Average Steel Garage Door Weight (With Quick Reference Chart)

Garage door weight is determined by size, material, steel gauge, thickness, insulation and glass. The average modern steel single car door weighs around 125 pounds while double car doors weigh about 200 pounds. Door weight is important when trying to figure out what torsion or extension springs are needed to counterbalance the door.  Older doors made from wood, overlay doors and full vision glass doors weigh considerably more than the average basic steel overhead door.

The above weights are an estimation based on standard raised panel residential doors. Specialty doors like rollup sheet doors, rolling steel, full vision glass and wood door weights must be determined on an individual basis. These doors must be engineered by the manufacturer or weighed with an analog scale.

1. Do Insulated Garage Doors Weigh More?

1.1 Non-insulated Door Weight

Insulation is not needed or a garage door installed on a detached garage or building that won’t be heated or cooled. In the past non-insulated doors were also the most popular, but now people are much more educated about the importance of energy efficiency. Non insulated doors are the most economical option and also the lightest weight.

The average steel single car non-insulated door weighs around 90 pounds while double car doors weigh 160 pounds.

1.2 Vinyl Back Insulated Door Weight

The most basic type of insulation is polystyrene insulation. If you stand inside your garage with the door closed and see white styrofoam with a vinyl covering this is the type of insulation you have. Vinyl back insulation can also be installed in a non-insulated door by purchasing a foam insulation kit. Since the insulation is exposed it is vulnerable to scrapes and punctures. As the door ages moisture can be absorbed or trapped in the insulation causing the door to actually gain weight.

The average steel single car vinyl back insulated door weighs around 100 pounds while double car doors weigh 175 pounds.

1.3 Polyurethane Insulated Double Steel Sandwich Doors

If your garage door has steel on both the exterior and interior it also has insulation between the steel skins that you can’t see. These types of doors are called “sandwich” doors. The hidden insulation will either be in the form of foam panel polystyrene or polyurethane injected insulation. It’s 1 7/8″ of injected foam fill all the small gaps and pockets that foam panel insulation doesn’t get to. Polyurethane insulation is more dense as well so it will weigh slightly more than regular insulation.

The average steel single car double sided steel insulated door weighs around 130 pounds while double car doors weigh 225 pounds.

2. How much weight does an insulation kit add?

In most cases its best to adjust your torsion springs to account for the added weight. You can do this by adding a half turn of tension to your springs. If you add more than 20 lbs you may need to replace your torsion springs.

3. Garage Door Construction Materials

3.1 Steel Doors

Steel garage doors are the new standard in the industry. With new technology that allows steel to rolled and stamped, garage doors are now aesthetically pleasing and extremely durable. Steel doors usually come in different thicknesses known as gauge. Garage doors are available from 18-gauge for some commercial models to a standard 25-gauge in residential doors. Single car steel doors weigh near 85-130 lbs while double doors weigh between 150-225 lbs.

• 25-Gauge Steel – This is the industry standard for raised panel residential garage doors. This is also the gauge that manufacturers determined was optimal for durability at a fair price point.
• 24-Gauge Steel – If your garage door is a large size or in a windy location like coastal areas, thicker steel is needed. Manufacturers gave suppliers a second option for added durability.

3.2 Wood Doors

Wood doors are still available, but are no longer the industry standard like they used to be. Wood doors simply don’t have the durability of steel. They tend to absorb moisture, dry rot and are excessively heavy. Wood doors are the best option on some high end homes are their elegance and natural beauty can’t be matched by steel. Several high end carriage house doors are still manufactured with wood. All wood doors are very heavy with a single car door weighing about 300 lbs and a double door weighing near 500 lbs.

3.3 Overlay Doors

Overlay doors are the newest trend in the garage door industry- a hybrid of wood & steel. This allows homeowners to capture the durability of steel and the natural beauty of wood. These overlay doors have a 1 1/4″ steel base with a 3/4″ wood overlay. An industrial grade adhesive bonds the steel and wood materials together. Single car overlay doors weigh around 250 lbs while double doors weigh 300-400 lbs.

3.4 Full Vision View Glass

Full vision glass doors are a great option for ultra modern high end homes, having the option for glass in every section. They are also popular for vehicle service centers and restaurants. Unfortunately, insulated glass tends to weigh a lot compared to a regular solid steel doors. A single car full view glass door can weigh 300-400 lbs while a double door can weigh over 500 lbs.

4. Size and Panel Configuration

Panel configuration has a direct correlation to door weight. A typical 7ft high garage door will have (4) 21″ sections while an 8ft garage door usually has (5) sections (2-21″, 3-18″).  Our reference chart shows only a 5 pound difference between the 8×7 and 9×7 door sizes. However, the weight change from a 9×7 to a 10×7 is about 13 pounds. This has to do with the door changing from a single center stile to a double center stile configuration.

The surface area also has a strong correlation to door weight.  You can estimate the weight of the garage door by getting the surface area (Length x Width) and using the following multipliers

• Non-Insulated Ratio – 1.40 Pounds per sq ft
• Vinyl Back Insulated Ratio – 1.50 Pounds per sq ft
• 1 3/8″ Steel Back Insulated Ratio – 1.63 Pounds per sq ft
• 2″ Steel Back Insulated Ratio – 1.97 Pounds per sq ft

5. How thick is my garage door?

The thickness of your garage door is easily measured with a tape. You can measure the end stile of the door to figure out the thickness. Most manufacturers produce garage doors 1 3/8″ to 3″ thick, although the most common door thickness is 2 inches.

• 1 3/8″ Thickness – Double sided steel insulated. This door provides all the benefits of a 2″ thick insulated sandwhich door at a more economical price point. Often times it is 25% less than its 2″ thick rival.
• 2″ Thickness – This is the standard in the garage door industry. 90% of garage doors are 2″ thickness due to the exception combination of strength, durability and price point.
• 3″ Thickness  – Commercial doors on specialty applications like climate controlled buildings may require a 3″ door thickness.  These doors are found on buildings that need to keep temperatures cold. These doors deliver a higher R-value due to the extra inch of thickness.

Door thickness is a huge factor in determining door weight. An 1 3/8″ thick door is on average 15% lighter than a comparable 2″ thick door, while a 3″ thick door is 30% heavier than its 2″ thick alternative. Again, increased door thickness has a direct correlation to the weight of your garage door.

6. Windows (Glass Lites)

6.1 DSB Glass (Double Strength)

Double strength glass is between 0.115 and 0.133 inches thick. It is 1/8″ thicker than single strength glass (SSB). Neither DSB or SSB add significant weight to the door. The cut outs in the garage door are roughly equal to the panes of glass that go into the door.

6.2 Insulated Glass

Doors with insulated glass installed are significantly heavier than solid doors without windows. Short panel glazing adds 6lbs of weight per window while long panel (rectangular) lites add 10-12 lbs per window.

6.3 Designer Glass

Glass with metal designs built into the glass also adds weight – as does glass with patterns like glue chip, opaque and seeded. These window options can be very heavy 15-20 lbs per lite.

6.4 Full Vision View Glass

As mentioned above doors with glass in every section are called full view. These doors are extremely heavy and must be weighed with a bathroom scale or engineered with the door manufacturer. Having glass in every panel of the door makes the door extremely heavy.

DSB and SSB lites don’t add meaningful weight to the door, but insulated glass does. Insulated glass options add an average of 6 pounds of weight per window, while a long panel rectangular design option adds about 10 pounds per window. Adding a row of insulated glazing to an existing door will increase the total door weight enough that the springs will need adjustment or replacement.

7. Accessories Add Weight

7.1 Reinforcement Struts

If you plan on reinforcing your garage door with extra steel braces you need to plan for weight being added to the door. Struts add on average 1 lb per linear foot to the door weight, so a strut for a double door 16ft wide will add about 16lbs to the total door weight.

7.2 Punched Angle

Perforated angle also adds weight to the door in about the same correlation as struts – 1 pound per linear foot. Punch angle is best used on the bottom section of the garage door as it has an “L” shape, allowing for better leverage when closing the door by hand.

7.3 Decorative Exterior Hardware

On certain carriage house and overlay door models exterior decorative handles and hinges can be installed. Basic wrought iron and fluer de lis hardware adds insignificant weight to the door at around 5 lbs. However, certain designer exterior hardware made with real iron can add 15-20 lbs.

8. Sectional Weight vs Total Door Weight

Many people get sectional door weight and total door weight confused. Sectional door weight is simply the weight of the garage door sections only, meaning none of the hinges, brackets or struts are included in this weight. Total door weight is the weight of the door after all hardware and hinges have been installed.

The total door weight is the most important weight needed as correct spring calibration depends on it. Torsion and extension springs counterbalance the total weight of the garage door. If the total door weight is more than 15lbs heavier than the section door weight, your torsion springs will need to be adjusted or replaced. Adding reinforcement struts, insulation kits, insulated glass and decorative exterior hardware are a few of the ways that total door weights are increased.

Failing to take into account total door weight will result in an unbalanced and unsafe door – not to mention the added stress put on your automatic garage door opener.

9. Garage Door Weight Chart

Here are door weights of the most popular residential sizes and models:

Above door weights are for solid (no windows) residential doors with 25-gauge steel, 14-gauge hardware and (1) strut per door.

10. Find the Door Sticker and Contact Manufacturer

In the event that you cannot weigh a heavy garage door with an analog scale or measure existing springs you have one a few options. You can contact the manufacturer or door dealer to ask for an engineering report.  In order to do this the door specifications are needed . A manufacturer or dealer sticker will be located on the end cap of the door near the vertical tracks with the door in the closed position. On this sticker you should be able to identify the following information:

10.1 Door Sticker Information

• Model – Manufacturer identify all garage doors with a specific model.
• Size – Width of the door and height of the door in feet. Width and height of the door section as well. Doors can have a mix of different size sections.
• Brand – CHI, Clopay, Amarr, Wayne Dalton, Raynor, Overhead, Crawford
• Strut Count – How many reinforcement struts are on the interior of the door?
• Track Type – Most doors are standard lift but high lift, vertical lift and follow the roof pitch are also common.
• Date of Manufacturer – This date is important in case model standards or paint codes have changed.
• Serial Number/ Purchase Order Number (P.O. #) – Manufacturers ship sections all over the country, but they can identify specific information with a serial number and purchase order number.

Your local door dealers should have a computer record of when the door was purchased and installed. This is helpful in case your garage door is damaged and a section needs replacement or repair. Door manufactures also keep records and can trace where their doors are being shipped and installed via a serial number, purchase order number (P.O. #) and date. This information is important if you have lost your paperwork and are trying to claim a warranty.

11. Hurricane Rated Door Weights – Windcode

Many coastal areas experience high winds, especially during hurricanes. Many state and local codes require garage doors to be windcode rated for this reason. These garage doors are rated to withstand a certain m.p.h. of wind without failing for safety reasons. Zones are created based on the proximity to the ocean. In order to wind proof a door additional reinforcement bracing is needed.

• Extra struts – Additional struts are installed on the back of the garage door. Instead of just one strut on the top section a reinforcement strut might be installed on every section. This will add a lot of weight to the door – sometimes 50 lbs or more!
• Heavier Gauge Steel – 25-gauge steel is the industry standard in normal climates, but wind code rated doors are usually 24-gauge or thicker.
• Extra Stile Placement – Stile placement varies by manufacturer and model, but having more steel stiles on the interior of the door will always make the door stronger.

Windcode rated doors and doors with additional reinforcement bracing added weigh significantly more than standard doors in non coastal areas due to thicker steel gauge, struts and stile count.

12. Estimating Door Weight

Trying to guess your door weight is generally a bad idea for a variety of reasons. This is especially true for larger residential doors and all commercial size doors. It is always recommended that you weigh the door with a scale, identify it with a sticker or contact the dealer or manufacturer. Estimating door weight is unsafe and could damage your door or opener.  If you have to guess at the weight of the door here are a few suggestions.

• Quick Reference Chart – Identify your door height, width and type and refer to our quick reference chart. Weight will vary by door manufacturer, but these three qualifiers should get you pretty close.
• Account for Add Ons – Have you added reinforcement struts, punch angle, decorative exterior hardware, insulation kits or insulated glass to an existing door? You will need to account for anything added to the door after installation towards the total door weight.
• Weigh One Section – On a heavy door you could remove the top section and weigh it separately, then multiply by the total number of sections adding 15 lbs for hardware. Example. 16ft x 21″  section weighs 40 lbs and the door has 4 total sections. (40lbs x 4 = 160lb +15lbs for hardware = 175 lb total weight.