Garador Somerset (13 Colour Options) Up and Over garage door Composite GRP Garador

Garador Somerset GRP Up and Over Garage Door

The Garador Somerset features a clean, uninterrupted vertical boarded design that recreates the appearance of traditional tongue and groove timber boards. Slim upright lines run continuously from the top of the panel to the bottom without the heavy perimeter frames or divided fields seen on carriage style designs like the Swinton, giving the door a balanced, natural look.

This classic vertical pattern sits comfortably on traditional brick properties, cottages, and converted barns, but specified in modern shades like Anthracite Grey or Ebony, it works equally well on crisp contemporary homes. Because the vertical boarding runs continuously across wider versions, Somerset provides visual consistency across single and double garages on the same property.

Low maintenance composite construction

Natural vertical timber boards look great initially, but exposed end grain and weather exposed joints can absorb water over time, leading to timber swelling, twisting, and peeling stain coats. The Somerset solves this by moulding the entire boarded face in a single piece of glass reinforced polyester composite. You get the authentic visual warmth and grain texture of timber with none of the seasonal sanding, treating, or repainting.

Day to day care is simple: a periodic wash down with warm soapy water and a soft cloth will keep the gel coat finish looking smart. The factory fitted steel subframe, counterbalanced springs, and running gear only need standard routine lubrication to stay working quietly and smoothly.

Woodgrain finishes and factory colour matched frames

You can choose from 13 standard woodgrain composite finishes designed to coordinate with exterior entrance doors, window frames, and composite trims:

• White
• Magnolia
• Bleached Oak
• Red Mahogany
• Dark Mahogany
• Light Oak
• Dark Oak
• Irish Oak
• Honey Beech
• Teak
• Golden Brown
• Ebony
• Anthracite Grey

Two premium specialist colours, Fir Green (RAL 6009) and Steel Blue (RAL 5011), can also be factory ordered upon request.

* Always check a physical colour sample before ordering if you need to match existing uPVC windows or entrance doors. The composite gel coat has a unique visual depth and will not be an identical match to foil wraps or wet paint systems.

Rather than a woodgrain foil wrap, the outer steel subframe and internal perimeter chassis are finished in a tough factory powder coat, pre selected by Garador to complement your woodgrain panel:

• Traffic White (RAL 9016) for White panels
• Light Ivory (RAL 1015) for Magnolia panels
• Jet Black (RAL 9005) for Ebony panels
• Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016) for Anthracite Grey panels
• Burgundy Brown for Red Mahogany, Dark Mahogany, and Dark Oak panels
• Terra Brown (RAL 8028) for the remaining golden and natural woodgrain tones

Factory fitted galvanised steel frame included

Every Somerset door supplied by GarageDoorsOnline includes a factory fitted galvanised steel box section subframe in the price. This provides a rigid, square fixing perimeter out of the box, saving you the expense and hassle of sourcing, treating, and assembling a separate timber subframe on site.

Single doors arrive factory pre framed, meaning the door leaf, lifting arms, and counterbalance springs come already mounted inside the steel frame for fast on site installation. Double doors are supplied with a dedicated steel knock down frame kit for straightforward assembly. The rear face of the composite panel features an internal resin flow coat, providing a clean interior appearance while cutting down daylight translucency through the door leaf.

Exact ordering dimensions and sizing availability

When placing your order on GarageDoorsOnline, the size you select is the exact overall width and height of the door panel and steel subframe combined.

No fitting tolerance is included in these measurements. When installing between brickwork reveals, remember to deduct your installation clearance (normally 10mm to 15mm across the width and 5mm to 10mm over the height) from your brick to brick opening.

Standard single dimensions:

• Canopy gear widths: 2244mm, 2369mm, 2394mm, and 2549mm
• Retractable gear widths: 2274mm, 2399mm, 2424mm, and 2579mm
• Standard heights: 2039mm and 2194mm overall frame height across both gear types

Wider singles and standard double sizes:

• Wider singles: 2884mm and 3189mm overall frame widths (retractable gear only; supplied electric only without exterior handle cutouts or manual lock catches)
• Standard doubles: 3494mm, 3799mm, 4104mm, and 4409mm overall frame widths at 2039mm or 2194mm heights (retractable gear only)
• Purpose made sizes: Available across defined single and double manufacturing bands. Contact our sales team with your opening dimensions to verify suitability before ordering.

* Garador traditional imperial size codes (such as 7066, 8070, or 1470) refer to the nominal opening size inside the subframe uprights, not the overall outer frame measurement. Always use our conversion guide when matching an old code to an ordering size.

Handle styles, security upgrades, and Retractable Plus

Manually operated doors are supplied with a black nylon handle and exterior backplate as standard. If you want a metal finish to match external door furniture, optional diecast metal handles are available in brass effect, brushed steel effect, chrome effect, and powder coated white.

If you are automating the door, you can request an unpierced panel without handle holes or internal manual latch rods, giving you an uninterrupted, clean exterior face. On the 2884mm and 3189mm wide single doors, this unpierced electric specification is standard.

On manual doors, you can upgrade to 4 point security locking, which adds steel locking rods shooting into all four corners of the steel frame. On retractable doors up to 2284mm wide, you can also specify Retractable Plus gear, which uses high pivot cranked lifting arms to provide extra clear drive through width at car wing mirror level.

Choosing your electric operator

If you plan to automate your Somerset, always choose retractable gear. The complete door panel glides back into the garage along ceiling mounted tracks, connecting directly to an overhead operator boom. Canopy doors require a separate bow arm converter that reduces drive through height and is not our recommended choice for a new automatic door.

We supply three main Garador GaraMatic electric operator models:

• GaraMatic 9: Includes two remote handsets, soft start and soft stop control, integral 10 LED lighting, and automatic mechanical locking. A dependable everyday motor for standard single doors.
• GaraMatic 10: Features integrated Bluetooth compatible with the BlueSecur app, faster opening speeds, and brighter, adjustable 20 LED lighting. A great choice for larger single doors and frequent daily use.
• GaraMatic 20: Engineered with maximum peak pulling force to comfortably handle wide single and heavy double doors without mechanical strain.

* If your garage has no other entrance or side door, make sure to add an external manual emergency release lock kit so you can disengage the operator carriage and open the door during a power failure.

Care and warranty

Wash the composite face periodically using warm water and a soft cloth; properties in coastal areas with airborne sea salt require more regular washing. Never apply paint, harsh solvent cleaners, or abrasive polishes over the factory gel coat. Up and over doors are designed to deflect driven rainwater rather than provide a completely airtight or watertight seal.

Your purchase is backed by Garador manufacturer warranty: 10 years on the steel subframe, chassis, and mechanical parts, 5 years on springs, wire cables, track rollers, and guide wheels, and 2 years on the composite GRP panel skin, subject to proper installation and routine maintenance.

Ordering Options for the Garador Somerset GRP

Use this guide to walk through the configuration steps when ordering your Somerset door online. Every door is supplied complete with a factory-matched galvanised steel box-section fixing subframe, giving you a rigid, square frame that is quicker and easier to install than sourcing a separate timber frame.

Step 1: Choose overall size and operating mechanism

Your ordering size is the exact overall width and height of the door panel and steel subframe combined, measured down to the millimetre. No fitting tolerance is included in this figure, so ensure you deduct adequate fitting clearance from your structural brickwork opening.

At this stage, select your preferred lifting mechanism:

• Canopy gear: Available on standard single sizes up to 2549mm wide. One third of the door protrudes outside when open, forming a small canopy. Best for manual doors where you want to keep your garage ceiling clear of horizontal tracks.
• Retractable gear: Rolls back fully into the garage on horizontal ceiling tracks. Mandatory on wider singles (2884mm and 3189mm) and all double doors. This is our recommended gearing if you plan to automate your door.
• Retractable Plus gear: Available on single retractable doors up to 2284mm wide. Uses specially cranked pivot arms to keep lifting gear higher, clearing car wing mirror level where internal passage is tight.

* Note: Wider single doors (2884mm and 3189mm overall width) are supplied as electric only models and do not come with external handle cutouts or manual latching.

Step 2: Choose door panel finish

Pick from 13 realistic woodgrain composite finishes designed to replicate authentic timber grain without the regular upkeep:

• White
• Magnolia
• Bleached Oak
• Red Mahogany
• Dark Mahogany
• Light Oak
• Dark Oak
• Irish Oak
• Honey Beech
• Teak
• Golden Brown
• Ebony
• Anthracite Grey

* Always approve a physical sample if matching to existing uPVC windows or front doors, as composite gel coats can vary slightly from plastic foils or paint finishes.

Step 3: Choose steel subframe and chassis colour

The steel box-section chassis and outer fixing frame are supplied in a powder-coated paint finish rather than a woodgrain effect. You can choose:

• Default factory-matched colour: Automatically paired with your panel (such as Traffic White RAL 9016 for White panels, Terra Brown RAL 8028 for most golden and mid-oak timber tones, or Burgundy Brown for Dark Mahogany and Dark Oak).
• Traffic White (RAL 9016): A clean, crisp surround that works well against white window trims or rendered walls.
• Terra Brown (RAL 8028): A deep neutral brown that complements traditional brickwork and woodgrain panels.

Step 4: Choose handle and locking prep

For manual doors, a black nylon handle and backplate are fitted as standard. If you want a different metal finish to coordinate with your home, select an optional diecast upgrade:

• Black nylon (standard manual specification)
• Cast metal brass effect
• Cast metal brushed steel effect
• Cast metal chrome effect
• Cast metal white
• No handle hole drilled: Select this if you are automating your door. We supply the door leaf completely unpierced without external handle holes or internal manual latch assemblies, giving you a neat, smooth exterior panel.

Step 5: Choose extra security locking (manual doors only)

Standard manual Somerset doors come with reliable two-point locking latches. If your garage stores valuable tools, bikes, or equipment, you can upgrade to 4-point security locking.

This adds rigid steel locking rods and latches into all four corners of the door leaf. Coupled with the steel lip on the factory subframe, it stops would-be intruders from levering the top corners of the door panel away from the frame.

* For manual operation only. If you are fitting an electric motor, the operator boom locks the door automatically, making 4-point manual rods unnecessary.

Step 6: Choose your remote control electric operator

When selecting retractable gear, pairing your Somerset with an overhead Garador GaraMatic operator provides smooth push-button access and automatic mechanical locking. All three units feature soft-start and soft-stop technology, automatic obstacle reversal, and energy-efficient integral LED lighting:

• GaraMatic 9: Supplied with two hand transmitters and an integral 10-LED light unit. A dependable, quiet everyday motor supplied with a pre-matched operator boom suited for single doors up to 2500mm high.
• GaraMatic 10: Includes built-in Bluetooth receiver compatible with the BlueSecur app, faster lifting speeds, and brighter, adjustable 20-LED courtesy lighting. Great for busy households and larger single doors.
• GaraMatic 20: Offers the highest peak pulling force in the range, engineered specifically to handle wide, heavy double-width doors and high-cycle domestic use without strain.

Step 7: Choose emergency manual release (for electric doors)

If your garage does not have a side door, personal entrance, or internal access door from the house, an external emergency release device is essential.

In the event of a power cut or electrical fault, this key-operated barrel and cable mechanism allows you to disengage the operator drive carriage from outside. You can then lift the door manually and enter the garage to reset the system.

* If you already have an alternative pedestrian doorway into the garage, you do not need this option; you can simply pull the emergency release cord from inside.

Garador Somerset GRP Specification and Technical Details

The Garador Somerset is manufactured using a rigid galvanised steel box section chassis with a moulded composite GRP infill panel. An internal resin flow coat is applied to the rear face at the factory, providing a clean interior finish while minimising daylight translucency through the door leaf.

Operating Gear and Drive Through Clearances

The choice of operating gear determines how the door balances, where the tracks and springs sit, and how much clear drive through clearance you retain when driving a vehicle inside.

* In the open position, canopy doors project forward roughly one third of their total panel height outside the garage opening, forming a small canopy. Retractable doors pull fully back into the garage along ceiling suspended tracks. Retractable Somerset doors do not have an internal rear back brace.

Chassis and Subframe Finishes

The steel outer subframe and structural door chassis are finished in a tough factory powder coat paint. The factory coordinates the steel finish to suit the selected woodgrain face:

• Traffic White (RAL 9016) for White panels
• Light Ivory (RAL 1015) for Magnolia panels
• Jet Black (RAL 9005) for Ebony panels
• Anthracite Grey (RAL 7016) for Anthracite Grey panels
• Burgundy Brown for Red Mahogany, Dark Mahogany, and Dark Oak panels
• Terra Brown (RAL 8028) for all other woodgrain timber finishes
• Fir Green (RAL 6009) for Premium Green
• Steel Blue (RAL 5011) for Premium Blue

Panel Finishes and Visual Features

• Standard woodgrain colours: White, Magnolia, Bleached Oak, Red Mahogany, Dark Mahogany, Light Oak, Dark Oak, Irish Oak, Honey Beech, Teak, Golden Brown, Ebony, and Anthracite Grey.
• Special order colours: Fir Green and Steel Blue.
• Panel layout: Continuous vertical tongue and groove style timber effect boarding across the entire panel width.
• Rear appearance: Factory applied white or neutral resin flow coat on the rear face of the GRP infill.

Locking and Security Options

• Standard manual locking: Two point locking system with bottom corner latches and euro profile cylinder lock.
• Optional 4 point locking: Steel locking rods shooting into all four corners of the steel frame for enhanced protection on manual doors.
• Optional De Latch kit: Connects the manual door latches to an overhead electric operator on retractable gear doors, giving mechanical multi point latching alongside the operator lock.
• Electric only specification: Panels supplied unpierced without exterior handle cutouts or interior manual latch rods.

Key Technical Specifications

Garador Somerset GRP Installation Guidance

Installing a Garador Somerset with its factory steel subframe is straightforward, whether handled by a trade fitter or a competent DIYer. Because standard single doors arrive factory pre framed with the door panel, lifting arms, and springs already mounted inside the steel box section frame, you do not need to assemble timber jambs or hang individual mechanism brackets from scratch.

1. Choosing Your Fitting Position

The steel subframe can be installed in two standard positions, depending on your brickwork and the drive through clearance you need:

• Between the brickwork opening: The outer face of the steel frame sits flush with the brick reveals. This is the most common arrangement when you have a tidy brick arch or pier. Remember that the frame uprights and head take up space, so your clear drive through width and height will be reduced by the frame dimensions.
• Behind the brickwork opening (face fix): The steel frame fixes directly to the inside face of the garage piers and lintel. This maximises your usable drive through width and height because the entire frame sits behind the brickwork. It is an ideal method if your opening is slightly narrow for your car.

* Always remember: GarageDoorsOnline ordering sizes are the exact overall width and height of the door panel and steel subframe combined. Allow at least 10mm to 15mm overall fitting tolerance on width and 5mm to 10mm on height when installing between brickwork reveals.

2. Checking Openings and Floor Levels

Before unpacking the door, take a few minutes to check the garage opening carefully:

• Floor level: The floor across the threshold must be level. Up and over doors travel in a rigid arc, so an uneven floor will leave uneven gaps under the bottom seal or cause the door leaf to bind at one corner.
• Square and plumb reveals: Check that the piers are vertical and parallel, and that the lintel is level. Pack out any discrepancies behind the steel frame to keep the assembly perfectly square.
• Internal depth and headroom: Retractable doors need clear ceiling depth inside the garage equal to the door height plus roughly 350mm (or more if fitting an electric operator boom). Ensure roof timbers, light fittings, and shelving do not foul the horizontal tracks.

3. Securing the Steel Subframe

For single pre framed doors, the frame and door leaf are offered into the opening together as a single unit:

• Offer the complete door and frame assembly into the opening, wedging it temporarily into position.
• Use a spirit level to check the frame head is level and the vertical side legs are plumb in both planes. Measure corner to corner diagonally across the frame to confirm it is completely square.
• Fix the steel frame using the heavy gauge steel universal brackets supplied in the fixing kit. Secure through the frame sides into solid brick or blockwork using suitable masonry fixings. Never rely on lightweight plaster or aerated thermalite blocks without specialist anchors.
• Do not over tighten fixings before rechecking that the frame legs remain straight and parallel from top to bottom. A bowed frame leg will cause the panel to catch when running.

4. Track Support and Spring Setup

Canopy gear: With the frame fixed square and upright, remove the transit brackets. The overhead torsion spring comes pre tensioned from the factory. Check that the side lifting cables sit correctly in the overhead drum grooves before releasing the transport clips and testing the manual door travel.

Retractable gear: Once the main frame is secured, raise the horizontal ceiling tracks into position. Support the rear of each track using the steel slotted suspension brackets supplied, fixing them firmly into solid ceiling joists. Both horizontal tracks must be set level, square to the front frame, and exactly parallel to each other to ensure the top rollers glide freely without pinching.

5. Automation and Clearance Checks

• If you are fitting a GaraMatic electric operator, mount the motor boom centrally above the door panel and connect the curved towing arm to the factory top bracket.
• Disconnect or remove any manual lock latches unless you are installing an approved mechanical de latch kit. An electric motor must never pull against locked manual catches.
• If the garage does not have a separate personal door, fit an external emergency manual release kit before finishing the electrical installation.
• Run the door by hand first to make sure the panel balances comfortably at mid travel and does not bind against the frame rebate or weather seals. Once manual movement is smooth, connect and set up the operator limit switches and safety force profiles.

Garador Up and Over Garage Door Warranty Information

When you purchase a Garador garage door through GarageDoorsOnline, you receive genuine UK factory backed warranty cover provided directly by the manufacturer, Garador Ltd (part of the Hormann Group). As an approved specialist distributor, GarageDoorsOnline manages your order, delivery, and initial aftercare support, while the formal product guarantee sits with Garador from the date of purchase.

Summary of Garador Warranty Conditions

Garador warrants its products to be free from manufacturing and material defects. In the event of a proven fault during the warranty period, Garador undertakes at its discretion to repair the defective part, exchange the component, or offer an allowance.

To keep the manufacturer warranty valid, please note the following practical requirements:

• Domestic usage: The 5 year running gear guarantee is based on normal domestic operation, defined as no more than 5 complete open and close cycles per day.
• Correct installation: The door and steel subframe must be installed square, plumb, and without distortion in accordance with Garador official fitting instructions.
• Routine maintenance: Operating gear, pivot points, track rollers, and spring latches must be inspected and lubricated periodically using light acid free oil. Do not grease the plastic guide tracks.
• Panel care: The GRP face must be washed down periodically with warm water and a soft sponge. Never apply paint, harsh solvent cleaners, or abrasive polishes to the composite gel coat. Bird droppings must be washed off promptly to prevent chemical bleaching.
• Coastal environments: If the door is fitted near the coast or in areas with airborne salt deposits, more frequent cleaning is required to prevent surface deposits from attacking metal hardware.
• Weather expectations: Up and over doors are designed to deflect rainwater and wind, but they are not certified as sealed watertight closures. Small perimeter gaps required for clearance do not constitute a defect.

What the Warranty Does Not Cover

The guarantee applies strictly to the manufactured product and does not cover:

• Normal fair wear and tear on consumable parts such as lock cylinders, guide runners, and weather strips.
• Faults caused by improper installation, twisted jambs, unlevel thresholds, or inadequate fixing into non structural wall materials.
• Mechanical damage caused during site transport, improper handling, forced entry, or accidents.
• Modifications or repairs carried out using non genuine Garador parts.
• Secondary costs, including labour charges for dismantling or refitting replacement parts, hire of temporary access equipment, or third party site contractor fees.

How Claims are Handled

Because you purchased through GarageDoorsOnline, you do not need to contact the factory cold. Simply get in touch with our customer service team with your original order reference, delivery postcode, a brief description of the issue, and clear photos showing the door panel, the data label on the frame, and the component in question. We will log the claim with Garador technical services on your behalf and coordinate the supply of replacement parts or manufacturer inspection.

Garador Somerset GRP Standard Ordering Sizes

Use the conversion table below to match a traditional Garador imperial size code to the exact overall frame dimensions used when ordering through GarageDoorsOnline. Your ordering size is the outside measurement of the door and steel subframe combined.

* Sizes marked with an asterisk (9066, 9070, 10066, 10070) are available with retractable gear only, supplied for electric operation without manual handles or external lock cutouts.

* Important: No fitting tolerance is included in any overall frame size. When installing between brickwork reveals, allow at least 10mm to 15mm clearance on width and 5mm to 10mm on height.

Canopy Gear


Retractable Gear


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