| The origins of garage doors and its sizes come about | | | | can remain as he may be the only person able to get |
| in a peculiar way. The first make shift garages were | | | | off the vehicle. Cars have been designed around this |
| actually barns and barn doors as automobiles were | | | | situation and interestingly enough, Japanese versions of |
| first called the horseless carriages. These doors were | | | | vans such as the Mitsubishi Delica and the Toyota |
| of big widths and heights, and not all were | | | | Previa are made narrower and much higher with sliding |
| standardized but at the very least, these doors were | | | | doors. This is so that the driver can park the car in |
| 30 feet wide and 20 feet high. This was so to | | | | such a small space and then get out not using his door |
| accommodate the horses and carriages that were still | | | | but going through the rear passenger's sliding door as |
| present. These days, garage door sizes have more or | | | | well. |
| less been standardized. In North America and Europe, | | | | These days when ordering a garage door, its sizes |
| most standard garage size doors are around 7 feet | | | | may be customized to fit your specifications. The |
| high and 9 feet wide. The reason for the bigger width | | | | presence of new material such as Glass Reinforced |
| space has to do with the opening of the car doors | | | | Polyester, Vinyl, and ABS has made it quite easier for |
| which is an additional 3 feet per side if the door is open | | | | manufacturers to cut garages doors to specifications |
| to its fullest aperture. For two car garages, while the | | | | and since these materials don't move like wood, they |
| former standard was around 16 feet by 7 feet, | | | | are virtually maintenance free. Though more expensive |
| because of the emergence of Sub Urban Vehicles | | | | than steel, such material are not as expensive as real |
| and the like, the ongoing standard has increased to 20 | | | | wood and in the long run may be a worthwhile |
| feet wide by 9 feet high. | | | | investment to have. Furthermore, these new material, |
| It is interesting to note that in a crowded city in Japan | | | | although light, have reinforced steel at its sidings to |
| and Tokyo where space is a premium, the width of | | | | prevent any forcible entry as well. Because of its |
| garage doors is very small. In some areas, the width is | | | | weight, a small garage door automatic door opener |
| just around 6 feet wide or almost the width of a car | | | | machine is used and incurs savings to the consumer. |
| itself. In fact, when parking the vehicle in Japan, all other | | | | All in all, getting a new garage door using such |
| passengers must leave the vehicle and only the driver | | | | materials is a good investment for your home. |