When constructing a new garage the opening for a 16×7 garage door the opening should measure 16×7.
The 16×7 opening should be after the header and all the trim work is installed. It is important to note
that for a 16 foot wide garage door the header should be at minimum 9 inches longer than the door
width, meaning your header should be 16 feet 9 inches long. The extra length for the header is to
provide enough load bearing strength to cover the 16 foot opening span.
The width of the opening prior to jambs being installed should be 16 feet 3 inches to allow for 2×6 jambs
to be installed making the total width of the opening with the jambs installed 16 feet.
The jambs and header provide solid surfaces for the installation of the garage door tracks, spring system
and automatic garage door opener. It is important to also allow for proper head clearance in the garage
as well. For standard installation there must be a minimum of 12 inches of clearance from the top of the
garage door opening to the garage ceiling. This clearance is needed for the installation of the spring
system and the automatic garage door opener. There are installation kits available for lower head
clearances, but they have additional costs for the parts and installation.
