Commercial Garage Door Spring Types Explained

For facility and property managers, understanding commercial garage door spring types is essential to keep doors safe, functional and code-compliant. Springs handle the heavy lifting of sectional and rolling doors, and when they fail, doors can become noisy, unbalanced or completely inoperable.

Door Pros is a Clopay® Master Authorized dealer with decades of service throughout San Mateo, San Rafael, Sacramento, San Francisco and surrounding areas. We specialize in commercial spring repair, replacement and high-cycle upgrades. Call us at (800) 983-2608 or reach out online today.

Torsion vs. Extension Springs

Most commercial properties rely on torsion springs because they support heavier loads, last longer and provide better balance. Extension springs can work for budget-sensitive installations or areas with limited headroom.

Torsion Springs

Torsion springs sit above the door on a central shaft. Commercial torsion springs can handle substantial weight, operate smoothly and reduce strain on door openers. High-cycle options rated for 50,000 or more cycles are ideal for high-traffic environments such as shipping docks, parking structures and emergency vehicle bays.

Advantages of torsion springs include:

Smooth, quieter operation.
Higher load capacity.
Multi-spring designs available.
Lower long-term maintenance.

Keep in mind that torsion springs require more overhead space than extension springs, and involve more of an initial investment.

Extension Springs

Extension springs stretch along the door’s horizontal tracks. As the door opens, they contract to lift the door. Extension springs are more common on lighter commercial doors or where ceiling clearance is restricted. They can be noisier and require properly installed safety cables to prevent dangerous spring failure.

Extension springs have a lower initial cost, and they’re suitable for low-headroom applications. However, they only have a cycle life of 7,000-10,000 cycles, and may require more frequent adjustments compared to torsion springs.

Load Requirements and High-Cycle Considerations

Commercial doors are engineered for the specific weight, size and expected daily cycles. Choosing springs without considering these factors increases the risk of premature wear, door imbalance and opener strain. Torsion springs generally provide higher lift capacity and smoother motion for heavy doors. High-cycle torsion springs reduce unplanned downtime and are often more economical over the life of the building, despite a higher initial investment.

Managers should always request detailed spring data, including wire size, inside diameter, number of turns, torque rating and certified cycle life. Doors that are used dozens or hundreds of times per day require high-cycle hardware rather than standard 10,000-cycle springs.

When you need to focus on business and not garage door springs, call us at (800) 983-2608, request service or get an estimate online. At Door Pros, we’re here to help you find the right solutions.

Redundancy and Safety

Commercial doors often use multiple torsion springs on a single shaft. If one fails, the others may still support the door, reducing the risk of sudden free fall. Extension springs rely on safety cables to contain energy if a spring breaks. Missing or damaged cables are a serious hazard and a compliance issue.

Critical openings, including emergency vehicle bays or high-traffic loading doors, should include redundant lift components, fall protection devices and fully functional safety systems. These can include shaft-mounted brakes, properly sized lift cables, and compliant photo-eyes and sensing edges to meet OSHA and building code requirements.

Warning Signs

Commercial doors are industrial machines and must meet safety standards. Treat any of the following signs as urgent service needs:

Unusual noise such as grinding, popping or squeaking
Imbalance or uneven travel, including racking or drifting doors
Changes in operation such as increased resistance, slower opening or difficulty with manual operation

Because springs store significant energy, adjustments or replacements should only be performed by trained professionals. Whether you notice something wrong or need commercial spring replacement, this is not a job to take on yourself.