- Steel, timber or aluminium leaves
- Welded steel subframe, adjustable hinges
- No headroom required
A side-hinged garage door opens outward on hinges like a pair of large doors. In Springs it is chosen for two reasons: the garage is used as a workshop or store and needs a door that can be opened partly, or the house calls for a traditional look that an overhead door cannot give it.
Side-hinged garage doors we supply in Springs
- Steel side-hinged doors in ribbed and panelled profiles.
- Timber side-hinged doors in hardwood or clad, for period elevations.
- Unequal leaf pairs so one leaf works as a normal pedestrian door.
- Glazed upper panels where the garage needs daylight.
Why a side-hinged door suits a workshop garage
You can open one leaf and walk in, which nobody does with an overhead door. On the older properties through Geduld, Bakerton and Strubenvale where the garage has become a workshop or storeroom, that single fact usually decides it.
Side-hinged doors on period homes
Springs has a good deal of pre-war and mid-century housing, and on those elevations a pair of hinged doors reads correctly where a modern overhead panel does not. We build to the proportions of the opening rather than trimming a stock leaf, which is what makes the difference on a house of that age.
Space required in front of the opening
The leaves swing outward, so the driveway apron has to be clear. Where a driveway falls away from the garage or a vehicle parks close, the leaves will not open fully. We check the ground at survey, because this is the thing that catches people out.
Frames, hinges and hanging
The frame carries the whole load, and on a heavy timber pair that load is considerable. We fit a proper subframe anchored into the structure, with hinges rated for the leaf mass. A side-hinged door that drops at the leading edge has almost always been hung on an inadequate frame, and on an older Springs wall the fixing needs checking before anything is hung on it.
Locking and security
Multi-point locking into head and threshold on the leading leaf, and shoot bolts on the slave leaf. Locking a pair of doors at the centre only is what makes them easy to force.
Timber doors and East Rand weather
Hardwood on a west-facing opening takes strong afternoon sun and then hard summer rain, and it needs a maintained finish to cope with the swing between them. We specify the timber and the sealing for that exposure and state the maintenance interval honestly.
What a side-hinged garage door costs in Springs
Priced on opening size, leaf material, glazing, locking and whether a new subframe is needed. Timber costs more than steel and lasts well when it is looked after.
Common questions
About side-hinged garage doors
Roughly half the opening width in clear space in front of each leaf. Check for boundary walls, steps, paving edges and where cars actually park. If the driveway falls away steeply from the garage we set the leaves higher and use a threshold seal.
Yes, with a swing-arm operator on each leaf, the same type used on driveway gates. It works well but is slower than a roll-up motor and needs the swing area kept permanently clear. Most of our side-hinged customers stay manual.
Because the leaves were hung straight onto brickwork. We fit a welded steel subframe into the reveal first, square and plumb, and hang the leaves off that with adjustable hinges so the door can be trued up later.
Often, yes. If the frame is sound and square, new leaves cost a fraction of a complete door. Send a photo of the opening from outside and we will tell you which you are looking at.
Related
Also worth a look
Fire-Rated Roller Shutter Doors
Certified separation for plant and stores
Fire-rated shutters with the certification your insurer and the fire officer will ask for, quoted as a rated product rather than a substitute.
- Fail-safe gravity descent, no power needed
- Fire panel integration and drop testing
Sliding Garage Doors
Where there is no headroom at all
Sliding doors run sideways along the wall instead of upward. The answer when a garage has no usable headroom and a roll-up or sectional door will…
- Runs sideways along the wall
- Manual or motorised
- Suits low-roof and basement garages
Transparent Roller Shutter Doors
Polycarbonate roller shutter doors that close an opening without closing off the light or the view. Popular for showrooms, malls and service counters.