Hello all!

My family and I use bicycles as our primary mode of transport. We park our bikes under our front porch (see photos attached). Our existing underporch doors are cumbersome to use and not very secure, so I am looking to design and install an automatic garage door that will open and close at the push of a button. Unfortunately, due the unusual dimensions and minimal headroom, I am having trouble finding a suitable off the shelf solution.

Based on some preliminary research, I think the best option would be a fully retractable fixed-panel "tilt up" garage door, attached to an automatic garage door opener. But honestly, at this point, I am looking for any and all ideas! Does anyone have any ideas for how to design this and what products I could use? And if not, can you help point me in the right direction? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

My first thought was the commercial door openers we see at many stores, they swing open rather than going up. Should be able to find something used.

Bud

 

Are you referring to the door openers that are commonly used for handicap accessible doors, where you push a button and the door swings open?

Are those doors secure? Can the door be pried open? I wonder if in addition to opening a door, it can unlock a latch. Whatever solution, I want to make sure it can also be "locked," as I don't want to have to take out a key to engage a deadbolt.

 

I'm thinking gate openers that swing the doors open vs a conventional door opener which pulls the door up.

Need to conserve head room!

 

Ya, the handicap style powered doors is what I was thinking of, some need a button pushed and others sense your approach. But as far as I know all require being locked to be secure.

Bud

 

Here's a single panel garage door where the opener might fit up between your floor joists to help keep the open door tight to the ceiling.
https://www.google.com/search?client...7AJTN80tyuz4M:

Bud

 

Um, you have a huge ground-level glass window, why worry about people stealing bikes when breaking into the house is actually easier?

A) bifold horizontal outward pivot garage doors.

B) Segmented horizontal sliding doors (traditional garage door mounted sideways).
Adding foam-core insulation to the back of the garage doors helps retain heat.
Adding chain-link-fence to the back of the garage doors makes them break-in-proof.

C) Flip down, drive across "drawbridge door".

D) Slide down steel "portcullis" grate mounted behind the porch railing. Cover the front with all weather carpet/fabric mounted to a classic "granny roller shade" for privacy/weatherproofing

E) Klemens Torggler pivot doors.

 

I would put a QMI shutter on there, It light weight and doesn't require a lot of headroom https://qmiusa.com/