Hormann Canopy vs. Retractable Up & Over’s

Hormann up and over garage doors are a reliable and secure choice that consist of two main categories and functionality. There is the Canopy gear and the retractable gear which determines the operating mechanism for how the garage door panel opens and closes. They both have their pro and cons, so it is good to understand more about them before making a choice.

Hormann Canopy Up & Over

The name ‘Canopy’ is derived from how the garage door appears whilst fully open, as it protrudes around a third of its length, from the sub-frame, to form a ‘canopy’. This type of up and over is the easiest garage door opening mechanism to install and gives a maximum drive-through width when open. The garage door panel is balanced and assisted by torsion springs positioned above the door panel at the head of the fixing frame. These springs are typically zinc coated to resist rust and corrosion. The canopy option is only available for up to eight feet wide and is typically not used for automated garage doors.

Hormann Retractable Up & Over

The retractable garage door is growing in popularity and its name is derived from how the garage door panel is completely retracted into the garage once fully open. The drive-through width is slightly reduced with the retractable mechanism as the lifting arms sit between the sub-frame when the door is open. This typically presents more of an issue if the door area is seven feet wide or less. The retractable option is the easiest to convert to electric operation, as it requires the least amount of equipment.

Regardless of what up and over garage door you choose, they will always require a fixing sub-frame. These are usually made from timber or steel and are fitted in between or behind the structure as required by the size or preference of door/area. So, it is important to remember that a Hormann up and over will not fit properly in any structure that does not have the sub-frame.