• 14 parts
  • Checked September 2026

Parts of a Garage Door

A sectional garage door from inside and from the side, with every part numbered.

Parts of a Garage Door

Name Date

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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Write the name of each numbered part.Answer key

  1. Section (panel)
  2. Hinge
  3. Roller
  4. Vertical track
  5. Horizontal track
  6. Torsion spring
  7. Torsion shaft
  8. Center bearing bracket
  9. Cable drum
  10. Lift cable
  11. Bottom bracket (bottom fixture)
  12. Astragal (bottom seal)
  13. Safety sensor (photo eye)
  14. Opener

Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Licence: own work.

Each numbered ring is a button. Use the arrow keys to move between them and Enter to choose. Names are read out in Study, and once a part is answered.

Next step Next: the parts of a hinged door

All 14 parts on the diagram

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From inside 12

  1. Section (panel) Most home doors have three, four or five, hinged together.
  2. Hinge Lets the sections fold as the door rounds the curve.
  3. Roller Carries the door along the track.
  4. Vertical track Guides the rollers up the sides of the opening.
  5. Torsion spring Wound to balance the door's weight. Under high tension: leave it to a trained technician.
  6. Torsion shaft Carries the springs and a cable drum at each end.
  7. Center bearing bracket Holds a bearing that supports the shaft and springs.
  8. Cable drum Winds up the lift cable as the door opens.
  9. Lift cable Runs from the drum to the bottom bracket. Under high tension.
  10. Bottom bracket (bottom fixture) Holds the lowest roller and the end of the lift cable.
  11. Astragal (bottom seal) Seals the bottom of the door against the floor.
  12. Safety sensor (photo eye) Sends a beam across the opening. A blocked beam stops the closing door.

From the side 2

  1. Horizontal track Holds the door overhead when it is open.
  2. Opener Drives the trolley that pulls the door open and shut.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-26. (1) A garage door maker's Residential Garage Door Terminology, https://raynor.com/wp-content/uploads/literature/Residential-Terms.pdf : sections, hinges (end and center), track rollers, vertical and horizontal tracks, torsion spring, cable drum on the torsion shaft, lifting cable, bottom bracket, center bearing bracket supporting the shaft and springs, astragal (the seal on the bottom edge), header, jambs. (2) A garage door dealer's vocabulary, https://www.overheaddoorco.com/blog/garage-door-garage-door-opener-vocabulary : sections (often called panels), hinges, rollers (often called wheels), track, torsion spring on a pipe or shaft with the cable drums, drum or cable drum (spool), lift cable to the bottom fixture, top and bottom fixtures, opener, photocell or safety beam near the bottom of the track. (3) Wikipedia, Garage door, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garage_door (sections, tracks, rollers, torsion and extension springs, cables, opener) and Garage door opener, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Garage_door_opener (trolley on a rail, quick release, electric eye and entrapment-prevention devices). Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-26. Licence: own work

How it works

These parts of a garage door system follow the trade names: a door of sections joined by hinges, rollers in vertical and horizontal tracks, and a torsion spring over the door that balances its weight through cable drums and lift cables.

Read the full guide

What does the lifting

The torsion spring is wound round a shaft over the door, held in the middle by the center bearing bracket. As the door rises, the cable drums at each end wind up the lift cables, which are fixed to the bottom brackets. The spring's stored tension carries most of the door's weight.

The opener and its safety sensors

The opener hangs from the ceiling and pulls the door along its rail. Safety sensors low on each track send a beam across the opening; if something breaks the beam, the closing door stops and reverses.

  • Springs, drums and lift cables are under high tension. Name them for a technician; do not loosen or adjust them yourself.

Questions and answers

What are the panels of a garage door called?

Sections. Most home doors have three, four or five, joined by hinges so the door can bend round the curve of the track. People often call them panels.

What is the difference between torsion and extension springs?

A torsion spring sits on a shaft over the door and twists. Extension springs, the other common system, run alongside the horizontal tracks and stretch as the door closes.

What is the rubber strip at the bottom of a garage door?

The astragal, or bottom seal. It squashes against the floor when the door closes to keep out water, draughts and leaves.

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