Rolling Steel Doors or Sectional Doors: Which One's Better?

When it comes to picking the right door for your building, there are many options, and it can be easy to get overwhelmed. Two of the options you may see in your research include rolling steel and sectional doors. While both are great garage door options, understanding the differences between these two types of doors can help you can decide which one will work best for you. 

Rolling Steel Garage Doors

A rolling steel door, sometimes also known as a coiling or sectional roll-up garage door, is a metal slatted door that coils up into a barrel-shaped roll in the opening's headroom. These doors are very reliable and efficient. Typically, those with limited space will choose rolling steel doors because they don't take up more room than necessary.

Rolling garage doors also provide easy access for those who may regularly send or receive large quantities of materials or shipments. Their functionality is why you'll often see these types of doors on commercial buildings and utility garages.

What Are the Benefits of Rolling Steel Doors?

There are quite a few benefits to using the various types of roll-up doors, including:

• Security: These doors have modern operating systems that deter thieves. Additionally, rolling steel doors have individual interlocking steel slats, which makes it very hard to penetrate the door. 
• Insulation: Rolling doors are available in insulated and non-insulated versions. The insulated version of the rolling door is definitely one to consider because it can reduce your energy expenses and improve climate control. Also, it limits the amount of heat transfer, which makes it easier to heat up or cool down the area. 
• Sound: Hearing lots of exterior sounds can be distracting or just annoying, but with the rolling steel door, you won't have all that noise transfer. This is great for those who want to reduce noise pollution or prevent outside noises from penetrating your space. 
• Protection: There are some doors that are made to withstand tornadoes, fire, hurricanes, and other highly destructive wind events. If you live somewhere prone to tornadoes or hurricanes, having one of these doors could make a significant difference in the event one of these catastrophic events hits your area. 
• High-performance: Some rolling doors are cycled constantly. There are some doors and models that can't handle this much use in such a short time — however, rolling steel doors are available in high-performance models, which can keep your productivity up while keeping your labor and maintenance costs down. 
• Longevity: These days, garage doors are made with good quality metals built to withstand weather and normal wear and tear. A rolling garage door is built for heavy use over a long period of time, so it can last longer than some other models.
• Sizing: One of the most attractive traits of the rolling steel door is flexibility when it comes to sizing. There are a number of different sizes available, and if you don't see the size you need, you can work with an architectural design team to build one in the size you need. 

You can see that rolling steel doors can be great for commercial use. They are built to last, even with high usage, and are made to function well despite shipments coming and going regularly or when placed in heavily trafficked areas with high peak cycle times. They can also be a great option in residential settings if you use your garage heavily or need to save upper wall and ceiling space for storage.

Sectional Garage Doors

A sectional door typically mounts to the vertical face of a wall and has a horizontal track that's supported by the ceiling or roof structure. Sectional doors are more common in residential homes and buildings.

What Are the Benefits of Sectional Doors?

• Space: While some doors will open and close while staying straight, a sectional door will bend, which is ideal for small spaces. You won't have to worry about leaving space for the door to close as it will fold easily along its track.
• Operation: Sectional doors are available in electric or manual models. For most residential places, an electric door would be much simpler so you can pull straight into the garage without having to get out of your car. But for commercial buildings, having a manual door may be easier to work with. 
• Safety: Many electric sectional doors come with added safety features that can prevent injuries during the operation of the door. These features are especially important for young children who may wander under the garage door while it's closing.
• Sizing: Like the rolling steel doors, sectional doors are available in all different sizes, so you don't have to feel limited because you need a door with nonstandard measurements. 
• Simplicity: Most sectional doors are made of a relatively lightweight metal, so you wouldn't have to worry about weight or other difficulties getting in the way of using the sectional door. 
• Style: Sectional doors come in all sorts of different styles and color options. You can find a sectional door to match any kind of look you need.
• Cost: Sectional doors can come out a little cheaper than other garage type doors.

While you'd typically see sectional doors in residential areas, they can be handy for commercial use as well. 

What Type of Garage Door Is Better?

The type of door that is right for you really depends on what you and your structure need. Consider the following questions when making your decision:

• Is my property a residential or commercial property?
• What do I use my garage door for?
• How much do I use my garage door?
• How much do I want to spend?

Cornell Can Help With All Your Garage Door Needs

Cornell offers so many different different types of garage doors, and you can check out our products and learn the specifics about the different choices available to you. In addition to our variety of doors, Cornell proudly offers installation and maintenance. We want you to get the most out of your garage door and the money you put into it, and we know that the proper care and maintenance can help achieve that goal. 

If you're interested in any of the Cornell products or services, check out our website to learn more. For more personalized service, you can find a dealer near you. If you have any questions or concerns about the different options or what's right for you, you can contact us to request a quote or give us a call at 800-233-8366.