Vertical Track

The vertical track is the straight section of garage door track that mounts on each side jamb, running from the floor up to the point where the track curves into the horizontal overhead section. It is the section the door rollers travel during the first part of the door's opening movement—pure vertical lift—before the door transitions into the curved section and then into the horizontal track.

Vertical track is fabricated from roll-formed galvanized steel channel, the same profile used for the horizontal section. Residential standard-service track is typically two-inch channel; heavier commercial doors use three-inch or larger track to handle the greater roller loads. The track is fastened to the jamb with track brackets—L-shaped fittings screwed into the structural framing—at regular intervals, typically every 12 to 18 inches.

The inside face of the vertical track must be plumb and parallel to the door's plane of travel. If the vertical track leans inward or outward, the rollers bind and the door drags. If the two vertical tracks are not parallel to each other, the door travels diagonally and section joints open unevenly, causing panel stress and noise.

The bottom of the vertical track is anchored by the bottom track bracket, which is through-bolted to the jamb. This bracket also provides the reference point for setting the gap between the bottom of the door and the floor—a small gap is left so the astragal seal, not the steel door panel, contacts the floor. Track alignment is one of the first checks a technician performs when a door binds, squeaks, or comes off track.