One Big Door or Two Smaller Ones?
If you're building a new garage, converting a carport, or replacing an aging garage door system, you'll face a choice that most homeowners don't think about until they have to: should a two-car garage have one double-wide door or two single doors?
Both configurations work. Both are common in Raleigh. But they differ in cost, convenience, durability, and curb appeal. Here's how to decide.
The Two Options
Single (double-wide) door: One door spanning the full width of a two-car garage opening, typically 16 feet wide by 7 feet tall. This is the most common configuration in homes built from the 1980s onward across the Raleigh area.
Two single doors: Two separate doors, each typically 8 or 9 feet wide, with a center post (mullion) between them. Each door has its own tracks, springs, and opener. More common in older homes, custom builds, and homes going for a traditional or carriage house aesthetic.
Cost Comparison
One double-wide door (installed):
- Basic steel: $800 to $1,500
- Insulated steel: $1,100 to $2,200
- Premium/carriage house: $2,000 to $4,500
- One opener: $250 to $600
Two single doors (installed):
- Basic steel (x2): $1,200 to $2,200
- Insulated steel (x2): $1,600 to $2,800
- Premium/carriage house (x2): $2,800 to $5,000
- Two openers: $500 to $1,200
Two single doors cost 30 to 50 percent more than one double door. You're paying for two of everything. two doors, two sets of springs, two sets of tracks, two openers. The installation labor is also higher because there are two complete systems to set up.
The center post between two single doors also costs $200 to $500 for materials and installation if one doesn't already exist.
Curb Appeal
This is where two single doors often win. Two doors with a center post create a more proportioned, traditional look that many homeowners and designers prefer. The center post adds visual structure to the facade and breaks up what can be a large, featureless expanse on a double-wide door.
Carriage house-style doors in particular look more authentic as single doors. because real carriage houses had individual swing-out doors for each bay. A double-wide carriage house door is mimicking that look but can feel a bit forced at 16 feet wide.
That said, modern and contemporary home designs often look better with a single clean door. especially full-view aluminum and glass doors where the wide span is part of the aesthetic.
In neighborhoods across garage door repair in Holly Springs and garage door repair in Wake Forest, you'll see a mix of both configurations. There's no objectively "better" look. it depends on your home's style.
Convenience and Daily Use
Double-wide door advantages:
- One button opens the whole garage
- No center post to navigate around when parking or moving items
- Maximum clearance for larger vehicles, boats, or trailers
- Simpler. one system to maintain
Two single doors advantages:
- Open only the side you need (saves energy in winter and summer)
- If one door breaks, you can still use the other
- Less wind resistance per door (we'll get to this)
- Independent operation is helpful if two people leave at different times
The convenience edge depends on how you use your garage. If you routinely pull large items in and out (a boat, a riding mower, workshop materials), the unobstructed width of a double door is hard to beat. If you mostly just park two cars and come and go at different times, two single doors offer more flexibility.
Durability and Wind Resistance
This is an underappreciated difference. A 16-foot-wide door is a large surface area. In strong winds. which Raleigh gets during storms. that surface catches a lot of force. The wider the door, the more it flexes under wind load. Reinforcing struts help, but a double-wide door is inherently more vulnerable to wind damage than two narrower doors.
Each single door is roughly half the width and much stiffer relative to its size. The center post also adds structural support to the garage opening. If you've ever seen a garage door blown in during a storm, it's almost always a double-wide door.
For most of Raleigh, this isn't a primary concern. we're not in a hurricane zone. But during strong storms and the occasional tropical system remnant, two single doors handle wind pressure better.
Repair and Replacement Considerations
Spring failure: When a double-wide door's spring breaks, the entire door is non-functional. When one of two single doors loses a spring, the other door still works. you can still get a car out.
Panel damage: If a panel on a double-wide door gets damaged, the replacement panel is wider and costs more. Single-door panels are smaller and typically more affordable.
Opener failure: Same logic. lose one opener on a two-single setup, the other still works. Lose the opener on a double door, both cars are stuck.
Long-term maintenance cost: Two single doors cost more to maintain over time because there are two of everything. But the redundancy means you're less likely to be completely locked out by a single failure.
Insulation and Energy Efficiency
For the same R-value rating, the total insulated surface area is similar between the two configurations. However, two single doors with a center post create a smaller combined opening, and the post itself adds a bit of insulation and structural integrity.
The bigger energy factor is usage. With two single doors, you can open just one side, exposing half the garage to outside air. With a double door, every opening exposes the entire garage. In Raleigh's hot summers, this can make a noticeable difference if your garage is insulated and climate-conditioned.
What Should You Choose?
Choose a double-wide door if:
- You want the lowest upfront cost
- You need maximum clearance for large vehicles or equipment
- You prefer the simplicity of one system
- Your home has a modern design that benefits from clean, wide lines
Choose two single doors if:
- Curb appeal and traditional aesthetics are a priority
- You want redundancy (one can work if the other breaks)
- You frequently open only one side of the garage
- Energy efficiency matters (you keep the garage heated or cooled)
- Wind resistance is a concern
- Your home is in a neighborhood like garage door repair in Fuquay-Varina with traditional architectural styles
Making the Switch
If you currently have a double-wide door and want to convert to two singles (or vice versa), it's a significant project. Converting from one double to two singles requires adding a center post (which may need a building permit and structural work), new tracks, new springs, and a second opener. Budget $3,000 to $6,000 for the full conversion.
Going from two singles to one double means removing the center post (again, structural considerations), widening the header if needed, and installing a wider door and track system. Similar cost range.
For most homeowners, the choice is made during new construction or a full door replacement, not as a conversion. But if you're already replacing and you've wanted to change configurations, it's the right time to do it.
If you're choosing between configurations for your Raleigh home, request a free quote to get started.