"seat" for overhead door, associated installation

[madcowscarnival]

Is there any requirement in code for an overhead door seat. My understanding has always been that this is optional based on the Homeowners needs. I personally prefer mine to have no seat as I have a lot of hard-tired junk that I move in and out frequently. The seat on one of the company shop doors is an annoyance especially with an awkward load on a dolly.

Is there any rule of thumb in determining width of the seat? The R.O. of the door? The finished opening width?

Finally, should the door tracks be located in the seat or above, on the slab. I would think to minimize potential corrosion it would be set at the top of the slab rather than where water "could" build up.

We're dealing with a mfg. home installer who has their foundation contractor and framer arguing with each other on these issues. The mfg. home installer has asked for my advice. Would also take any suggestions for a different topic to post this in.

 

[MotorCity]

Not familiar with the term "seat" as it relates to overhead doors. Could you provide a sketch or describe what you mean by "seat"?

 

[madcowscarnival]

MotorCity, it is basically a 2x8 laid flat, blocked out at the overhead door location creating a small lip between the driveway and interior garage slab.

I attached a picture of a small corner. I'll snap a better one over lunch.

https://files.engineering.com/getfi...02af-4d01-91a8-b48b3578865b&file=IMG_0531.jpg

 

[ornerynorsk]

Caveat - not structural, just opinionated . . . I don't know why wood of any kind would be embedded in the slab at the door sill. Seems like an all-around bad idea, for multiple reasons. I've installed numbers of overhead doors in my own properties, and I seat the tracks right on the slab itself, making sure they're level to each other, of course. They're always going to see a little corrosion over time on the bottom end, but you could epoxy paint a few inches prior to install.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.

 

[madcowscarnival]

@ornerynorsk, it gets taken out after slab starts to set, like temp forms on a stair riser. To leave a blocked out area at the door. Darn, forgot to get a better picture. Though, this is leading me to agree with my conclusion that there isn't a requirement for it, and maybe its even a regional thing.

 

[ornerynorsk]

Yes, I understand now. My mini-storage buildings are set up with this type of a stepped sill. It does indeed help contain rain water and moisture, preventing it from further encroaching inside the building, but as you mentioned, pushing a cart or some other object up and over can be a pain. On my set-up, the tracks are down in that sill step, the step extending one stud thickness past the rough opening.

It is better to have enough ideas for some of them to be wrong, than to be always right by having no ideas at all.