Garage Door Springs Color Code [Explained With Chart]

The market for automated garage doors instead of hand-pulled ones has become more prominent in recent years. Garage door springs help the door rise and lower these doors by balancing its weight.

Parts of these garage doors need replacement, and door springs are the most frequent. But how do we select one based on the garage door springs color code?

Garage door springs come mainly in two shades, black and red. Black color is designated for the springs that are simply right-wound. In contrast, the red ones are left-wound springs. Also, depending on spring type, the color chart illustrates a wide range of springs to choose from according to your door weight.

But do you know what spring color coding is and how it works? Hope in to learn more about it!

What Does Garage Door Spring Color Coding Denote?

Garage door spring installation is a tough job. Spring color code can help you with that, be it a standard or overhead door. It is a more efficient and convenient way to get a hold of the spring size you are looking for!

Before buying a spring for your garage door, take into account some detailed information like which type of spring wire is required, door weight, wind direction, and, most importantly, determine the wire size. All of these can be easily understood from spring colors.

The primary two colors of garage door springs are red and black. Red colored spring indicates that the spring is a left wound. In comparison, a black-colored spring denotes a right wounded spring.

Apart from these, they are variably colored, and each represents the weight of the door the spring is capable of lifting. Also, it shows the dimensions, thickness, and wire gauge of the spring.

Garage Door Spring Color Coding in a Quick View – DASMA Chart

DASMA is a color coding chart that garage door spring manufacturers bring to the table. This chart mentions how much weight a garage door spring can hold.

However, you can use only two types of springs – torsion or extension springs. And these two types have different variants of the DASMA color code chart according to their requirement.

Let’s take a quick look into the specifics of garage door spring colors.

Torsion Spring

The garage for torsion springs functions to help the door open and is installed horizontally along the door. When the door closes, energy gets stored in the springs, and they wound up. As the door opens, the springs unwind.

The stored energy gets transformed and helps to lift the garage door. Torsion springs are colored in two sections – one that denotes wind type and the other that shows wire gauge.

The black depicts the right wind spring, and red denotes the left wind. The DASMA chart illustrates it beautifully.

Extension Spring

Extension springs are used in older door access systems. They are installed adjacent to the rails of the garage door. The codes here indicate the amount of door weight a spring carries.

Two extension springs hold the capacity of lifting a weight denoted by color. If a single spring fails to act, the garage door might come rushing down to the ground, seriously injuring a user.

The DASMA chart shows the extension spring color in the following way:

Is Color Coding Necessary For Garage Door Springs?

Yes, color coding is essential for garage door springs. A high-quality garage door spring holds it in place for its frequent opening and closing movements.

The job of a spring is to keep the door fastened when it is involved in closing or opening operations. This demands the capacity of the spring to be able to tolerate the door weight. The insufficient capacity of spring can cause an accident. Not only that but other parts may also be damaged as well in the process.

Color coding gives detailed information about a garage spring – how much it can endure, its dimensions and gauge, etc. Therefore, color coding is the best to follow for easy shopping and replacement of garage springs.

Replacing an old spring with the same color can ensure the correct selection. If it gets discolored, weigh your door and match it with the coding. Identify and use that one for replacement.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How do I know which spring to buy as a replacement for my garage door?

Measure the weight of the garage door. Also, measure the length of the spring in a normal state and then elongated form, which will be required. Considering this information, search for the spring color that covers your information. That will be the one to buy the right garage door spring with little cost for your door.

How do you determine the right or left spring on a garage door?

Look at the color coding. Usually, springs that are black colored are the right wound. And those that are red are left wounded.

If they are not available in colors, you can also do so by seeing the end of the spring. If the endpoints are in a clockwise direction, it is left a wound. For the anticlockwise direction, it will be the right wound.

Conclusion

The spring almost always remains an ignored part of garage doors. But it is one of the most vital components of it. They deal with extreme loads every day and are, therefore, prone to breakage.

So, it might be required to replace the springs frequently. But installing a faulty or incapable spring can only cause injury or damage. Thankfully, this garage door springs color code makes this task easy peasy.

But it would be best if you always considered the attributes that match the spring and the door. Just learn the requirements of your door and set out to buy one for yourself!

Citations:

Understanding the Garage Door Spring Color Code

How to Measure Replacement Torsion Springs