Tilt-Up Garage Doors

Every homeowner loves to show off some cool statement pieces to guests. Well, why not have one before visitors even get inside? It is possible with the rare – but charming – tilt-up garage door.

These single-panel garage doors offer a unique answer to the question of how you will protect your vehicles. In this guide, we’ll discuss the benefits and drawbacks to such a garage door, and if you are considering one, contact Garage.com to be connected with a highly rated installer.

What Are Tilt-Up Garage Doors?

The main difference in a tilt-up garage door from its counterparts is the fact it’s a single-panel garage door that lifts as one piece. It pivots along a track outward from the garage opening and lifts to rest parallel to the ceiling.

One other big difference is some tilt-up garage doors are manual, meaning they do not operate with a garage door opener. There are some models of tilt-up garage doors that are automatic, but that costs more. 

These doors are old-timey in design, highly customizable and rare in today’s market.

Materials Used in Tilt-Up Garage Doors

Tilt-up garage doors can be made from numerous different materials, whether it be wood, steel, aluminum or composite. Instead of numerous panels like in a sectional garage door, they would be one single piece in this style. They also can be customized with windows, doggy doors or decorative hardware. 

Benefits of Tilt-Up Garage Doors

While not as popular as they used to be in the land of garage doors, tilt-up doors do have their benefits and could be ideal for some homeowners.

Tilt-up garage doors are typically cheaper than a sectional garage door, not to mention they have less components and therefore not as complicated to install. The smaller number of parts also comes in handy in terms of maintenance down the road.

As mentioned, there are numerous ways to customize a tilt-up garage door in addition to the various materials you can use to make the door itself. 

Drawbacks and Limitations of Tilt-Up Doors

But not everything is a positive for a tilt-up garage door. There are numerous considerations to keep in mind while making your decision.

First up is the space considerations. Not always inside the garage, as you’d have to consider with a traditional sectional overhead garage door, but in how the door swings outward while opening. You must be careful there are no obstructions or you could damage property as well as the garage door.

Tilt-up garage doors are also not as strong in colder climates. They lack a weather seal at the bottom in addition to most being less insulated than other garage door styles.

And while maintenance can be a benefit with fewer components, if something breaks in the door you’d have to replace the whole door instead of just a panel with a sectional garage door. Parts may also be harder to come by as the rarity of the product means less installers have the parts easily on hand.

Common Tilt-Up Garage Door Problems and Solutions

Tilt-up garage doors typically have fewer components than a traditional sectional garage door, so you’d think the problems would be far less as well. Right? Maybe, but many of the same issues can occur – just on a smaller level. 

It’s important for homeowners to keep tracks obstruction-free and make sure all hinges and rollers are well lubricated. That can help reduce noise. 

High-tension springs and cables can also break, but tilt-up garage doors do come with an anti-drop safety feature to stop unwelcome surprises. It should be noted that well-maintained systems rarely fail.

If you are concerned by anything you are seeing or hearing with your garage door system, contact Garage.com to be connected with a top-rated company that can come inspect and fix any issues.

Frequently Asked Questions About Tilt-Up Garage Doors