Single vs double garage doors: which suits your home?
Single vs double garage doors compared for Adelaide homes: cost, kerb appeal, one big door versus two, and which layout suits your driveway and budget.
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Get free quotesThe choice between single and double garage doors comes down to your opening, budget and how you use the garage. A single door covers a narrower opening and costs less; a double door covers a wide 2-car opening in one span. If you have a double garage, you can fit one wide double door or two separate single doors, and each layout has real trade-offs in cost, kerb appeal and redundancy. Your existing opening usually decides most of it.
Key takeaways
A single door suits one-car openings; a double spans a 2-car opening.
In a double garage you can choose one wide door or two singles.
Two singles cost more but give redundancy and a symmetrical look.
Your opening width and central pillar (if any) drive the decision.
Single door versus double door
The simplest framing: a single door is narrower and cheaper, a double door is wider and dearer but covers a 2-car bay in one span.
| Factor | Single door | Double door |
|---|---|---|
| Typical width | 2,400mm to 2,700mm | 4,800mm to 5,200mm |
| Cost band (roller) | $1,100 to $2,200 | $1,600 to $3,200 |
| Cost band (sectional) | $1,800 to $3,500 | $2,600 to $5,500 |
| Best for | One-car garages | Wide 2-car openings |
Before you decide, measure the opening properly, because the width and any central pillar often make the call for you. Full pricing sits on the cost page.
One double door or two singles?
If you have a 2-car garage, this is the real question. Both layouts are common across Adelaide.
One wide double door
- Cheaper than two separate doors and one motor to maintain.
- Clean, uninterrupted street look popular on new estate homes in Angle Vale and Mawson Lakes.
- Needs a clear wide opening with no central pillar.
- If it fails, the whole garage is closed until it is fixed.
Two single doors
- Costs more (2 doors, often 2 motors) but each opening is smaller and simpler.
- Redundancy: if one fails you still have access through the other.
- Suits homes with a central structural pillar between the bays, common in older builds.
- A symmetrical twin-door face suits character and heritage homes in Norwood and Unley.
Both work with any door format, so read the garage door types guide and, if you are torn between roller and sectional, the roller vs sectional door selector.
Which suits your Adelaide home?
- New estate home, wide clear opening: a single wide double door gives the cleanest look for the money.
- Older home with a central pillar: two singles are often the only option, and they suit the proportions anyway.
- Character or heritage street: twin single doors frequently match the home's era better than one wide span.
- Budget-led: one double door beats two singles on price almost every time.
Cost is the deciding factor for many, so weigh the full figures in how much a new garage door costs in Adelaide.
Frequently asked questions
Is a double door cheaper than two single doors?
Yes, usually. One wide double door needs one door, one track set and one motor, so it typically costs less than two complete single-door installs. Two singles buy you redundancy and a symmetrical look instead.
Can I replace two single doors with one double door?
Only if the central pillar can be removed, which is a structural question. If the pillar is load-bearing, you are keeping two doors. A specialist assesses whether the opening can be combined.
Which looks better from the street?
It depends on the home. New estate builds tend to look best with one clean wide door, while character and heritage homes often suit twin single doors that echo the era. The material and colour matter as much as the count.
Not sure which layout fits? Get matched with vetted Adelaide specialists free for advice on your opening.