Extending your garage in Perth? What to consider for your new garage door

An extension usually changes more than the floor area. If the opening or how you use the space changes, your current door may no longer suit it.

A wider or taller opening is the obvious reason. We make each door to fit its opening, so a door made for the old opening won’t fit the new one.

Some extensions add a second door instead of widening the first. A matching pair of doors on a double frontage can give the facade a cohesive style.

Others turn part of the garage into a living or working space, such as a home office. That puts insulation and seals higher on the list.

Every extension is different, so check with your builder and your local council about what applies to your project before you finalise a door. We work closely with builders, architects and renovators, so your builder is welcome to join the conversation.

Once the opening size and position are sorted, our team at Steel-Line Garage Doors can provide a free on-site measure and quote and recommend a door.

A garage door needs more than the opening itself. It also needs some room above and beside the opening for the tracks and hardware that let it open and close. You may hear this called headroom and side room, which simply means the clear space above the opening and to either side.

The ceiling height and layout of your extension can affect which garage door styles are suitable. Different door types have different clearance requirements, so it's important to consider these during the planning stage. Our team can assess the available space and recommend a suitable option for your garage.

You don’t need to measure anything yourself; we check the space and tell you which options will fit.

Choosing the right garage door for your Perth home involves more than just selecting a style and colour. It’s equally important to consider how your garage door will withstand the local climate. From intense summer heat and coastal salt air to strong winds, storms and dust, Perth’s weather can be harsh on garage doors. Choosing a door not suited to these conditions can lead to premature wear, corrosion, and reduced durability. That’s why it’s important to consider your home’s location and exposure to the elements when selecting the right garage door.

Hot, sunny summers

Perth has long, dry summers, and an attached garage can get warm. You’ll notice it more if you’re turning the space into a workshop.

Insulated garage doors help reduce heat transfer through the door, making the garage more comfortable to spend time in. Insulation is available on our Sectional Garage Door range, and it also has acoustic benefits, so ask about it if the garage will double as a gym. For stored belongings, our ventilated Roller Door profiles are designed to improve airflow. Colour plays a part too. Lighter colours reflect more sunlight than darker ones, so weigh that up alongside how the colour looks on your home.

Coastal air

Salt air doesn’t stop at the beachfront. Even many kilometres from the ocean, salt spray can still affect parts of a home, depending on local weather and terrain. Tell us where you’re located and we can recommend a suitable finish.

Wind and summer storms

Perth gets afternoon sea breezes, and winter storms can bring strong winds. We offer wind-rated garage doors designed for high-wind areas, and your builder can advise whether your site needs one. For heavy rain, our Roller Doors have an optional tapered bottom panel that can reduce rain entering beneath the door.

Dust from dry easterly winds

Hot days in Perth usually come with dry easterly winds, and windblown dust and leaves find their way under and around a garage door. And some of it ends up on whatever you’ve stored inside.

Brush seals and weather seals

Brush seals and weather seals reduce gaps around the door. Brush seals go across the top and sides, and the weather seal runs along the bottom. Those gaps let dust, leaves, insects, and small critters like mice get in. They reduce dust rather than stop it completely, and a worn bottom seal or an uneven floor can still let it in.

This matters especially when you use your extended garage for more than parking or storage. A workbench covered in grit can quickly become frustrating, while effective seals can also help keep the space cleaner and more comfortable for pets.

Openers and smart opener accessories

An automatic opener lets you open the door from the car instead of stepping out into a winter downpour. Our smart opener accessories also let you check the door status from your phone, which is handy when you’re halfway down the street and can’t remember whether you shut the door or not. A battery backup lets you keep operating the door if the power goes out. If the extended garage has an internal door to the house, you can install a wireless wall remote nearby for easy access.

When extending your garage, choose a door that complements both the new extension and your home’s existing exterior.

Start by considering your roof, guttering, and existing colour scheme. Our COLORBOND® steel garage doors come in a wide range of colours to complement different home styles across Perth.

If you prefer the warmth of timber, our DecoWood® and UniCote® LUX ranges offer timber-look finishes with the durability of steel and less maintenance than natural timber.

Keep in mind that years of sun exposure can fade existing paint finishes, so the original colour of your home may no longer match exactly. We recommend viewing colour samples in person and comparing them against your walls and roof.

You can also use our Garage Door Visualiser to explore different styles and colours on your home before you decide.

Building work leaves dust and debris, and some of it settles on and around your new door. Dirt in the tracks can cause noise and friction, so once the trades have packed up:

• wipe the door down with mild soap and a soft cloth
• visually check for debris around the tracks
• check the seals are sitting properly against the floor and frame

After that, occasional cleaning and quick visual checks are good habits, especially if you live near the coast or in a dusty area.

For anything beyond a clean, book a Steel-Line Garage Doors service rather than adjusting springs or hardware yourself. A qualified technician can service the door.

We make sectional, Roller Door and specialty garage doors. Our Perth team at Steel-Line Garage Doors, in Wangara, works with homeowners and builders across the metro area. Outside Perth, we can connect you with an authorised installer elsewhere in Western Australia.

Once your builder has the extension plans in place, book a measure and quote. We’ll come out, measure the new opening and the surrounding space, then walk you through styles and colours that match your home.