Types of Garage Door Tracks

Garage door tracks guide the rollers when the door is raised or lowered. They are available in different lengths and widths. Difference in length allows usage for different door sizes. Most residential garage doors use 2-inch wide tracks. Older models are thicker and heavier. There are two main types of tracks, namely the vertical track and the sliding door track.

Vertical Style Tracks

Vertical style garage door tracks lift the hardware upwards. It has three types. The first one is commonly used for residential application. This is the standard lift track. It runs vertically at about 76 inches, then curves in a horizontal fashion into the interior of the garage. It is used for canopy and retractable doors. Next type is the second vertical lift, which is set above an up and down lift. This is often used for commercial garage doors to have room for spring assembly. The third type of vertical track is the high-lift system. It is used for applications with high ceiling heights. It uses both standard and vertical track systems.

Sliding Door Tracks

Sliding door tracks are used for doors that move sideways. Sliding doors make use of two horizontal tracks. One is located on top and the other at the bottom. These are also what panel doors with hinges use to enable them to fold against the sidewalls. Rollup garage doors use vertical track and horizontal sections that roll up inside the drum assembly.     

Modern garage door tracks are made from galvanized steel for strength and corrosion protection. It is important for door tracks to be durable since it holds the door. Industry specialists recommend regular cleaning and aligning of rollers and tracks to keep the system running smoothly, since these tracks are also vulnerable to problems such as metal fatigue.