What is Headroom and How Much do I Need?

Headroom is the distance between the top of the door and the lowest point of the ceiling of your garage or other objects such as rails or pipes.

There are a few factors that will determine how much headroom you need for your door. Here are the factors you should consider.

Residential- For a residential door with extension springs, you need 10” for the door to operate. Torsion springs require 12”. For more information about the requirements, check your garage door opener guide.

Commercial- Commercial doors must factor the type of springs as well as tracks to determine the headroom needed for the door to operate. For example, a standard door with torsion springs that have a 2” thick track, you will need 16”. If you install a jackshaft opener or a trolley, you will need to factor in additional space overhead or on the side of the door to accommodate the equipment.