with your chosen operator before adding this option.

Emergency External Release

An emergency external release kit is essential if your garage has no other pedestrian entrance or side door. It connects a physical cable to the back of the handle or a separate key cylinder, allowing you to disengage the electric operator from outside and open the door manually during a power cut.

Remote Control Electric Automation

For automated operation on retractable doors, we offer the Garamatic electric operator series. Supplied with two remote hand transmitters, it features smooth soft-start and soft-stop movement, automatic obstacle safety reversal, an internal manual emergency release cord, and integrated LED courtesy lighting.

Construction and finish

The Garador Carlton has a vertically ribbed galvanised steel panel with a factory-applied powder-coated finish in Traffic White, RAL 9016. The panel is supported by a rigid steel box-section chassis.

White RAL 9016 doors are supplied unwrapped as standard.

* Retractable doors do not have a back brace.

Canopy gear

Canopy gear uses vertical tracks and an overhead torsion spring to counterbalance the door. There are no horizontal tracks extending into the garage space. When fully open, approximately one-third of the door leaf projects outside the garage opening, forming a canopy.

Single canopy doors include:

• An anti-drop safety device to arrest the door in the event of a spring or cable failure
• A zinc-coated torsion spring and cast alloy cable drums
• Two-point mechanical locking
• A black handle for manual operation

The nominal drive-through clearance is:

• Width: opening width minus 40mm
• Height: opening height minus 130mm

Retractable gear

Retractable gear allows the door to travel fully back into the garage on horizontal overhead tracks. These tracks are supported by suspension brackets fixed to suitable wall or ceiling positions. Retractable gear is available as an option on single doors and comes as standard on double garage doors.

Single retractable doors include:

• Multiple-spring assemblies and pivot-arm covers to reduce the risk of finger trapping
• A secure open parking position to help prevent uncontrolled closing
• A black handle for manual operation
• Mechanical locking for securing the door when operated manually

Retractable gear is the ideal choice when fitting an electric operator, though you need to allow clear space inside the garage for the horizontal tracks.

The nominal drive-through clearance is:

• Width: opening width minus 105mm
• Single-door height: opening height minus 110mm
• Double-door height: opening height minus 140mm

* These are nominal gear clearance figures, not deductions to apply directly to the brickwork opening. Remember to allow for the fixing sub frame separately, and check your operator head clearance requirements if the door is being automated.

Optional Retractable Plus gear

Retractable Plus gear uses specially shaped lifting arms and bottom spring brackets to provide more usable drive-through width at wing-mirror height. It is well worth considering if your garage opening is narrow and clearances are tight.

Retractable Plus gear is available on the Carlton for door heights of 1931mm, 1981mm and 2136mm, and for widths up to 2439mm. Please check availability against your required door size before placing an order.

Optional de-latch security locking kit

When a retractable garage door is automated, the standard mechanical locking catches are disengaged and the electric boom holds the door closed. A compatible de-latch kit links the door's existing mechanical locking latches directly to the operator carriage, mechanically releasing them on opening and locking them into the frame on closing for an extra layer of physical security.

The de-latch security locking kit is an optional extra. Please email or call us to confirm compatibility with your door and operator model, get an up-to-date price, and have it added to your order.

Installation Instructions are provided with every door.

Installing a Garador Steel Up and Over Garage Door

Installing a Garador steel up and over garage door is a relatively simple job when the door is supplied with the matching factory-made steel box section sub frame. In most cases this combination gives you the quickest, neatest and most reliable way to get the door in and working properly.

Why Use the Steel Sub Frame

The steel box frame is manufactured square and already matched to the door panel and lifting gear, so you are not fighting with twists, shims or odd gaps like you often are with a site-built timber frame.

Many Garador up and over doors are delivered already hung in this frame, with the gear set up at the factory, which means you are lifting one complete unit into the opening instead of building it up piece by piece.

Because the frame and door are designed to work together, the clearances around the edges are tighter and more consistent, which helps with weather sealing, security and long‑term smooth running compared with most timber frames.

On canopy gear in particular, using the steel frame keeps the installation very straightforward – you are mainly concerned with getting the frame level and square, fixing it off and then doing a final check and adjustment.

Preparation and Measuring

Start by checking that the structural opening is suitable for a standard steel-framed Garador door: measure width and height, check everything is reasonably square, and make sure the brick or concrete reveals are sound enough to take fixings.

Decide whether you are fitting the frame behind the brickwork or between the reveals, as this affects what you see from the outside and how much tolerance you have for packing and sealing.

Confirm that you have the correct headroom for the chosen canopy or retractable gear and for any future electric operator, and refer to the current fitting instructions for the specific model if you are unsure.

Core Installation Steps (with Steel Frame)

Lift the door and frame assembly into the opening and support it so the head and both uprights are level, plumb and centred, then check the diagonals to make sure the frame is truly square.

Fix through the prepared holes or brackets in the steel frame using suitable frame fixings into the surrounding masonry, tightening them in stages and rechecking alignment as you go.

When the frame is firmly secured and the door moves freely without rubbing or binding, remove any transit brackets, screws or packing used to lock the gear for transport, following the manufacturer’s instructions.

Fit the external handle set and locking bars, then adjust so the latches engage properly in the frame keeps and the door closes down evenly onto the frame on all sides.

Fine‑Tuning and Sealing

Operate the door several times to make sure it moves smoothly and feels balanced. If it does not stay put in a half‑open position or feels too heavy, adjust the springs and cables only as described in the fitting instructions.

Look at the gaps between the door and frame; they should be even all round. Fit or tweak any seals to cut down on draughts and water ingress where required.

Finally, check the clear drive‑through height and width to confirm vehicles can enter comfortably and that none of the lifting gear fouls the opening.

Why It’s Simpler Than a Timber Frame

With a timber sub frame you first have to build and fix the frame, then spend time getting it braced, square and solid before you even start hanging the door and setting up the gear. The purpose‑made steel frame largely removes that stage because it is already straight and correctly sized.

The steel frame is supplied pre-finished, generally works out more economical than a good quality timber frame, and does not need priming and painting on all faces before you can install it, which saves both labour and ongoing maintenance.

Because the door and its steel frame have been designed and tested as a set, using the factory frame helps ensure the door operates as it should in terms of safety, ease of use and durability, and it also gives a good base if you later add an automatic operator.

Garador Steel Up & Over Garage Doors – Manufacturer Warranty Details

When you purchase a Garador steel Up & Over garage door through Garage Doors Online, your door is backed by Garador’s official manufacturer warranty, ensuring long term reliability and peace of mind.

Summary of Warranty Periods

• 10 Year Limited Warranty: Covers the safe and reliable operation of the complete steel door leaf, the factory steel sub fixing frame (where supplied), and the primary mechanical chassis structure against manufacturing or material failure.
• 5 Year Guarantee on Operating Components: Covers the counterbalance springs, wire cables, track rollers, hinges, and guide rollers under normal domestic use (defined as up to 5 door open and close operations per day).
• 5 Year Operator Warranty (GaraMatic Motors): If supplied with an electric GaraMatic operator, the mechanical motor drive, boom rail, and internal electronic control board are covered for 5 years.
• 2 Year Radio & Accessory Warranty: Covers remote control hand transmitters, radio receivers, external wall consoles, keypads, and safety accessories.
• 6 Month Replacement Parts Cover: Genuine replacement parts fitted under warranty carry a 6 month guarantee or the remainder of the original warranty term, whichever is longer.

Warranty Conditions

For your warranty to remain fully valid:

• The door and any automated equipment must be installed, aligned, and adjusted in strict accordance with Garador’s official installation and user instructions.
• The product must be used purely for domestic purposes and operated within its specified design limits.
• All mechanical pivots, bearings, rollers, and latches must be inspected periodically and kept clean and lightly lubricated.
• Painted polyester finishes should be washed down periodically with warm water and a non abrasive sponge to remove atmospheric road dirt and salt deposits.
• Any accidental chips or surface scratches must be touched up promptly using suitable touch up paint to prevent oxidisation or corrosion spreading.
• Repairs or adjustments must be carried out using only genuine Garador replacement parts.

*Warranty cover applies to the original purchaser at the registered delivery and installation address and is non transferable.

Standard Exclusions

The manufacturer warranty does not cover:

• Normal wear and tear beyond specified guarantee cycles.
• Consumable items such as handset batteries, fuses, and internal light bulbs.
• Cosmetic transit or site damage (such as scratches, scuffs, or dents) occurring after delivery or during third party installation.
• Damage caused by external chemical influences, fire, flood, standing water, road salt, or abnormal environmental conditions.
• Installations in aggressive coastal or high humidity marine environments (within 3 miles of the sea) unless an appropriate specialist coastal specification was approved prior to purchase.
• Dismantling, re-installation, or courier carriage costs incurred during a claim.

Making a Warranty Claim

In the unlikely event of a defect, please have the following information ready:

• Your original Garage Doors Online order number or invoice.
• The product serial number (located on the silver data plate on the rear edge of the door leaf).
• A clear description and photographs showing the door issue and overall opening.

Please send these details to Garage Doors Online customer support, and we will liaise directly with Garador technical services on your behalf.

*Fitting tolerance: No fitting clearance is included in these dimensions. If fitting between the brickwork aperture, your structural opening must be at least 10mm
Canopy Gear



Retractable Gear