How Secure are Garage doors?
Your garage door is one of the largest access points to your property, and its security deserves just as much consideration as your front door or windows.
Whether you use your garage to park your car, store bicycles and tools, or access your home, choosing the right garage door can make a significant difference to how well your property is protected.
But which type of garage door offers the best security? And are sectional doors more secure than roller doors? What security standards apply to garage doors?
In this guide, we compare the security characteristics of the four most popular garage door styles and explore the independent standards that help homeowners make informed decisions. As ever, if you need some independent, impartial advice, just get in touch with Horizons and we'll do our best to help.
What Garage Door Type is the Most Secure?
The four most common garage door styles for homeowners are sectional, side hinged, up and over and roller garage doors.
They each have their pros and cons and differing methods of construction and locking arrangements.
The short answer is that sectional garage doors generally offer the best security. This is mainly due to the thickness of the panels, the method of closing and locking and the lack of weak points.
That's not to say that other garage door types aren't secure though, especially when combined with additional security options such as triple point locking or choosing a manufacturer which offers Secured by Design accreditation.
Sectional doors offer the highest level of security, with strong panel construction, robust multi point locking and excellent resistance to forced entry.
RC2 and Secured by Design come as standard from Horizons.
Recommended models: Hormann Renomatic, Hormann LPU42
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Side hinged doors can provide good security, especially with multi point locking, reinforced hinges and a solid frame.
Security depends greatly on the specification and installation.
Recommended models: Hormann NT60, Select Side Hinged
Modern roller door models provide good protection and resistance to lifting. Available with Secured by Design accreditation.
Recommended models: Hormann RollMatic T, Hormann RollMatic 2
Up and over doors offer moderate security.
Modern models use rotary catch locking and can be very secure, while older doors may be more vulnerable without upgrades.
Recommended model: Hormann Series 2000
Understanding Garage Door Security Standards
Secured by Design (SBD) is the official police security initiative that works to improve the security of buildings and products.
Products awarded its Police Preferred Specification must meet relevant security standards, supported by independent testing and certification.
For garage doors, this can involve testing their ability to resist attempted forced entry. Hormann has Secured by Design-accredited sectional and roller garage doors, including the LPU 42, LPU 67, RenoMatic and RollMatic ranges.
STS 202 BR1 and STS 222 BR1
STS 202 is a technical specification used to assess burglary resistance in building products, including certain garage doors.
BR1 is a burglary-resistance classification within the specification.
The Secured by Design register identifies Hormann's LPU 42, LPU 67 and RenoMatic sectional garage doors under STS 202 BR1 and the RollMatic T roller garage door under STS 222 BR1.
The fact that a product is tested under STS 202 or STS 222 doesn't by itself establish that one is stronger than the other, they are simply different testing specifications.
RC2 – Resistance Class 2
RC2 is a burglary-resistance classification available on selected Hörmann automatic sectional garage doors under DIN/TS 18194.
Testing includes defined attempts at forced entry using specified hand tools.
The relevant resistance period is three minutes under the test conditions.
This is a measured test requirement, not a guarantee that a door cannot eventually be breached.
Electric garage doors can offer important security advantages, but automation alone doesn't guarantee greater resistance to burglary. The key difference is how the door locks when fully closed.
A compatible Hormann automatic sectional garage door, for example, uses mechanical anti-lift locking that engages when the door closes. This provides physical restraint rather than relying simply on motor resistance.
Electric doors may also offer encrypted remote controls, door status monitoring and compatible alarm equipment.
However, a high quality manual door with robust mechanical locking can still offer effective security.
For either type, the construction, locking system, certification and installation quality are what matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
A high quality sectional garage door with mechanical anti-lift locking and independently certified burglary resistance is an excellent security focused option.
However, security certification is more important than door style alone. A certified roller door may outperform an uncertified sectional door.
Can a sectional garage door be forced open?
No garage door is completely immune to attempted forced entry.
However, Hormann's mechanical anti-lift protection helps prevent unauthorised lifting, while eligible RC2 certified configurations have demonstrated resistance to defined attack methods. You would need some serious tools to get into one and it would take quite a long time!
Does a Hormann garage door remain locked during a power cut?
Compatible automatic Hormann sectional doors use mechanical anti-lift locking that remains engaged when the electrical supply is interrupted.
Emergency release arrangements depend on the installation and operator configuration and are a very popular choice to add on without significant cost. Speak to Horizons to find out more about adding emergency release to your quotation.
Are older garage doors less secure?
Older doors may have worn locks, damaged components or outdated security arrangements.
A modern replacement can offer improved security, particularly where independently certified products and professionally installed locking systems are specified.
Not necessarily.
A roller door's slatted construction is different from the rigid panels of a sectional door, but this doesn't automatically make it insecure.
The strength of the slats, retention within the guides, locking arrangements and complete door assembly determine how well the door resists forced entry.
A properly installed, independently tested roller door can offer greater burglary resistance than an older or uncertified door of another style.
This is why comparing recognised security certification is more useful than judging a door solely by its appearance or construction type.
Book your free home survey with Horizons
A complimentary home survey is recommended to choose the best garage door option for you.
It gives us a chance to thoroughly explore the options available to you whilst we take accurate measurements. We can also discuss your priorities, design choices, budgets and go through the pros and cons of each option in detail.
Visit our garage door, entrance door and awnings showroom in Leamington Spa
Discover the quality, design and engineering behind our garage doors and other products at our brand new Horizons showroom on the Harbury Road, Leamington Spa.
Our showroom lets you see, touch and experience the quality that goes into the manufacture and finish of our garage doors before you buy.
Opening Hours:
Mon-Sat 10am - 4:00pm
Find us at:
Unit 4, The Hangers,
Harbury Lane,
Leamington Spa,
Warwickshire
CV33 9SA
In order to make the most of your appointment and allow us to prepare any relevant materials/samples that may be of benefit, we strongly suggest booking an appointment.
During your visit we can talk through your project, recommend the best sectional doors for your home, answer any questions and provide pricing guidance.
Find out more about our new showroom by clicking here
Book a showroom appointment:
Just fill out the form below, call us on 01926 942090 or email info@horizonsgroupltd.co.uk with your contact details and date/time and we'll see you then!
Find Out More About Horizons
We want to make sure you have everything you need to make an informed decision when it comes to choosing the right garage door for you.
