# What should the rough opening be for an 8x7 garage door with a 1x finish?



## Marklifedo (Jun 12, 2017)

For garage doors, I work backwards from the finished door. on standard doors, the finished opening will the same as the door. The last step is to install a trim strip with a flexable seal that touches the door itself. So on the door's I've framed, I take the finish door minus the thickness of the trim you're using, minus say 1/2 to 1 inch of shim room. Also the door manufacturere may have a set sise of the opening. One other note. The door hardware needs plenty of framing to attach the hardware to. Make sure you have enough framing lumber for attaching the tracks.


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

wagoner said:


> Pretty basic question. If I have an 8x7 garage door and the finished faces are just going to be 1 x pieces, what should the rough opening be?


The final opening needs to be 8'-0". After your trim boards. So 8'-3" before trim boards. 

Then install the vinyl door stops on top of your 1x after the door is installed. You can use 1x3 door stops too, but why?


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## wagoner (May 26, 2017)

BIG Johnson said:


> The final opening needs to be 8'-0". After your trim boards. So 8'-3" before trim boards.
> 
> Then install the vinyl door stops on top of your 1x after the door is installed. You can use 1x3 door stops too, but why?


Wouldn't it be 8'2" then?


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

wagoner said:


> Wouldn't it be 8'2" then?


No, I meant 8'-1 1/2" your 1x trim boards are 3/4". I usually use 2x6 then wrap in aluminum so my RO's are 3" over.


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## wagoner (May 26, 2017)

BIG Johnson said:


> No, I meant 8'-1 1/2" your 1x trim boards are 3/4". I usually use 2x6 then wrap in aluminum so my RO's are 3" over.


So then 7'3/4" tall


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

Cut the bullsh$t. Rough opening for an over head door is the actual size of the door, in this case 8' x 7'. Jambs go in, vinyl weatherstrip known in the garage door trade as a stop goes on last. Frame a few houses with a carpenter and you'll see.
Mike Hawkins


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## jlhaslip (Dec 31, 2009)

And double up on the cripples/jacks holding the header. A single won't cut it.


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## woodworkbykirk (Sep 25, 2011)

also, many garage door installers want 2x4's nailed on the flat to the inside edge of the opening for the tracks to be fastened to.. 

most garage doors openings i trim out get done simply with aluminum cladding but this is for cost.. otherwise its done with 1x stock pvc or sometimes 5/4 lodgepole pine trim. it all varies on what the exterior finish detail is


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

firehawkmph said:


> Cut the bullsh$t. Rough opening for an over head door is the actual size of the door, in this case 8' x 7'. Jambs go in, vinyl weatherstrip known in the garage door trade as a stop goes on last. Frame a few houses with a carpenter and you'll see.
> Mike Hawkins



You need to read the instructions for installing a garage door. 

The FINISHED opening (without the stop trim) is the actual size of the door. If you are wrapping in aluminum you COULD be right IF the framer is installing the 2x6 jambs. Foundation openings are poured 3" wider than the door. 9' -3", 16'-3", 18'-3" etc.. If you are framing you need to know what the trim is going to be. That's what blueprints are for.


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## BIG Johnson (Apr 9, 2017)

wagoner said:


> So then 7'3/4" tall



Yes. A 7' garage door is already short, you don't want to lose another 3/4" of height after your jamb. You'll need door stops to fill the gaps anyway and those are either 1/2" vinyl or another 1x.


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## firehawkmph (Dec 12, 2009)

BIG Johnson said:


> You need to read the instructions for installing a garage door.
> 
> The FINISHED opening (without the stop trim) is the actual size of the door. If you are wrapping in aluminum you COULD be right IF the framer is installing the 2x6 jambs. Foundation openings are poured 3" wider than the door. 9' -3", 16'-3", 18'-3" etc.. If you are framing you need to know what the trim is going to be. That's what blueprints are for.


Big J,
You know me, c'mon. I built many houses in the nineties, been installing garage doors for over twenty years. Construction methods vary by region, around here, we frame the opening to the finish size of the door. Used to be redwood jambs plus the stops. Now they're either just wrapping the rough openings in aluminum or using pvc trim like Azek, etc. if you include the jamb thickness in the finish size of the rough opening, depending on how accurate they frame the opening, you could run into a problem where the rubber weatherstrip doesn't cover the metal cap on the end of the door sections if the jambs aren't plumb. I have to apologize for the above post, I was watching the Cavs game while typing, and we were losing. Lol. 
Mike Hawkins


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