What Are Reinforcement Struts?

Do you have a double garage door in your home? Perhaps your garage door is about 16 feet wide. You may have noticed one or more U‑shaped steel bars attached to the door using hinges. This is on the inside of your garage door to keep the outside looking sleek. Have you ever wondered what those U‑shaped bars are for? You’re pretty certain they were made that way for a reason.

You are, in fact, looking at reinforcement struts. And you’re right, they were made that way for a reason! When it comes down to it, reinforcement struts play two major roles:

• To support the garage door when it’s in an open position
• As a reinforcement if you live in an area with particularly strong winds or the possibility of hurricanes

Reinforcement struts typically measure 2 ¼ inches (57mm) wide, being screwed in place or held in place with steel clips or hinges. The most important thing that you need to understand about reinforcement struts is that these bars should never be used as a ladder to reach the top of the garage. If you see your children trying to climb the garage door this way, stop them immediately. They could seriously injure themselves and stop the garage door from working.

Let’s look at the details at the top two roles that reinforcement struts play in your garage door.

Reinforcement against strong winds or hurricanes

Have you considered the fact that your garage door is the largest opening in your house? Most owners overlook the garage door as an important part of the structural integrity of the architecture, but caution must be taken against seasons where strong winds and hurricanes are at risk of occurring. In the United States, the EPA warns that “the intensity of the strongest hurricanes is projected to continue to increase as the oceans continue to warm, bringing stronger winds and heaver rains”. This means that now, more than ever, it is important to fortify your door against the increasingly heavy winds.

If you have a double garage door and you live in an area that is prone to strong winds or hurricanes, such as an area near the ocean like Florida or Louisiana, you should bring up this specific issue to your garage door specialist. They can help you find the best reinforcement struts and get them installed right away.

You should be advised against trying to install reinforcement struts yourself, especially not without consulting your garage door technician first. Your garage door’s spring system is calibrated to balance an exact weight in order for the door to move normally. Trying to counterbalance this may result in the door not working. A well-balanced door needs to be able to lift 8 and 10 pounds (2.5 and 4.5 kg), and should be able to be lifted with just one hand. Increasing the weight on your door can make it dangerous for you and for your home.

Here are some very important DON’Ts from Dasma, the Door & Access Systems Manufacturers Association:

• Do not park your car close to your garage door. If your door happens to not be reinforced properly, the garage door can fly away and seriously damage your automobile.
• Do not leave the garage door open. Especially during a season of strong winds, it is advised not to leave your door open, as this can damage the interior walls and ceiling of your garage. The winds can then find a way into your home, which would cause further destruction.
• If you live in Canada, you must live by these same standards to help protect your garage and your home against strong winds.
• If you live in the United States, there are specific standards to North Carolina and Florida that should be thoroughly understood before reinforcing your garage door.

Support when the garage door is in an open position

Whether your garage is insulated or not, typically with polystyrene or polyurethane, and depending on your door’s thickness, reinforcement struts are put in place to support your garage door when it is open. A double garage door, one that measures anything from 14 to 18 feet wide, can risk bending and bowing in the center if it isn’t supported for yours. However, even if your door does start to bow, it will not affect the closing of the door at all.

If your garage door is not insulated and is lighter weight than some of the heavier-duty double doors, you may see that each section of the garage door has the tendency to bow over the entire door itself.

If your garage is situated with a double garage door, it is recommended that you have three reinforcement struts installed. Three struts are enough to support a 7 or 8 foot‑high door, preventing it from bowing when it is left open for hours on end. If you want even more security, you can screw the reinforcement struts on with hinges rather than a steel clip.

Important things to remember

We encourage you to come to our showroom, where our garage door specialists can show you a wide range of garage doors available to you. We can advise you on the best choice for your aesthetic and safety needs. If you visit our website, you can use our design center to create your own virtual door and match it with your home. Or, you can take a look at our image gallery to see what others have done.

If you need assistance in learning how to properly reinforce your garage door against strong winds or hurricanes, please contact us anytime at 519-829-3777. Our garage door specialists are more knowledgeable than anyone in the industry, and can help you understand your requirements. We can also email you an online quote for free.