Sectional or roller doors: what is the difference, what is better

When building a garage, everyone wondered which gates are better: sectional or roller. Each individual case has its own answer; much depends on the type of premises, financial capabilities, as well as your own preferences. But in any case, before installation, it is worth learning about the features, advantages and disadvantages of each type.

What are sectional doors

The general concept of sectional doors means a structure assembled from sandwich panels fastened to each other using special high-quality hinges.

When opened, the system begins to move upward along the guides, disappearing into a specially equipped space under the ceiling. The design is distinguished by ease of use, due to which such gates significantly outperform other options.

What are rolling gates

Roller or roller shutter gates are a design in the manufacture of which horizontal plates (lamellas) were used. When closed, they simply roll up.

They can be single-sided or double-sided; with the latter option, foam filler is poured between the elements. To fix the structure together, a hinge joint is used.

What is the difference?

The main difference between the types is that sectional doors are often installed in industrial premises; they are not afraid of intensive use. Roller shutters are often chosen for a small garage.

Also, both types differ in thermal insulation characteristics. Sectional products, due to sandwich panels filled with polyurethane foam, perfectly retain heat. As for the second option, the material does not retain heat, and in severe frost there is a significant risk of ice forming, and this affects the performance of the structure; the gate simply will not open.

The types also differ in price; you can save a lot on roller gates, but keep in mind that they are not as strong as sectional products and are easier to break into.

Comparison table

The comparison table will help you make your choice:

Pros and cons of sectional doors

Before choosing sectional doors, you should know their design features. The advantages of this option include:

• the design saves space, so installation is possible even in a small garage;
• automatic, gate opening is carried out without leaving the car;
• high protection, burglary resistance is ensured by durable sections reinforced with steel sheets;
• thermal insulation, a certain microclimate is created in the garage, so in winter the car will always start, and in summer the seals in the doors will not dry out.

There are also disadvantages. Firstly, the high cost; in comparison with analogues, they can hardly be called a budget option. Another obvious disadvantage is that they require annual maintenance. In addition, you won’t be able to repair and install such a structure yourself; you need to contact specialists.

Pros and cons of rolling gates

Like any other design, rolling gates have their positive and negative sides. Among the advantages are:

• compact dimensions, allowing you to save about 2 m of space when compared with the swing version;
• installation is allowed even in non-standard garages;
• protects the garage from the penetration of dust, dirt and noise from the street;
• ease of installation, installation can be done independently;
• simple operation that does not require painstaking care in the form of painting or lubricating parts.

Significant disadvantages include the following:

• at sub-zero temperatures, there is a possibility of mechanism failure due to icing of the valves and their freezing to the floor surface;
• this option is not rational to use in a heated garage, there are a large number of gaps in the gate;
• high price when installing a structure made of high-quality material; the stronger the gate, the more expensive it will cost.

Today it is possible to equip roller gates with additional functions, for example, to open them using a remote control. If desired, install an alarm, heating, which will prevent the doors from icing up.

What is better to choose

Making a choice in favor of one of the options is quite difficult, since each of the designs has its own positive and negative sides. It all depends on the preferences of the garage owner:

• if the garage is heated, then sectional doors are installed, since roller doors do not retain heat;
• when installing a gate, you need to take into account that it will not be possible to integrate it into a roll sheet, you will have to mount it side by side, the sectional version allows for such possibilities;
• dimensions of the garage opening, standard roller gates are up to 6 m in length and up to 3 m in height, while the total area of ​​the room should not be more than 18 sq. m. m, if the garage is larger, then it is more rational and safer to install a sectional type structure.
• design, at this point the sectional option also wins, it has more choice of color and structure, as for the roll ones, they are offered in one design - in the form of horizontal lines.

But still, today most people prefer sectional doors. They are practical, functional, easy to use and give you the opportunity to choose any design and color. The only negative is the dimensions, and for owners of a small garage this disadvantage is significant; it practically eliminates the possibility of installation.