High-Speed Parking Garage Door — New Grocery Store Construction, Ontario
The Challenge
A newly constructed grocery store required a parking garage door at a technically demanding location: the entrance was positioned at the bottom of a vehicle ramp, introducing a set of requirements that a standard overhead door installation couldn’t address. The door needed activation devices at both the top of the ramp and the exit — because a driver who commits to a ramp can’t just back out safely if the door isn’t responding. It also needed to provide meaningful insulation to regulate temperatures within the parking structure, and it had to handle the pressure differential conditions that ramp-based parking entrances create when the door is cycling.
On top of the functional requirements, reliability was non-negotiable for a high-traffic retail environment that would see consistent use from the day the store opened.
The Solution
Wilcox Door Service specified and installed a high-speed door system purpose-built for the parking garage entrance application. The activation system included loop detectors at the top of the ramp and at the exit point, ensuring drivers could trigger the door before committing to the ramp descent — preventing the unsafe scenario of a stopped vehicle on an incline. The door’s insulated construction addressed the temperature regulation requirement within the structure, and the high-speed cycling reduced the pressure exchange issues associated with ramp entrances where standard doors create a piston effect during operation.
The installation was coordinated with the new construction program to ensure the door system was in place and commissioned for the store’s opening day.
Outcomes
The parking garage door system was commissioned on schedule for the store’s opening. The dual activation points eliminated the safety concern of drivers being caught on the ramp without door response. Temperature regulation within the parking structure met the design intent, and the door has operated reliably through the high daily cycle counts associated with a busy retail location.
Why Wilcox
Parking garage door applications at ramp entrances have a specific set of engineering requirements that go well beyond a standard install. Activation logic, pressure differentials, insulation performance, and safety sequencing all need to be thought through before equipment is specified. Wilcox Door Service brings the technical depth to get these installations right — not just functional on day one, but reliable for the life of the building.
Products & Equipment
- High-Speed Insulated Parking Garage Door
- Ramp-Top and Exit Loop Detectors
Existing opening after construction
Modification and Header
Beginning putting the door in!
The Solution
Wilcox Door Service partnered with Rytec Doors to install a high-speed insulated Spiral Door to meet all the requirements that the customer had. This type of door had the ability to have the activations installed where they were needed, regulate their temperatures within the parking facility and provide security.
The Spiral door provides no metal-to-metal contact on the panels, which helps reduce the wear on the door panel and provides a quiet operation of the door. It opens up to 60 inches per second to allow for improved traffic flow. The door has a counterbalance system that reduced wear and improve the longevity of the equipment.
Entrance/Exit for one side of the facility
Other entrance/exit door to match
Side Profile of Door
Product Solutions Used in This Project
Related Products
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