If not, let me know. I'm looking at building a tilt up garage door, but don't seem to be having luck finding diagrams of how they are usually done, much less finding appropriate hardware... MikeS

Do you have to use the door to get your F-car into and out of the garage?

Tilt up? As in a single panel overhead door? They use the same track and rollers as any multi-panel overhead door, but only two rollers (one at each side near the very top). The roller track is simply a straight piece, mounted at the wall/header at one end and suspended by bracketry on the free end. There is a pivot on each side (usually angle iron) that connects to the door at the lower corner and attaches to a wall bracket about halfway up the side of the opening. Of course, there a springs used to balance the door.

This type door can also be used with a powered operator, although they tend to operate with a little less ease near the bottom 1/3 of travel, so the door operator needs to be rather heavy duty.

I have a tilt up one piece garage door on my garage that was built in the 50's- one spring is broken and it takes a bit of a heave-ho to get it started- than and when someone parks a car less than 3' in front of the door I can't open it because it swings out as it swings up. Though I can open it 3/4 of the way and prop it with a 2X4, it makes a makeshift awning.

Actually, I do have to use the door to get the thirdgen in off of the street

Like you say, it did seem like the standard roller track geometry would work out fine. I guess it's the pivot part of the equation that I'm not seeing yet.

Thanks to you both for the input. Sorry it took me so long to reply....didn't realize anybody had posted!

My other option would be to build it as a rolling type door, similar to a gate that slides to the side. Would lose a little bit of length in my 'garage' that way though. It's a strange situation, don't ask...

Mike

Oh, but we must. We must..

If it's an overhead clearance problem, all may not be lost. I've installed sectional overhead doors in garages with a 83" clearance - and then installed a power operator to boot. It requires a little creative trimming of the upper door panel to clearance the hardware, and completely different mounting of the uppermost panel guide rollers, but it can be done.

If the "problem" is something different, perhaps someone here has a creative suggestion.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words....

Basically I want a powered door instead of the two swing-out doors that I have now. I don't care too much how it functions, but have some other requirements.

1. I'm not supposed to change how things look from the street. It's a historical society thing.

2. My driveway is under my neighbor's apartment. It's a property encroachment in which his building extends over my land. Works out fairly well for me though. I want to attach as little as possible to the neighbor's building.

3. If I go with a single panel....I don't like how far the pivot and support structure would have to stick out away from the door (blocking access from the yard and being an eye sore)

4. Sliding gate style door... I'd have to place the track about 6" to 8" farther in from the street from the current door location in order to clear a post supporting the structure above.

Something I had considered was an aluminum sectional door with the planks from the old door attached to the face. I could just cut them at the joint of each section so that it would look somewhat like the old door but function as a sectional.

Final option would be to deal with the historical people and have to submit drawings, etc and convince them to accept my change (which would basically be a change to match the neighbor's place - white sectional).

From the outside...

My drive is where the "no parking" sign on the left is. The sectional door is the neighbor's place.

"Garage" area from my yard...

and finally the current door from the inside...

ps: My thirdgen is parked on the street right now. Which is exactly the problem.

You could probably just buy some gate openers and attach them to your doors and be done with it.

Yeah, I'd considered it briefly. The doors are probably literally 100 yrs old and falling apart. Need to be replaced or rebuild anyway. Plus they open right over the sidewalk. I'd hesitate to make something that could open into where somebody is walking by.

Good point though, I had definitely considered that route.

id consider rebuilding the gates and putting electric openers on them.

It would take the same amount of work to make/rebuild the doors a 1 piece as to make them whatever you wanted.

To save the outside but make a olid base for a different door, just sheet the backside.
Once the doors are solid, there are many options on how to make them open.

A 1 piece will still swing out and catch a passer-by with the way it opens.

Cost is your biggest limiter. Space is the other.

How about rebuild the wood doors but using a hydralic gate arm to make it bifold (looks like you could go have it fold either inside or outside and people wouldn't get smacked or completely blocked by it.

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If you have room on the side ... why not a sliding door?

You hang it from a rail at the top. At each side near the bottom You make a 'block' to prevent the door from beeing pushed in or out.

heheh, bifold. I hadn't thought of that....

Thanks for the input everybody. Hopefully I'll get into the project soon. Since mardi gras season is warming up, it'll probably have to wait a few weeks.

Mike

i just wanted to say that house/garage setup is awesome... just needs updating and you are doing that!!!

Oh, you're no fun any more...

I could envision a warm summer afternoon relaxing on the sidwalk out from with a cold one and the door remote, waiting for drunks to stagger past. As soon as they're within "target range" you hit the door opener remote. It would be like playing pinball with lushes. You could even tally the high score on the back of the door in chalk.

Actually, with the right hardware a bi-fold isn't out of the question. A single (standard) door operator could be mounted to one side along the header. It would move the door laterally instead of vertically. You'd need some nasty heavy hinges to support the whole thing, though.

you could easily keep the exterior looking the same with bifold. That is by far the best idea.

You yard garage/driveway rocks. I'd dig a place like that.

I know its late but I must post on this one because this is my line of work and expertise on garage doors and making them work on limited room. let me know what you got and i can tell you how to make it work or what your best options are.