THE EARLIEST GARAGES

The inception of garage doors traces back thousands of years, possibly to 3500 BC or even earlier, coinciding with the emergence of wheels for transportation. Initially, city and town gatehouses served as primitive vehicle storage spaces. In the 18th and 19th centuries, carriage houses emerged as storage units, particularly notable in colonial America. However, these structures, resembling little more than barns, lacked integration with homes, necessitating inconvenient walks through the elements to access carriages. Carriage house doors, characterized by their outward-swinging mechanism, featured designs like Z and X shapes to reinforce and distribute weight, preventing sagging.

HERE COMES THE AUTOMOBILE

With the advent of automobiles by the end of the 19th century, gradually replacing horse-drawn carriages, the need for dedicated storage surged. Henry Ford's pivotal role in popularizing cars catalyzed this shift. The term "garage" made its debut in the English dictionary in 1902, derived from the French word "garer," signifying shelter or cover. Early automobiles lacked roofs, prompting owners to seek shelter to shield them from inclement weather. Initially parked in barns or private garages, urban areas witnessed the emergence of large, fee-based garages. However, accessibility issues persisted, prompting the emergence of personal garages, facilitated by offerings like portable garages and mail-order garage kits.

PERFECTING THE DESIGN

Early garage doors mirrored carriage house designs, featuring swing-out mechanisms prone to operational challenges during adverse weather conditions. Sectional doors emerged as a solution to these shortcomings. C.G. Johnson revolutionized garage door technology with the introduction of the overhead operation in 1921, followed by the invention of the electric garage door in 1926.

GETTING ATTACHED

By the mid-20th century, architectural trends favored homes with attached garages, maximizing convenience by enabling direct access to vehicles from within the home. Post-World War II, the proliferation of larger vehicles led to the expansion of garage sizes, with garages encompassing approximately 45% of a home's square footage by the 1960s.

BEYOND WOOD CONSTRUCTION

While wood dominated garage door construction for much of the 20th century, the 1970s witnessed a material shift towards steel, aluminum, fiberglass, and other composite materials, paving the way for contemporary options, including synthetic insulation and aluminum-glass garage doors.

SAFE GARAGE DOORS

Safety concerns prompted legislative action in the 1990s, mandating the incorporation of sensors in garage doors to prevent accidents by retracting if they encounter an obstruction.

GARAGE DOORS TODAY

Modern homeowners gravitate towards carriage house-style garage doors, blending timeless aesthetics with the convenience of upward operation. With approximately 80% of homes featuring at least a single-car garage and nearly 20% boasting three-car garages, the garage has become a quintessential component of residential living. Moreover, beyond vehicle storage, garages serve diverse purposes, with many iconic corporations, such as Hewlett-Packard, Apple, Google, and Amazon, tracing their origins to humble garage beginnings, underscoring the profound significance of garages and garage doors in contemporary society.