Choosing an opener comes down to three things: your type of door, its size and the room around it. This guide walks you through each one. If anything doesn’t fit neatly, send us a photo and we’ll tell you which opener suits.
1. Work out your door type
Openers are made for one kind of door, so start here.
- Roller door: a curtain of corrugated steel that rolls up into a drum above the opening. The opener sits on the end of the drum, beside the door. Our roller door openers: Merlin MR655MYQ, MR855MYQ, MR555MYQ WeatherDrive, Auto Openers Door Master, Door Pro and Door Boss.
- Sectional door: horizontal panels joined by hinges that run up on tracks and sit flat under the ceiling. The opener hangs from the ceiling and pulls the door along a rail.
- Tilt door: a single solid panel that swings up and out on springs. It uses the same kind of ceiling-mounted opener as a sectional door. Our sectional and tilt door openers: Merlin MS107MYQ, Auto Openers Sectional Opener and Panel Boss.
Every opener we sell needs a spring-balanced door: the springs carry the weight and the opener only moves it. If your door is hard to lift by hand, have the springs checked before you fit any opener.
2. Measure your door
- Width: measure the opening from side to side, in metres.
- Height: measure from the floor to the top of the opening.
- Area: multiply the two. A door 4.8 m wide and 2.4 m high is 4.8 x 2.4 = 11.5 m².
Choose an opener whose rated door area is larger than your door. Each opener also lists any height or weight limit. The comparison table shows them side by side.
3. Check the room around the door
- Roller doors need side room: space between the end of the drum and the wall for the motor. Our roller openers need at least 45 mm.
- Sectional and tilt doors need headroom: space between the top of the door’s travel and the ceiling for the rail. The Merlin MS107MYQ needs 30 mm; the Auto Openers sectional openers need 57 mm.
- Rail length limits the door height on sectional and tilt doors. The Merlin MS107MYQ rail suits doors up to 2.5 m high. The Auto Openers Sectional Opener rail suits openings up to 2.4 m high. Taller doors need an extension rail.
4. Pick the power for your door
Force is measured in newtons (N). A heavier or larger door needs more force, but any opener rated for your door’s area will move it. Pay for extra force when your door is near the top of a model’s range, or for a commercial door.
- Standard home roller door: Merlin MR655MYQ or MR855MYQ (500 N and 550 N), or the Auto Openers Door Master (650 N).
- Large or heavy roller door: Auto Openers Door Boss (1200 N, up to 20 m²).
- Light commercial roller door: Grifco GLD-RDO (1300 N, up to 28 m² and 270 kg, battery backup included).
- Carport or partly exposed roller door: Merlin MR555MYQ WeatherDrive, rated IP34 for partly exposed spots.
- Sectional or tilt door: Auto Openers Sectional Opener (1000 N), Merlin MS107MYQ (1000 N, up to 150 kg) or Panel Boss (1500 N) for heavier doors.
5. Extras worth thinking about
- Battery backup keeps the door working in a blackout. It’s included with the Grifco GLD-RDO and optional on several others. The comparison table shows which.
- Phone control: the Merlin and Grifco openers take an optional myQ kit. The Remootio 3 adds phone control to many existing openers without replacing the motor.
Not sure?
Send us a photo of your door and your current opener, with the width and height. We’ll tell you which opener suits before you buy. Contact us or call 1300 858 438.