Up and Over Door Overview
The up and over door is still the most recognisable and popular garage door in the UK.
It is simple in its operation and mechanism and can be manually or electrically operated, with electric operation retrofit possible on most doors when required.
The choice of door designs is huge. You can choose from a wide range of standard UK sizes as well as purpose made sizes to maximise your garage aperture. Security is good out of the box, but can be easily upgraded to utilise 4 point locking, and there are 'Secured by Design' accredited models available.
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Understanding the 2 Mechanisms
Canopy Mechanism
A Canopy Up and Over garage door mechanism will make the garage door panel protrude about a third of the height of the door out from the sub fixing frame to form a "canopy" when opened fully.
The canopy type is the most popular mechanism when a smaller standard size door is required and is usually manually operated. The lack of internal tracking with a canopy mechanism is highly desirable, keeping the garage interior neat and tidy and avoiding internal obstacles like shelving, pipework, or meters. Canopy doors are usually single size door only.
ANY of the canopy up and over doors offered online will be supplied with the mechanism factory fitted, ready for the easiest on site installation. When ordered with the steel box section fixing sub frame, this is also pre fitted.
Our tip: Always order a steel sub frame with an up and over garage door and get rid of any old timber sub frame, which is never as secure and needs constant maintenance.
Retractable Mechanism
Fully retractable Up and Over garage doors are simply one piece garage door panels that retract fully into the garage space when opened, sitting horizontally inside the roof space.
This is achieved by lifting and sliding back on horizontal side tracks, with lifting tension springs situated either side of the door at a lower level. Side arms lift the door panel up and over until it is almost entirely inside the garage.
The retractable mechanism is much more ideal for remote control electric operation. Furthermore, all garage doors over 8 feet wide will use retractable gear as standard due to the weight. There are no lifting cables involved, making them practically maintenance free. Like the canopy, it is delivered to you with all the mechanism factory fitted.
Our tip: Always use a retractable door if you want remote control electric operation, UNLESS the opening width sizing is absolutely critical for your car access.
Standard or Purpose Made Sizing?
Garage Doors Online offer one of the largest size ranges of high quality up and over doors in the UK, with both standard and purpose made sizes available in steel, GRP, and timber. If your garage opening matches one of the many standard sizes, choosing a standard size door is usually the quickest and most cost effective option.
If your opening does not match a standard size, you can select from a wide range of doors available in purpose made sizes to suit your exact requirements. This is often the best choice for older properties, non standard openings, or where you want to minimise infill framework and maximise your drive through width.
Crucial Advice on Sizes and Ordering
To avoid confusion, please always measure the sub frame opening or overall sizes, never the door panel itself.
- STANDARD SIZE up and over doors are ordered and priced using the internal width and height of the fixing sub frame. The main door panel is manufactured slightly smaller so it can move freely within this frame.
- PURPOSE MADE sizes are generally ordered using the overall width and height including the steel fixing sub frame. Check for the specific brand each time.
Important regarding traditional sizes:
Many up and over garage door sizes are still based on traditional imperial measurements. If you order a standard 7070 steel door, the width does not equal the exact door panel width or the internal width of the steel sub frame. It is a rounded imperial reference for pricing only. Always refer to the MEASURE tab on the specific door product page for exact metric frame dimensions!
Replacing an Existing Door
If you are replacing an up and over door and leaving the existing timber sub frame in place, measure between the timber frame legs and from the floor to the underside of the timber head to find your ideal door ordering sizes.
However, we aways highly recommend ordering a new steel sub frame. It is usually cheaper than timber, pre finished, and vastly more secure and stable over time. Doors supplied with factory fitted steel sub frames have tighter tolerances between the door panel and frame, offering much better security and weather sealing.
Timber Up and Over Garage Doors
There is nothing quite like the natural beauty, warmth, and timeless appeal of real wood. Timber up and over garage doors perfectly complement traditional UK architecture, period homes, and properties featuring existing exterior woodwork.
At Garage Doors Online, we proudly supply premium timber garage doors from two of the UK's leading specialist manufacturers: Cedar Doors and Garador.
Cedar Garage Doors
Cedar Doors are a specialist UK joinery company manufacturing heavily bespoke, traditionally constructed timber garage doors. Their doors are made with solid cedar stiles and rails, using incredibly strong mortice and tenon joints.
- Handcrafted from the highest quality Western Red Cedar
- Purpose made sizes and unique designs available
- Multiple glazing options to let natural light into the garage
- Basecoat treated ready for final onsite finishing or factory prefinished
Garador Timber Range
Garador combines the traditional qualities of natural timber with the performance you would expect from modern garage door engineering. They offer a superb range of classic designs to enhance the appearance of any home.
- Solid cedar tongue and grooved designs (e.g. Vertical or Horizontal Cedar)
- Elizabethan range featuring fine exterior plywood and solid cedar rails
- Available in a wide range of standard and purpose made sizes
- Supplied with a neutralising base stain or fully finished
Recommended Up and Over Doors
Basic Steel Up and Over Doors
- Primarily manual operation for simplicity
- Standard and Purpose made sizes available to maximise openings
- Clean classic design models - Ribbed and Plain
- Multiple colour choices - No more painting!
Panelled & Designer Doors
- Steel doors with pressed panel designs
- Standard and Purpose made sizes available
- Designer elements and modern aesthetics
- Options with and without integrated windows
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