Double vs. Single Stall Garage: Which Is Best For You?

There's no doubt that garages are great. They can store vehicles (on-road and off-road), provide work space, and much more.

When purchasing a garage, there's a lot to consider—size, siding, roofing, etc. One important aspect to think about is how many overhead doors and stalls you need. There's not a one-size-fits-all option; instead, there are several. In this post, we'll talk about three: single, side by side single, and double-wide. As you learn about each, think about these things:

• Preference—Which do you like better?
• Aesthetics—Which do you think would look best on your property?
• Usability—Which would be the most convenient and functional for you?

Here are two things you can do to help figure out if a double or single stall garage is right for you.

First, consider what you're storing.

Knowing what you plan to store in your garage will help to determine which option is best.

Ask yourself:

• How many cars do I plan to keep in the garage?
• Do I need room for bicycles, kayaks, or canoes?
• Do I need to store a small boat?
• Will I need space for an ATV, snow mobile, or motorcycle?
• What else will I need to store in my garage?
• Do I need room for a workbench or shelves?

As you think through these things, consider how you'd get larger items in and out of the garage, and if multiple items will be stored together in the garage, what type of access would be the easiest. There are no right or wrong answers, but there may be a good and better choice.

Second, investigate the pros and cons of both.

You could probably brainstorm a list of pros and cons on your own, but check out our insights below to get the ball rolling. If you really have no idea where to even begin, check out our post of Shed and Garage Shopping For Beginners.

Single Stall Ranch Garage

If you're looking to store one vehicle, whether it's a car, motorcycle, etc., a single stall garage with an overhead door will work fine. Depending on the size, you'll likely have room for a workbench or some shelves.

Pictured below is a single stall High Barn garage with LP SmartSide Lap siding.

Side by Side Single Stalls

A simple Google search will quickly reveal that most people like the look of a two overhead door garage more than that of a double-wide stall with one overhead door.

While it may be more pleasing to the eye, this scenario offers practicality. For instance, with two doors, you don't have to expose all the contents of your garage every time you enter or leave the garage. Also, if one of the two doors malfunction, you'll still be able to open the other door, having access to at least one vehicle.

Pictured below is a side by side single stall Ranch garage with painted siding.

Double-wide stall

A double stall may not look as appealing to the masses, but has some helpful benefits like being able to pull the car into the center of the garage to:

• Rotate tires
• Change the oil
• Open up all of the doors to vacuum the interior
• Load/unload something large like a wheelchair

Unfortunately, if for some reason the door malfunctions, you're stuck. There's no alternative way to get your car or any other vehicle in or out. Additionally, a larger, single door puts greater strain on the opening mechanism (or your back, if it's manual door), than one or two smaller doors.

Pictured below is a single, double-wide stall Ranch garage with painted siding.

Here's something else to consider: a pull-through garage.

While they're rare and somewhat unusual, they're practical and boast many benefits. Think for a moment about how you would benefit from having a drive-through garage. Having overhead garage doors in both the front and rear of your garage opens a world of endless possibilities. Here are just four benefits; we're sure you can think of more.

Now it's time to start browsing! Check out our garage packages or view some garage options in our Image Gallery.

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