Two-car owners would likely agree that maintaining more than one is challenging. However, the benefits can outweigh the consequences. Two cars offer convenience to accommodate the diverse needs of a family. What owners need to prevent challenges from happening is to secure vehicles from elements. It is where sensible investment in a two-car garage comes in. A well-built one can provide equal protection for cards and peace of mind for the owner. And start with a 16-foot garage door?
Size of a garage door
Most of the time, the argument about double-vehicle garages is they should be roomy. In case you don’t know, the minimum size of a two-car garage is 20×20, but the recommended one is 24×24 or larger. The standard height is seven feet or eight, but it could be customizable to reach 12 feet. But what is a spacious garage if its door is unfit for two cars?
A garage door is the beginning of convenience or inconvenience and the advantage or disadvantages of a garage. If it is large enough, arriving or leaving the garage is comfortable. There is enough room if two vehicles go for a long road trip in convoy. More importantly, it is painless to park both cars.
Another big plus point of wide garage doors is providing equal care for the vehicles. Maybe they are not identical models, heights, or widths. Consequently, if a broad car comes in, the narrow one needs to adjust and give way. On top of that, there is a tendency that vehicles to endure scrapes and scratches. The chance of accidents and injuries is also possible.
The logical reasons can be endless on why there is a need to put attention on choosing a garage door size. However, those reasons only point to what is the right door size for a two-car garage?
Is a 16-foot broad garage okay?
In the market, you find different standard garage door sizes. There are 12×7, 14×7, and 16x 7. Among these, the favored size is the 16-feet wide door with 7 to 8 feet in height. Is it merely a popular or practical recommendation?
Upon checking the available car sizes, the average width of vans and SUVs is 6 to 7 feet with 5 to 6 feet in height. Sports and compact cars commonly have 5 to 6 feet wide and 4 to 5 feet tall. On the other hand, large and luxury vehicles have 6 to 6.5 feet wide and 4.5 to 5 feet tall. So, if two vans (12 to 14 feet combined) face a single 16-foot wide garage door, there is two to four feet more space. It is more than the minimum advisable 36 inches distance between two cars.
Apart from spacious size, you may also need to consider the pros and cons of having a 16-feet wide single or double door. The advantages of the one-wide door are they are cheaper and can help with ventilation. On the opposite, a 16×7 double door looks stylish and beneficial in case one door is defective.
You might also want to know about how to get the right size of a metal garage.