raising the height of garage door| Off-Topic Discussion forum |

drainoil Reader
12/28/13 8:46 a.m.

I have a 9 foot tall garage door (3rd stall). Im looking at buying a 4wd pick-up that wont clear it (the truck has a 3 inch lift). I have about 34 inches between the top of the door and the ceiling beams as it sits now, so plenty of space to go up for such a vehicle. The roof overhang on the outside is also about 34 inches.

What do I need to consider if I were to cut into this and raise the opening? There is no wiring running through the cut-out zone. I currently have a garage door opener now, but if it clears I can raise/remount, or just go without one altogether.

Not sure if I can size it so I can add another section to my current garage door to compensate for the added height, or likely need a whole new door.

Anyone here ever done such a mod to your garage door?

Dr. Hess MegaDork
12/28/13 8:53 a.m.

There is typically a header beam running across the top of the door. This is structural. In other words, you are going to have to cut out the beam and engineer something to provide the structure there now.

drainoil Reader
12/28/13 8:59 a.m.

Dr. Hess wrote: There is typically a header beam running across the top of the door. This is structural. In other words, you are going to have to cut out the beam and engineer something to provide the structure there now.

Yes, I was wondering if its within reason to raise that beam, obviously remounting it so it offers the structural rigidity. Id have to pull some sheetrock down to take a look at that beam.

drainoil Reader
12/28/13 8:59 a.m.

drainoil wrote:
Dr. Hess wrote: There is typically a header beam running across the top of the door. This is structural. In other words, you are going to have to cut out the beam and engineer something to provide the structure there now.
Yes, I was wondering if its within reason to raise that beam, obviously remounting it so it offers the same structural rigidity. Id have to pull some sheetrock down to take a look at that beam.

Lancer007 Reader
12/28/13 9:13 a.m.

My fiancee's parents just had to have the door for their 3rd garage stall replaced after her aunt ran into it. Only one panel was damaged however they weren't available individually. I don't know if it was just that manufacturer or that model of door that is like that but you might not be able to just add another panel to the door.

petegossett GRM+ Memberand PowerDork
12/28/13 10:32 a.m.

My neighbor did the exact thing to one of my garage doors(many years before I bought the place. It has the cheap, flimsy, semi-transparent plastic & aluminum doors, so adding/extending a panel was no problem.