Garage mods.

[chrisinflight]

Hi All,
Now that I am no longer using my garage to store tools and equipment, my attention has been turned to making it usable to park the surf.
I need to remove the existing up and over door to allow more width and height. I cant fit a roller-shutter door on the inside as there is a steel girder directly behind the lintel. I could relocate this but a fair bit of work involved. I cant have swing doors as its on a hill!
I can leave the door off- which is the easy solution but will open up the problem of kids maybe having a party in there and litter blowing in etc.
(I wouldn`t mind a remote-controlled bollard though! That`s just cool) It wont stop the litter and scrotes though! The garage will be empty except for the surf as I have my workshop in the basement.
Any suggestions please?
I`ve attached a pic of my old 1st. gen to give you an idea of the situation and note the amount of space the existing door and frame uses at the top.

[SoundsDigital]

I don't see a bollard in the road making you too popular with the neighbours and looks like an extention is out of the question. How about extending the other end so the bonnet sticks right through?

[hiroler]

I have an 03 astra up for sale!! fit in there a treat!

[yoshie]

Get Mark to Bobtail it for you

[That Ruddy Squirrel]

Get Mark to Bobtail it for you

what, the Astra ?

Nah, just slice the ruddy heap up !

Oh you mean the surf, good idea

[chrisinflight]

Ha Ha! Cut off the ass! Or buy a Zook!
No, seriously, the garage is plenty wide and long enough- it`s just the opening width and height which isn`t. The bollard idea is not for the road but in place of a door. This would stop anyone stealing the vehicle or parking in there when I`m out.

[yoshie]

A so the height is the issue.
Can you not dig two channels in the floor for the wheels to run in, giving you extra head clearance

[That Ruddy Squirrel]

Do you own or rent said garage ?

the floor could be lowered

[marky]

Buy a COMPRESSOR let you tyres down

[BEAST]

You could fit swing doors as the right one wont have to go any further out than inline with the wall and the left door would swing right round due to the slope. Or, you could fit foldable doors on runners.

[colin timney]

Chris on the photo i can't see what is above the lintle, does the
building continue above. one way you could do it is to put in a catnic lintle in this would give you approx 225mm, it all depends what is above it
colin

[POPEYE]

I had the same(ish)problem, i ditched the up and over and made doors from some decking a mate give me, weigh's a ton and practically bomb proof bit i gained anout 6" head and knocked (cut) half a brick wide'r had to make me own iron work up tho as the propper stuff was very dear and possibly not strong enough to support the doors, dont look to stylish but they work, as you see i made two hinged together and one on it's own, their a bit of a performance opening em up to get the truck in and out, four drop bolts and a hasp and staple, (and they aint yellow anymore!!! before the yuk comments start up)

[chrisinflight]

A so the height is the issue.
Can you not dig two channels in the floor for the wheels to run in, giving you extra head clearance

Height is the main issue- Good suggestion!- Or knock the whole slab out and drop the level.

[QUOTEDo you own or rent said garage ?

the floor could be lowered [/QUOTE

Yes, owned. Lowering the floor would solve the problem- I`d still need to fold one wing- mirror to get in and I`m not happy with the wasted space the existing door is taking up so ideally I need to drop the floor and change the door.

QUOTE Buy a COMPRESSOR let you tyres down QUOTE

Fit 215/15`s??

QUOTE You could fit swing doors as the right one wont have to go any further out than inline with the wall and the left door would swing right round due to the slope. Or, you could fit foldable doors on runners.
5th May 2008 19:14 QUOTE

Now this option is good: swing doors swinging out front. Full height usage. Would only increase width slightly though.

QUOTE Chris on the photo i can't see what is above the lintle, does the
building continue above. one way you could do it is to put in a catnic lintle in this would give you approx 225mm, it all depends what is above it
colin QUOTE

Stone- work, Colin, inside and outside. What`s a catnic lintel?

QUOTE I had the same(ish)problem, i ditched the up and over and made doors from some decking a mate give me, weigh's a ton and practically bomb proof bit i gained anout 6" head and knocked (cut) half a brick wide'r had to make me own iron work up tho as the propper stuff was very dear and possibly not strong enough to support the doors, dont look to stylish but they work, as you see i made two hinged together and one on it's own, their a bit of a performance opening em up to get the truck in and out, four drop bolts and a hasp and staple, (and they aint yellow anymore!!! before the yuk comments start up) QUOTE

Thanks for the idea- it looks like I need to some kind of swing out doors.
I was also thinking of making a side-gate out of decking timber- really strong (and graffiti-proof).

Phew, please dont all reply at once

[Sancho]

Go for either a folding door or swinging doors on rising butt hinges.

[POPEYE]

Swing out doors will give you the extra bit of room, if you do use decking you'll need a shed load of coach bolts (screwfix) they are dammed heavy, i also had to drill holes in the road outside to drop the drop bolts in to stop the wind blowing em when i was backing out, this was of course after they blew into the side of my truck when i was halfway out, sort of bolting the door after the surf was dented