This cold snap has focussed my mind on improving the insulation of my garage and I am thinking of replacing my current up and over door with an insulated sectional door. I had a look at the Hormann information on the web and see that they fit behind the brickwork. I fancy having a go at fitting one myself and wondered if anyone has any tips etc. Is it a one man job or does it need and extra pair of hands?
The current door has a wooden frame which I presume will just be removed. This will leave a gap on one side where the rendering meets the frame. The other side is OK as it is facing brick. Any idea on how to cover/ fill the gap. The other possible problem I see is with the panel above the door. It seems asbestos like material but is probably cement board stuff ( I don't know the name) which is nailed to the lintel of the door frame. I guess that trying to remove the lintel will damage the panel. Has anybody attempted a similar installation?
I think they can fit *either* between, or behind the brickwork
I've just had one fitted (considered doing it myself, but too uch other stuff on the go and needed garage door back in action after snapped springs)
I wasn;t around when it was fitted but Ipresume it's one of them jobs where 4 arms are better than two, only six bolts to drill though, the new frames are obviosuly well geared up for a quick install.
I used a leftover length of 18mm thick upvc fascia board, it fitted my hole above the door nicely, and the "L" shape made it easy to nail into place.
I did a very detailed research job on garage doors a few months ago when I wanted to change two ageing Cardale doors for a double width door and to remove the brick pillar between the old doors.
Previously I had had 50mm Celotex stuck inside the old doors and this was a very effective insulator when coupled with vinyl sealing strips around the edges. However, it was time for them to go as apart from the functional requirements they didn't meet current safety standards and were nearing the end of their useful lives.
I looked in detail at Hoermann and it was definitely in the frame (as it were) for a time. These are well made products and I don't think that one would be disappointed. They certainly meet the requirements of insulation and draught proofing. Because I was looking to maximise the space inside the garage and was not too bothered about losing a little opening width (it would become a double width opening), I focussed on between brick fixing. However, I am pretty sure that behind brick is possible as well. You would dump the old frame, typically. Take a look on the Hoermann German web site. There is much more material to download there and although the text is in German, there are plenty of diagrams etc. Don't use the U.S. site because products are different.
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terms of fixing, I doubt that even a single width door is really a one man job. I don't think that it would be rocket science to do the work on a DIY basis with an assistant, but the other aspect is that if you buy a door costing a few £k and something happens with the installation or there is a product problem, it gives the supplier a means to wriggle. With all of that in mind, I think that this is one job where it makes sense that the supplier owns the whole project and if need be any problems.
In the end, I didn't select the Hoermann product for aesthetic reasons. We wanted to have a door with a design of a set of arches, and that can't really be done very well with a sectional door; so we went for a customised design manufactured by Silvelox, an Italian manufacturer instead
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from what I saw from looking very carefully at Hoermann products in a couple of showrooms, they are quite a lot better than the run of the mill Cardale, Henderson etc. stuff.
I had a look at the Silvelox products and am impressed. They looked just what I need but I nearly fell out of my chair when I found out the prices. I will probably go for the Hoermann sectional and have it installed for arount £1100. I have plenty other stuff to be getting on with anyway.
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