Wondering how much headroom you need for a rollup door installation and what to look out for when measuring? Check out our guide below to learn more about headroom for rollup doors. 

What Is Headroom?

Headroom is the clear, unobstructed space required above the door lintel, ceiling or header. Besides the ceiling, you should also look at obstructions like ducts, beams, pipes, and lights. Rollup doors don't require a track, opener, or springs for operation like sectional doors do, so they are often ideal for places that don't have much overhead clearance. 

Minimum Headroom Needed for Different Types of Rollup Doors

Wondering how much headroom you need for a rollup door?

The minimum height of headroom you need for your rollup door depends on its dimensions. The taller your door, the broader your coil's diameter will be as it rolls up into the frame. You'll also need to make room for the operator motor above the door frame. 

You can get an idea of what you need by reviewing the following minimum headroom requirements for our doors:

• SmokeShield®️ Fabric Smoke and Fire: The SmokeShield®️ Fabric Smoke and Fire rollup door is suitable for emergency applications to protect your commercial property. It has minimal headroom and sideroom requirements to accommodate any configuration. The maximum height is 20 feet, and the largest width is 22 feet. The clear opening height can be between 11 and 20 inches.
• Visionaire® MicroCoil® Grille: The Visionaire® MicroCoil® Grille is a low-headroom option if you need a security grille for your commercial building. Since the links stack on top of each other when the grille coils close, this grille only needs 15.5 inches of headroom. We offer grilles up to 26 feet by 14 feet. If you need a larger size, you can contact us. This product requires 30% less headroom than traditional grilles, meaning it requires as little as 15.5 inches of headroom for most applications.
• CrossingGard® Emergency Response Grille: The CrossingGard® Emergency Response Grille helps address security and safety issues in public areas. Standard construction is up to 24 feet wide by 20 feet high. You'd need a headroom of about 14 to 25 inches for this type of rollup grille.
• Rollup security door: We can customize our rollup doors up to 30 feet wide and 30 feet high. This type of door needs at least 14 inches of headroom, and can go up to 24 inches.
• StormDefender®:StormDefender® doors can protect windows and doorways from heavy storms and intense weather events. Three-foot doors need 19 inches of headroom, while a 16-foot door needs 29 inches of clearance.
• EntryDefender®: Our EntryDefender® doors can prevent forced entry for 5, 15, or 60 minutes in accordance with the U.S. Department of State Standard for forced entry SD-STD-01.01. Like the StormDefender®, 3-foot doors need 19 inches of headroom, and 16-foot doors will need 29 inches minimum.
• StoreDefender™:StoreDefender™ doors measure a maximum size of 30-by-40 feet. Three-foot window shutters require 14 inches of clearance, while a thirty-foot curtain needs 25 inches of headroom.
• Wind-Master®:Wind-Master® rolling doors protect properties against high winds. Six-foot rollup doors need at least 16 inches of headroom, while a 20-foot stainless-steel door requires 25 inches of vertical headroom.
• Extreme® 300 Series: Doors in the Extreme® 300 Series can be 6 feet to 20 feet tall, requiring either 15 or 19 inches, depending on whether the door is 6 feet or 20 feet. Doors with insulation need 1 to 6 inches more headroom. The rollup grilles in this series require 15 inches to 19 inches of clearance, depending on the opening height and the mounting configuration.
• Extreme® 1024 Series: A non-insulated door in the 1024 Series needs 19 inches to 24 inches of headroom. If the door has insulation, it requires 20 inches to 29 inches of clearance.
• Extreme MicroCoil®:MicroCoil® security grilles are compact and need minimal headroom, so you can install them in parking garages with about 10.5 to 11.75 inches of headroom.
• Thermiser®: Since Thermiser® and Thermiser Max® doors include insulation, so they need more headroom than the average door at 17 to 31 inches.
• Rollup fire doors: UL-listed rollup fire doors require 14 to 16 inches of clearance.
• Firemiser™: Four-foot Firemiser™ insulated rolling doors need at least 14 inches of headroom. The maximum size of these doors requires 20 inches of clearance.

Now that you know more about how much rollup door headroom you'll need, let's look at some things to keep in mind when measuring for a rollup door.

Important Things to Remember When Measuring for a Rollup Door

Before you install or replace a rollup door, measure the space between the top of the frame and the nearest obstruction — either the ceiling or any storage units or equipment you may have hanging from above. Take this extra step before you order your door to save time and money on repairs and replacements.

The dimensions of your rollup door affect how much space you need at your location. As you measure your space for a rollup door clearance, you'll need to know the following information to make sure you have enough room:

• The opening: You can find out how high and wide your rollup door should be by measuring the height and width of the empty door frame. Find the dimensions of the opening to the nearest quarter inch. The curtain's size will also help you figure out what you need for overhead and side clearance.
• The sideroom: If you want to install a between-jamb or wall-mounted guide, you need enough space on either side of the door. You'll also need room for the overhanging parts of the hood, such as the adjuster and the operator. Begin at the jamb's edge on either side of the wall or nearest obstruction as you measure the sideroom for your rollup door. These configurations usually require 5 to 11 inches of sideroom. If you choose one of our products, you can check the specifications for your desired product.
• The headroom: Our rollup garage doors need anywhere between 10.5 and 31 inches of headroom. The specifications for each garage door can help you determine which one will fit best in your space. 

Reach out to Cornell for a Custom Rollup Door Quote 

Want to learn more about how much clearance is needed for a rollup garage door? Find a local dealer and contact our team for a quote today.

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