Can anyone tell me if it is possible to convert a 2 car garage with 2 seperate doors into 1 big door. I understand that it depends on the center post and if it is structural support or just cosmetic, which I still need to find out. Assuming that it is cosmetic and can be removed, what other factors need to be considered and does anyone have any experience with this and can give me an estimate cost for a project like this?
Thanks Mike
There is no doubt that it could be done, the question is; should it be done. As you drive around check out older installations of big doors, see how they all sag in the middle when raised.
Of course, it can, but the question I would ask is are you really, really sure you want to? The disadvantages far outweigh the advantages imo unless you have some wide vehicle/apparatus that can't clear the current door.
Having had a single-door double-car garage, I wished daily I could have gone the other way (but most particularly in the winter when the snow was out and blowing). The double door is heavier and more expensive to maintain, there then is only "the whole thing is open or none", and with a center column between the two the door has to be even wider than for a standard double-wide.
IMO, YMMV, IMO, $0.02, devil's advocate, etc., etc., etc., ... :)
Agree. If OP really want to convert, make sure keep the doors and sidings (if vinyl) for the center column somewhere. When he needs to sell the place, the two door garage will be more appearing to potential buyers (in most cases).
"Eric in North TX" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com:
In one area the code required me to put a steel "flitch" plate sandwiched between the headers on a 16' (I think) span. That was new construction. Beats the hell outta me how you would do it with old work.
Hell, I had
I'll just add that the center post is almost certainly structural, carrying the ends of the two headers above the two existing doors, plus the transferred loads from the wall and roof above. Converting it will mean building a temporary wall to support the roof/ceiling load, then removing the center post and the two headers above the existing doors. Those headers will need to be replaced with a single longer one, and since it will be carrying a bigger load and for a greater length, it will either need to be larger, or reinforced with steel as one poster mentioned, or replaced with a manufactured beam, such as a glulam or steel beam. You also may very well need a custom door, because the sum of the widths of the old doors and the center post probably won't equal a standard door width. It's going to add up to a pretty sum. If you are in an earthquake or high-wind area (coast), then you may need to beef up the shear strength of the walls to the sides of the existing doors too. All possible, just time and money.
Good luck,
Paul
Unless you got money to burn, it ain't worth it. There are many benefits to having a pair of 9x7 doors vs. one 16 foot door. As others mentioned, your headers above the current doors would have to be reworked. Plus the new opening would be too big for a standard 16 foot door. You could get a bigger door to fit it, but that will cost you big time.
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