Follow-the-Roof Track

Follow-the-roof track (also called contour track or pitched-ceiling track) is a hardware configuration for garages where the ceiling slopes upward from the header toward the back of the building. Standard track runs level overhead. Follow-the-roof track angles upward to follow the ceiling pitch. The open door rides along this slope instead of hanging flat.

When it is needed:

In a standard installation, the horizontal track starts a few inches above the door opening and runs level to the back of the garage. If the ceiling drops in that same zone, the track would hit it within a few feet. There would not be enough run for all the door sections to travel in. The door could not open fully.

This problem occurs in:

• Cape Cod and bungalow homes with garage space tucked under a sloped roof
• Detached garages with a vaulted or cathedral ceiling
• Farm buildings where roof framing starts close behind the door header

Follow-the-roof track solves this by using the sloped ceiling space. Instead of needing a flat zone, the track climbs with the ceiling. The door in the open position hangs at an angle matching the roof pitch.

How it is ordered:

Standard horizontal track is made for level runs only. Follow-the-roof track is ordered to a specific pitch: common options are 1-in-4, 1-in-3, and 1-in-2 rise-to-run ratios. Measure the ceiling pitch before ordering. The transition curve angle must also match. A mismatch will cause the door to bind where the vertical track meets the pitched horizontal section.

Opener choice:

Because the track tilts, the opener rail must tilt too. Some standard trolley openers can follow the slope. Others cannot. A jackshaft opener mounts directly to the torsion shaft and does not use an overhead rail at all. Jackshaft openers are the cleanest solution for steep-pitch follow-the-roof installations.