What Is A Tilt-Up Garage Door And Is It The Right Choice For Your Home?

When you picture a garage door, you likely see a sectional with several individual panels that form a solid unit. When you open the door, it rolls along a track and bends at the hinges that connect the panels. A tilt-up garage door is one large panel with a sturdy internal frame instead of several panels. When it opens, it tilts or swings outward, moving on pivoting hinges that are located around the middle of the unit. Tilt-up doors might be the right choice for your home if you want a unique, vintage look and a simple door with fewer moving parts.

Tilt-up garage doors are often compatible with garage door openers, so you can automate them rather than open them manually like the first doors of its kind. Opening a tilt door manually isn't as difficult as it sounds, though. Because of the placement of the hinges and the lightweight design, the door is well-balanced and opens easily. This style of garage door isn't as popular as sectional models, but being one of the few people with a tilting garage door is part of its charm. However, it's also important to look at the potential negatives — including the space requirements and lack of durability in bad weather — to make sure it's the right garage door option for your home. 

Because of the solid-panel construction, a tilt-up door has fewer moving parts which makes for a simpler design. It uses a simple spring mechanism that allows you to open the door easily without other components that could break or get off track. That means you don't have to worry about issues like rollers coming off the tracks (one of the disadvantages of installing sectional garage doors). It also makes maintenance easy and cuts down on how many repairs you'll likely need. Simply lubricate the springs occasionally to keep the door opening and closing smoothly. The simple design often means a tilt-up garage door lasts longer because there are fewer parts to wear out. 

Tilt-up doors typically cost a little less ($400 to $1,600) than sectional doors ($500 and $1,800). How much you spend though, depends largely on the design and materials used. Tilt-up doors have a unique vintage look, and come in a variety of styles and colors which allows you to customize the look to fit your home. You can even incorporate glass panels into tilt-up doors if you so choose.

While there are plenty of benefits to tilt-up garage doors, there are some drawbacks to consider as well. Finding a wide variety of tilt-up doors may be challenging since they're not as popular as sectional options. Once you find one you love, you'll want to protect it well, especially because if something happens to the door, you'll likely need to replace the entire unit since it's a solid piece. With a sectional door, you can often replace just the damaged section, which can make repairs more affordable.

The way the door swings outward also requires adequate space. You'll need at least 3 to 4 feet of space in front of the garage to allow the door to tilt out as it opens. That can be a problem if you have a tiny driveway or frequently park a vehicle in that space. On some models called canopy doors, part of the door (about ⅓) sticks out of the garage while it's open, which could create a hazard or barrier depending on what's near your garage.

Weaker security is also an issue with tilt-up doors. They don't have a seal along the bottom edge of the door, which makes it easier to pry it open. Most tilting doors also leave gaps along the edge, which could allow access to the contents of the garage. One way to protect your garage from break-ins is by choosing a door with a two-point locking system. Tilt doors also tend to have less insulation than sectional doors, so they won't provide as much protection against extreme temperatures. They also don't hold up as well in extreme weather, such as high wind.