Side-hinged garage doors are a traditional style that continues to be a popular choice for many homeowners. We’re happy to advise on the pros and cons.
While modern garage door designs often receive more attention, side-hinged doors offer a range of benefits that make them particularly suitable for certain garages and property types. Are side-hinged garage doors suitable for your property? Let’s consider the pros and cons.
One of the main advantages of side-hinged garage doors is their simplicity and ease of use. Opening like a pair of conventional doors, they provide immediate access to the garage without the need to lift or roll the door up into the roof space. This makes them especially well suited to garages with low ceilings, limited headroom or internal obstructions such as beams, pipes or stored items. Because the door opens outwards, the interior of the garage remains completely clear and usable.
Side-hinged doors are an excellent option for garages that are used for more than just parking a car. For workshops, home gyms or general storage, the ability to open just one leaf of the door allows convenient pedestrian access without exposing the entire space to the outside. This can help reduce heat loss and improve security, particularly when combined with modern locking systems.
From an architectural point of view, side-hinged garage doors complement traditional and period properties particularly well. They suit cottages, rural homes and older buildings where maintaining character and symmetry is important. Available in a wide range of materials and finishes, including steel, timber-effect and insulated composite options, they can be tailored to match existing doors, windows or exterior features. For homeowners seeking a more contemporary look, modern designs with clean lines and subtle colours are also readily available.
Another practical consideration is reliability. With fewer mechanical components than some other door types, side-hinged garage doors are straightforward to maintain and less prone to complex mechanical faults. They can also be automated if required, although many people appreciate the simplicity of manual operation.
It is important to consider driveway space. As the doors open outwards, there needs to be enough clearance in front of the garage to allow them to swing open fully. But where space allows, side-hinged garage doors offer a versatile, durable and visually appealing solution that suits both the function of the garage and the character of the property.
To find out more, contact The Garage Door Company FREE on 0800 889 777 or call your local garage doors branch direct. We have branches across southern Scotland.
Glasgow on 0141 773 0902
Edinburgh on 0131 337 3332
Kilmarnock on 01563 542984
Dundee on 01382 213052
Alternatively, drop us a line at info@garage-door.co.uk