Sectional, roller or up-and-over garage door: how to choose?

A new garage door is something you operate several times a day for many years. The right model isn’t chosen from a photo: it depends on the space in front of and inside the garage, what is fixed to the ceiling, how you get into the house and the level of comfort you expect. We have been installing Hörmann garage doors in Luxembourg since 2007; here is how we help our customers decide between the three main types.

Three ways to open a garage

The sectional door

The door leaf is made of horizontal panels that rise vertically and then sit under the ceiling. It swings neither out onto the drive nor into the garage while opening: it gives you the maximum space saving. Hörmann’s LPU42 sectional door comes in steel or solid wood, in many finishes.

The roller door

The slats roll up into a box above the opening. The garage ceiling stays completely clear, which matters as soon as it holds lighting, shelving or low roof timbers. For this we install the Hörmann RollMatic roller door.

The up-and-over door

The one-piece door leaf tilts up and comes to rest under the ceiling. It is the simplest and most traditional principle; it needs a little clearance in front of the door while it moves. Hörmann’s Berry up-and-over door comes in a classic or solid wood version.

Questions to ask yourself before choosing

• How much space is there in front of the garage? With a short drive or a garage opening straight onto the pavement, a door that doesn’t swing out, sectional or roller, avoids a lot of constraints.
• What is on the ceiling? Lighting, shelves, a beam or ducting: if the ceiling is taken, a roller door keeps all the space.
• Do you often go in on foot? A wicket door built into the door, or a matching separate side door, saves opening the whole door to take out a bike.
• Is the garage connected to the house? Then the door’s thermal insulation matters as much as its looks.
• How wide is the opening? A double garage is closed with one large door or two doors side by side, depending on the façade.

Special cases

Some situations don’t fit the three types. A ceiling-sliding door suits garages with little headroom above the opening, a side-sliding sectional door opens sideways and lets a person through without opening fully, and design models with an aluminium frame or a glazed sectional door bring light into the garage. Every Hörmann door is configured to measure, to the exact size of your opening.

Plan the motor from the start

A motorised door opens without you getting out of the car. We install Hörmann ProMatic operators, a high-performing entry-level range, and SupraMatic E or SupraMatic P, which open faster and offer advanced safety features. The choice depends on the type of door, its size and how often it is used.

Around the motor, several controls are possible:

• encrypted Hörmann BiSecur remote controls;
• wall-mounted code keypad or fingerprint reader;
• smartphone control over Bluetooth with BlueSecur;
• safety photocells for closing.

Colours and finishes: best seen in person

Hörmann offers a very wide range: white, anthracite grey, black, brown, fir green, night blue and any RAL colour on request. For the surface, you choose between smooth, stucco, M or L ribs, or the Decograin wood-effect finish (Golden Oak, Night Oak, Dark Oak). A sample never looks the same on screen: you can see and touch the finishes in our Sandweiler showroom by appointment, and browse our projects for ideas.

How your project goes

1. You describe your project using the form below or by phone: we get back to you within 24 hours.
2. We come to your home to assess the opening and take measurements.
3. You receive a detailed quote, free and with no obligation.
4. The door is made to measure: lead times depend on the model and are confirmed when you sign.
5. Our teams install and adjust it, with the Hörmann manufacturer’s warranty.

Founded by Manuel, a former technician with the Hörmann distributor in Luxembourg, and his son Luis, Fermé-Lux works across all 7 cantons of the country. Describe your garage in the form: we will recommend the most suitable model.