Garage doors
Sectional garage doors
A UK sectional garage door is made of horizontal panels that travel up then back along ceiling tracks, sealing on all four edges. Insulated manual versions typically cost £1,895, range £1,650–£2,600, and electric £2,495, range £2,495–£3,500, inc. VAT against the standard 2290mm × 2250mm opening.
Pros
- Seals on all four edges of the opening, better than up-and-over for draughts
- Does not swing out over the driveway when opening
- Can be specified with a built-in pedestrian access door
- Runs flush with the outside wall face, useful where drive space is tight
Cons
- More expensive than up-and-over for an equivalent single opening
- Needs more headroom than roller — typically around 300–400mm
- Needs clear side room down both sides of the opening for vertical track
- More moving parts (multiple hinges and rollers) means more potential points of wear
Typical installed price, inc. VAT and fitting
£1,650–£3,500
How a sectional door works
A sectional door is built from several horizontal panels hinged together. As the door opens, it travels straight up, then curves back and runs horizontally along tracks fixed to the garage ceiling. Because the panel stays flat against the opening right up until it curves away, it seals on all four sides rather than pivoting out on an arc the way an up-and-over door does.
Insulation and thermal performance
Sectional panels are almost always insulated as standard in the UK market — typically a foam-filled steel sandwich construction — which combined with the four-sided seal makes sectional the strongest common option where the garage is heated, used as a utility space, or directly beneath living space.
Headroom and side room needed
Standard sectional track typically needs around 300–400mm of headroom above the opening for the horizontal track run, more than roller usually needs. It also needs clear space down both sides of the opening for the vertical track sections. Where headroom is tight, a low-headroom track kit is available from most manufacturers but usually costs more than a standard kit.
The pedestrian access door option
Unlike roller or up-and-over, a sectional door can be built with a walk-through pedestrian door set into one panel, complete with its own frame, hinges and lock. This lets you get in and out on foot without raising the full door — useful for a garage used as a workshop — but roughly doubles the base electric price because that panel needs reinforcing.
| Factor | Typical UK figure |
|---|---|
| Installed price, manual (single, reference opening) | £1,895 (£1,650–£2,600) |
| Installed price, electric (single, reference opening) | £2,495 (£2,495–£3,500) |
| Headroom needed | Approx. 300–400mm |
| With pedestrian access door | £4,700 (£4,700–£6,500) |
Questions people ask
- Is a sectional garage door more insulated than up-and-over?
- Sectional garage doors in the UK are typically sold with insulated panels as standard, and their four-sided seal against the opening generally gives better draught performance than an up-and-over door, which pivots out and seals differently. Both can be specified insulated, but sectional is the more consistently well-insulated common type.
- How much headroom does a sectional garage door need?
- A standard UK sectional garage door track typically needs around 300–400mm of clear headroom above the opening. Where this is not available, a low-headroom track kit is usually available from the manufacturer, though it typically costs more than the standard kit.
- Can a sectional garage door have a pedestrian access door built in?
- Yes — a sectional door can be built with a reinforced panel containing its own hinged, lockable walk-through door, so you can enter on foot without raising the full door. This option typically costs £4,700–£6,500 inc. VAT installed against the reference opening, roughly double the base electric price.
- How much does a sectional garage door cost in the UK?
- A manual insulated sectional garage door typically costs £1,895 inc. VAT and fitting against the standard reference opening, range £1,650–£2,600. The electric version typically costs £2,495, range £2,495–£3,500, reflecting the added operator and safety photocells.
UK standards and regulations referenced
- BS EN 13241
- BS EN 12453:2017+A1:2021
- BS EN 12635
Related
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